What if everything were permissible? And if it was the king's fool who made sense? And if the Big Top became a magical world where the elderly became young and where the kings were clowns! And if you were king for a night! And if that's what Alegría was, what would you make of it all?

Like a bolt out of life, Alegría (pronounced ah-le-gri-ah) thunders to life with an unsociable need to tell its story – the need for a better world. Spanish for “elation”, “exhilaration” and “jubilation”, Alegría is a impassioned celebration of life in its most primitive form - the power to transform society.

In developing Alegría, Cirque du Soleil saw in the world around them a society in flux – uncertainty – in constant upheaval. They saw a world of contrasts – power and powerlessness, cruelty and kindness. They saw the irony of globalization, where a constantly shrinking world left individuals more isolated than ever before. They saw the irony of progress as though the sum of evil and hardship in the world remained forever constant. But through this uncertainty is the glow of the human spirit, an unconquerable force; resolute in its strength.

Thus the stage is set where old age and youth collide, where fantasy and magic are integral parts of everyday life, where a rallying cry-out for change takes shape so that together we can build a better tomorrow.

Thank you. Thank you to the Makers of Rules. To the Breakers of Backs. To the sincere Autocrats. To the false Democrats. To the Builders of Walls. To the Painters of Lines. Thank You. Thank you again. To those who Tattoo Numbers. To those who point fingers. To those who count their greed. To those who split by colour. To those who smile their lies. Thank you. Thank you so very much. Please, step into the Spotlight. Let us take your picture. To immoralize you. To thank you. Let us engrave your faces into our album of infamy. So that we may never forget. So that we may never accept. Viva L'Alegría!