Corteo is a touring Cirque du Soleil production that premiered in Montreal, Canada to a record breaking number of spectators for a premier made by the celebrated circus troupe in its home city. The production's name is derived from the Italian word cortège, or "funeral procession," and takes on the theme of death through the eyes of a clown who witnesses his own carnival-like burial. Despite the rather serious connotations that come along with death and funerals, Corteo takes a cue from funerary traditions around the world that view death as a time of joy and a celebration of the life led by the deceased. Corteo remains one of Cirque du Soleil's most acclaimed productions, and with over 5 million spectators worldwide since its premier in 2005, it could easily be considered one of its most popular.
