PSO POPS! Brings Cirque de la Symphonie to Merrill Auditorium, October 24 and 25

PORTLAND, Maine ’Ä́ For the first Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) POPS! performance of the 85th anniversary season, Music Director Robert Moody leads the PSO along with performance troupe Cirque de la Symphonie for an spectacular collaboration of cirque artists and full orchestra, sharing the stage of Merrill Auditorium.

A dazzling partnership to match the PSO's impeccable artistry, the Duluth News Tribune called Cirque de la Symphonie "’Ķstellar entertainment, with a lush-sounding orchestra and [cirque performers] taking us beyond what seems possible." It's an exciting adaptation of artistic performances widely seen in theaters and arenas everywhere, and it showcases many of the best cirque artists in the world, bedazzling the audience with aerial flyers, acrobats, contortionists, dancers, jugglers, balancers, and strongmen. Audiences will hear Dvorak's Carnival Overture, dramatic excerpts from Bizet's Carmen, Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, Khachaturian's Gayane and Masquerade, Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and more. These powerful orchestral works amplify the visual effects of classic cirque artistry as the music literally comes to life.

Sponsored by L.L. Bean, Cirque de la Symphonie will take place at Merrill Auditorium, 20 Myrtle Street in Portland, Saturday at 7:30 PM and Sunday at 2:30 PM. The shows are recommended for the entire family (ages 8 and up).

The PSO's 2009-10 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories. Tickets range from $20-$64 and are available through PortTix at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to $6-per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 PM. Special pricing may be available for students, seniors, and groups of 10 or more.

For complete season information, including artist biographies; program notes; and Online Insights, provided with support from season Enrichment Sponsor Fairpoint Communications; visit www.portlandsymphony.com.