Cirque Du Soleil's AMALUNA Begins 2/12 in Houston

Make your date FLIP this Valentine's with Amaluna from Cirque du Soleil. Amaluna is the ultimate celebration of love. The unconditional love between a mother and daughter, the strength of centuries-old love felt within a community; and the heart-stopping, new, love-at-first-sight of inevitable lovers-to-be.

What's your love story? Fall in love for the first time or continue your love affair with Cirque du Soleil with their new Big Top touring show, premiering at the Sam Houston Race Park on February 12, 2015, just in time to share the experience with your loved ones for Valentine's Day!

Written and directed by Tony Award-winning director, Diane Paulus, Cirque du Soleil's 33rd production Amaluna is a celebration of love and a tribute to the work and voice of women.

Due to popular demand, new show dates are now on-sale and Amaluna has extended to now play through March 22, 2015. Tickets are available by visiting www.cirquedusoleil.com/amaluna or by calling 1-877-9 CIRQUE.

Amaluna invites the audience to a mysterious island governed by Goddesses and guided by the cycles of the moon. Their queen, Prospera, directs her daughter's coming-of-age ceremony in a rite that honors femininity, renewal, rebirth and balance which marks the passing of these insights and values from one generation to the next.

In the wake of a storm caused by Prospera, a group of young men lands on the island, triggering an epic, emotional story of love between Prospera's daughter and a brave young suitor. But theirs is a love that will be put to the test. The couple must face numerous demanding trials and overcome daunting setbacks before they can achieve mutual trust, faith and harmony.

Amaluna is a fusion of the words ama, which refers to "mother" in many languages, and luna, which means "moon"; a symbol of femininity that evokes both the mother-daughter relationship and the idea of goddess and protector of the planet. Amaluna is also the name of the mysterious island where this magical story unfolds.

For the first time in Cirque du Soleil's history, Amaluna features a cast that comprises 70% women, with a 100% female band. "Amaluna is a tribute to the work and voice of women", explains Director of Creation Fernand Rainville. "The show is a reflection on balance from a women's perspective", he adds. Director Diane Paulus, winner of a 2013 Tony Award (Pippin) and recently named as one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2014, says: "I didn't want to build a 'women's agenda' show. I wanted to create a show with women at the center of it, something that had a hidden story that featured women as the heroines." Paulus drew from a series of classical influences when creating the concept of the show; including tales from Greek and Norse mythology, Mozart's The Magic Flute and Shakespeare's The Tempest.

Some 30 years ago, Cirque du Soleil was but a dream. It was the dream of a small community of travelling performers who would do anything to share their love of the stage, of circus and of the world. The family has grown since then and now includes thousands of dreamers-creators, artists, technicians and workers who toil in the shadows. The dream has become a symbol of Québec pride, an international entertainment company that has brought 35 large-scale shows to life-19 of which are still in operation. The company, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in June 2014, has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.