Lyon – 29.05.2026: For the 80th anniversary of Les Nuits de Fourvière, the Australian circus company Circa will for the first time take on the opening of the traditional cultural festival in Lyon. With their latest production “Revoir les étoiles,” the company presents an emotional world premiere, which the audience is already eagerly anticipating. In recent years, Circa has become a fixture through six performances at the festival and will now appear for the third time in 2026 with a new production. The decision to open the anniversary program with this performance underscores the special appreciation for the poetic aesthetics and emotional depth of the Australian artistry.
“Revoir les étoiles” takes the audience on a poetic journey between dream and reality. The ensemble skillfully combines dance, acrobatics, and theater in the production, creating fluid boundaries between these forms. The performance impresses with an interplay of light, movement, and a sensitive musical composition that intensifies the intimate atmosphere. Circa tells in this production a story of longing and departure through subtle gestures and powerful presence.
Les Nuits de Fourvière are regarded as a festival of cultural diversity and artistic innovation. Each year, the festival brings together theater, music, dance, and circus under the open sky. That Circa was chosen as the opening act demonstrates the high respect and growing collaboration between the company and the festival. Circa continuously sets new standards worldwide with their poetic circus art.
Festival director Carole Pinet emphasizes the emotional impact of Circa’s work: “Their productions open spaces for subtle nuances and show how deeply circus art can move.” Especially in view of the search for an authentic artistic language, “Revoir les étoiles” offers an opportunity for an intense communal experience.
With the premiere, a new facet of the festival opens up for the audience in Lyon and beyond, showing how circus art as a universal language connects generations and cultures. Circa invites viewers with their piece to look at the stars anew—and in doing so, to discover hopes and memories.
Although the Australian company has been a guest at the festival several times, each premiere remains a moment of collective surprise and joy. The 2026 anniversary will thus be not only a celebration of tradition but also of artistic renewal and discovery.
“Revoir les étoiles” also reflects the dynamics of the experimental circus scene, whose global significance has grown in recent years. Lyon thereby solidifies its role as an important stage for artistic worlds that touch and inspire people beyond borders.
Sources
- franceinfo
- Les Nuits de Fourvière