View the epitome of a rich and ancient folk art tradition when the Peking Acrobats, in their silver anniversary year, join your Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and Enbridge Resident Conductor Lucas Waldin. Defying gravity with astonishing balancing feats, and pushing the envelope of human possibility with amazing displays of contortion and control, the Peking Acrobats bring the festive pageantry of a Chinese Carnival to the Francis Winspear Centre for Music.

 

For over 25 years, the Peking Acrobats have redefined audience perceptions of Chinese acrobatics with awe-inspiring performances of tradition, perfection, and spectacle. They have toured around the world, performing daring maneuvers atop a precarious pagoda of chairs and showcasing expert technique in treacherous wire-walking, trick-cycling, and precision tumbling. As the Los Angeles Times stated, “The Peking Acrobats regularly passed from the seemingly impossible to the virtually unbelievable.” Accompanied by the ESO and guest musicians skillfully playing traditional Chinese instruments, the Peking Acrobats bring to Edmonton an astounding theatrical experience that will please audiences of all ages. The spectacle will be set to familiar classical works as well as traditional Chinese music.
 

In addition to their extensive touring, the Peking Acrobats have appeared on numerous television shows, including Nickelodeon’s Unfabulous, Ellen’s Really Big Show (TV Special with host Ellen Degeneres), The Wayne Brady Show, and ABC’s Wide World of Sports. They set the world record for the 21-foot-high Human Chair Stack on Fox’s Guinness Book Primetime, and have even appeared on the silver screen. Company members were featured in Steven Soderbergh's hit film Ocean's 11, while alumnus Shaobo Qin also appeared in the film and its sequels, Ocean's 12 and Ocean's 13.

 

Be prepared to be spellbound by performers that will transform 2,000-year old athletic disciplines into a kaleidoscope of entertainment and wonder. Ticket prices for these special ESO performances range from $25 - $35 for children and $40 - $50 for adults (agency fees apply). Call the Winspear Centre Box Office at (780) 428-1414, toll-free 1-800-563-5081, or purchase online.

 

Thank you to our performance sponsor Finning Canada, and to Enbridge for their support of our Resident Conductor Program.