Cirque du Soleil to Open 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games

Canadian entertainment company Cirque du Soleil has been announced as the feature act for the 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games opening ceremony in Toronto.

The Montreal-based company will perform a one-night-only original production, complete with stagecraft, acrobatic athleticism and colourful cultural pageantry.

“Cirque du Soleil has an unmatched international reputation for staging some of the most imaginative and mesmerizing shows ever performed,” said Ian Troop, CEO of TO2015.

Cirque’s act will also showcase Ontario artists and volunteers, who organizers said will be recruited from local schools and community organizations.

“Cirque du Soleil is proud and deeply honoured to join TO2015 as a sponsor and Official Creative Partner for the Opening Ceremony of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games,” said Yasmine Khalil, director of Cirque du Soleil’s events and special projects division. “We are excited to create an original production for this special occasion.”

Organizers said Cirque “personifies many of the values of the Games” with its employees representing 50 nationalities, and able to speak 25 different languages.

The Pan Am Games opening ceremonies in July 2015 will be broadcast to hundreds of millions of homes across the Americas and Caribbean.

The Pan Am Games run from July 10 to 26, 2015. The Parapan Am Games are slated for Aug. 7-14.