Review: Cirque du Soleil’s new Corteo show transforms Royal Albert Hall with ‘first of its kind’ staging

Cirque du Soleil are back at the Royal Albert Hall for 2025 after they treated Londoners with their musical and acrobatic production of Allegria last year.

In January, the famous elevated circus returned to the venue with a new production, Corteo, and I was lucky enough to go to the premiere of the show.

Corteo has a very Italian, Mediterranean feel, and there is a first of its kind at the Royal Albert Hall.

The stage is central in the arena and divides the venue from the Royal Albert Hall's organ in a straight line to door six entrance.

Each half of the audience facing the other which at first is quite jarring as an audience member, but it definitely offers a unique and interactive atmosphere for sure.

Cirque du Soleil started its much-loved annual residency at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996, and it's now a staple of the entertainment calendar here.

Watch the video above for a look at Cirque du Soleil’s new show Corteo.