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How To Pronounce Cirque du Soleil

What are three words, fourteen letters, and synonymous with rule breakers? Cirque du Soleil.


The words Cirque du Soleil inspire others to see, hear, and feel performances that defy conformity (it’s in our DNA). But how do you pronounce Cirque du Soleil, really? 

Our shows have many names, and some of the pronunciations aren’t always obvious. Some might even surprise you! Read along to learn how to pronounce our show names so that by the end of this article, you can shout it with us: Cirque du Soleil!

 

Cirque du Soleil Pronunciation: How do you say Cirque du Soleil?

You aren’t alone — many struggle with pronouncing Cirque du Soleil at first. We’ve heard "Circus Olay", "Serk Doo Soolie," and "Cirque Soooolay" to name a few. But once you learn how to pronounce the name, you’ll never forget it. Cirque du Soleil is French, which is why you can't just cobble together the English sounds for each letter and get the right pronunciation. 

The phonetic spelling of Cirque du Soleil in English is "surk-doo-so lay."

  • "Surk" rhymes with "lurk." 
  • "Doo" rhymes with "boo."
  • "So" rhymes with "go."
  • "Lay" rhymes with "hay."

Put this string of words together and you get Cirque du Soleil.

The French name Cirque du Soleil translates to Circus of the Sun in English.

KÀ Pronunciation

The phonetic spelling of KÀ is simply "kah." It rhymes with "rah." This one is fairly easy to pronounce, though you wouldn’t be the only one to trip over the two-letter construction. 

KÀ is commonly mispronounced online — many AI recordings pronounce it similar to how you’d say "Kansas," because they confuse the KA in KÀ with the abbreviation for the state. Don’t let the AI fool you. 

KÀ features epic battles, a 360-degree stage, and gravity-defying acrobatic acts. Learn more about KÀ and experience its epic story of love and conflict for yourself.

KOOZA Pronunciation 

The phonetic spelling of KOOZA by Cirque du Soleil is "koo-zah."

  • "Koo" rhymes with "too." 
  • "Zah" sounds similar to "ta" or "da" from "ta-da," and believe us, KOOZA is magical!

 

Messi10 Pronunciation 

G-o-a-l!

The phonetic spelling of Messi is "meh-’see." Then, you add the number 10, or "ten". Messi10 by Cirque du Soleil is based on the story of professional soccer player Lionel Messi. 

If you know how to say his name, you can pronounce the show's name. 

 

OVO Pronunciation 

The phonetic spelling of OVO by Cirque du Soleil is "oh-voh". 

It means "egg" in Portuguese, and both syllables of the pronunciation rhyme with "go".

This fantastical production brings the audience into the fascinating world of insects.  

 

Michael Jackson ONE Pronunciation

This Cirque du Soleil show is named after the King of Pop himself. In the order they appear, the phonetic pronunciation is:

  • "My-kuhl"
  • "Jahk-son"
  • "Won"

Alegría Pronunciation 

The phonetic spelling of Alegría is "ah-leg-ree-ah." The "ah" sounds like the first part of "apple." 

Alegría is named after the word meaning happiness in Spanish, which is the way you’ll feel after experiencing the wonderful narrative playing throughout the show. You might already be familiar with the song "Alegría," which was first recorded in 1994 for the show of the same name. 

¡Ven a vernos actuar!

 

Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR Pronunciation

A bazaar is a type of market, typically found in Middle Eastern or Asian countries. The spelling of the show title is slightly different, where the double "ZZ" represents the time loop you feel during the adventure.

  • To pronounce our show name BAZZAR, you say "bah-zar." 
  • The first syllable rhymes with "rah" and the second syllable rhymes with "car."

Learn more about Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR

 

Cirque du Soleil ECHO Pronunciation

English speakers will be pleased to learn that ECHO is identical to the English word "echo," which is pronounced "eh-kow." 

Discover more about ECHO.

 

KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities Pronunciation

This show is pronounced differently than the English word, "curious." Pronouncing the show correctly sounds like:

  • ‘ku-ree-ohs’

 

Corteo Pronunciation

To pronounce this Cirque du Soleil show, start with the word, "core." Then add "tay-oh" — it sounds like "day-oh!" You get the phonetic spelling of "core-tay-oh."

 

JOYÀ Pronunciation 

JOYÀ is pronounced exactly like the Spanish word. When you put it all together, you get "ho-ya."

 

LUZIA Pronunciation 

LUZIA is a waking dream of Mexico and its name comes from the combination of the word luz, meaning "light" in Spanish and the word lluvia that means rain. Both elements guide the traveler during the show.

The "z" makes a buzzing "zzz" sound, so you end with a pronunciation sounding like, "loo-zee-ah."

 

Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL Pronunciation

"Crystal" is an English word, and the show name is the same. The phonetic spelling of CRYSTAL is "kri-stl" or "krist-uhl."

That said, Cirque du Soleil CRYSTAL is anything but ordinary.

"O" Pronunciation

"O" by Cirque du Soleil is pronounced similarly to the letter, "o", or "oh." More than a letter, "O" brings together the grace of water and world-class divers, synchronized swimmers, and acrobats to create something unlike anything you’ve seen before. But, chances are you’ve seen its name before. 

The name comes from the French word for water, which is "eau" and pronounced similarly but shorter.

Discover the wonderful show of "O"

 

Mystère Pronunciation

This famous production is named after the French word that translates to "mystery." You pronounce it by saying "mee-stair." 

 

Drawn to Life Pronunciation

Drawn to Life by Cirque du Soleil is pronounced exactly as it looks in English. In the order they appear, the phonetic pronunciation is:

  • "Draw-uhn"
  • "Tew"
  • "Lyfe"

 

'Twas the Night Before Pronunciation

Our first holiday show, ‘Twas the Night Before is based on the classic poem "A Visit from Saint Nicolas" and will have you counting down the days until Christmas. In the order they appear, the phonetic pronunciation is:

  • "Twuhz"
  • "The"
  • "Nyt"
  • "bee-for"

 

Mad Apple Pronunciation

This New York-inspired production is chaotic, wild, and lively, but its pronunciation is a lot tamer. 

The phonetic spelling of Mad Apple is "mad" (rhymes with "bad") and "ah-puhl."

Learn more about Mad Apple.

The Beatles LOVE Pronunciation

This show, named after the fab four group of musicians, is pronounced:

  • "The"
  • "Bee - tuls"
  • "Luhv"

Come Say Hello to Cirque du Soleil!

The good news is you can visit the big top whether or not you can pronounce the show’s name. View upcoming shows and come say: "hello," "bonjour," "hola," or simply flash a smile.

Discover all of Cirque du Soleil’s shows!

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