Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil revolutionized the circus arts, transcending the traditional big-top approach of the past to spotlight elaborate sets, lavish costumes, and original music. After forming in Quebec, Canada, in the mid-'80s, the troupe's popularity expanded across North America and, by the end of the '90s, the world. Their shows' accompanying soundtracks comprise whimsical and atmospheric worldbeat music, and have included reworked versions of songs by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, and Michael Jackson as well as original works by composers including their first music director, René Dupéré, and Danny Elfman (2011's Iris). The troupe's colorful 20th Big Top show, 2023's ECHO, showcased a quintessential blend of world, pop, classical, electronic, and vocal music.