Cirque du Soleil to Bring AMALUNA to San Jose, Begin. 1/22

The iconic Blue and Yellow Big Top will be coming down in San Francisco next week and heading to San Jose, as Amaluna by Cirque du Soleil prepares to wow audiences after its successful run in The City.

The cast and crew will be working around the clock to ensure the stage is set for the San Jose premiere of Amaluna on January 22 at the Taylor Street Bridge.

Amaluna will be playing for a limited engagement; the show schedule and tickets are available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/amaluna and although excellent seats are still available, they are selling fast!

An audience of over 170,000 in the Bay Area has already experienced the magical world of Amaluna with its powerful goddesses, emotionally charged acrobatics and all female rock-and-roll inspired band like no other.

The San Francisco Chronicle described Amaluna as; "Sumptuously designed and invigoratingly female-powered", and the Bay Area News Group declared it; "Nothing less than stunning".

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. "I didn't want to necessarily build a 'women's agenda' show", says Director Diane Paulus, winner of a 2013 Tony and Drama Desk Award; "I wanted to create a show with women at the center of it, something that had a hidden story featuring women as the heroines."

"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.

Amaluna is Cirque du Soleil's 32nd production. From humble beginnings with a group of 20 street performers in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment around the globe. The company has over 4,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists, from over 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought delight to more than 100 million spectators, in more than 300 cities in over 40 countries. Cirque du Soleil is celebrating its 30th Anniversary in 2014.