Cirque du Soleil's 'Corteo' is a celebration of the life of a clown

ESTERO — Hertz Arena will be transformed into a circus ring July 25-28, when Mauro the clown pictures his own funeral attended by angels in a carnival atmosphere in Cirque du Soleil’s “Corteo.”

The show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us, a news release explains.

“Corteo” combines music, acrobatics and poetry.

Mauro will be joined by a cast of jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, clowns, singers, dancers, actors and musicians celebrating his life.

“Corteo” features a variety of innovative acrobatic equipment elements invented at Cirque du Soleil and designed to mesh seamlessly with the set design, according to the news release.

The stage is central in the arena and divides the venue, with each half of the audience facing the other half, giving a unique perspective not only of the show, but also a performer’s eye view of the audience, the news release explains.