Cirque du Soleil

With shows in Las Vegas and Disney World, performances on cruise ships, and six globe-trotting productions, what was once an artsy, small-scale French-Canadian circus has blossomed into a seriously big business entertainment. And, while it’s not exactly the exotic spectacle it once was, the troops enlisted by this troupe still put on one hell of a show. The latest production to sweep through Minneapolis bears the same kind of mysterious, seemingly made-up name (Corteo) we’ve come to expect from the troupe, along with contortionists, Euro-clowns (i.e., not the scary sort), child acrobats, tightrope walkers, aerialists, and the like. Actually, “Corteo” is the Italian for “cortege,” which is itself a French word for a procession or parade. But what, exactly, is The Grand Chapiteau? Why, that would be French for “big top,” which Cirque folk will erect, appropriately enough, on the Parade Stadium grounds. 600 Kenwood Parkway (west of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden) 800-678-5440; www.cirquedusoleil.com