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Photos: Cirque du Soleil files for bankruptcy protection

Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal based entertainment company, known for its artistic productions featuring high powered acrobatics and theatrical sets, filed for bankruptcy protection barely three months after cancelling shows because of the coronavirus outbreak across the world. Cirque du Soleil, which grew from a troupe of street performers in the 1980s to a company with global reach, cut about 95% of its workforce and suspended shows due to the pandemic.

Updated on: Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM IST

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A scene from Cirque Du Soleil’s ‘Bazzar’ in Mumbai in November 2018. As the company filed for bankruptcy protection on June 29, a stalking horse bid was dismissed as inadequate by lenders during a Quebec court hearing into the company’s restructuring on June 30. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

A scene from Cirque Du Soleil’s ‘Bazzar’ in Mumbai in November 2018. As the company filed for bankruptcy protection on June 29, a stalking horse bid was dismissed as inadequate by lenders during a Quebec court hearing into the company’s restructuring on June 30. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

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Cirque Du Soleil’s debut India show, ‘Bazzar,’ in Mumbai in November 2018, was about a theatre troupe much like their own, that came together from different backgrounds to develop a show. According to a Reuters report, “Montreal-based Cirque, which grew from a troupe of street-performers in the 1980s to a company with global reach, has slashed about 95% of its workforce and suspended shows due to the pandemic.” (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

Cirque Du Soleil’s debut India show, ‘Bazzar,’ in Mumbai in November 2018, was about a theatre troupe much like their own, that came together from different backgrounds to develop a show. According to a Reuters report, “Montreal-based Cirque, which grew from a troupe of street-performers in the 1980s to a company with global reach, has slashed about 95% of its workforce and suspended shows due to the pandemic.” (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

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Cirque du Soleil perform on ice-- a show titled ‘Crystal,’ at Arena Riga, Latvia in January this year. Reuters cited Cirque Chief Executive Daniel Lamarre saying, “We’re open to any solution that someone can bring to the table that will ensure the future of Cirque du Soleil.” Quebec Superior Court Judge Louis Gouin agreed to give the company protection from its creditors for 10 days. (Gints Ivuskans / AFP)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

Cirque du Soleil perform on ice-- a show titled ‘Crystal,’ at Arena Riga, Latvia in January this year. Reuters cited Cirque Chief Executive Daniel Lamarre saying, “We’re open to any solution that someone can bring to the table that will ensure the future of Cirque du Soleil.” Quebec Superior Court Judge Louis Gouin agreed to give the company protection from its creditors for 10 days. (Gints Ivuskans / AFP)

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A scene from ‘Kurios,’ a Cirque du Soleil production in Sydney from October 2019. The company cut 3500 jobs in June because of shows being cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak across the world. The company had to pause production of all of shows, including six in Las Vegas, in March. (Peter Parks / AFP)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

A scene from ‘Kurios,’ a Cirque du Soleil production in Sydney from October 2019. The company cut 3500 jobs in June because of shows being cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak across the world. The company had to pause production of all of shows, including six in Las Vegas, in March. (Peter Parks / AFP)

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During their debut show , ‘Bazzar’ in India, a high point was the teeterboard act — where two men take turns jumping and somersaulting high in the air and landing on the edge of a seesaw-like plank. A Bloomberg report stated that Cirque had $1.47 billion in liabilities at the end of 2019, about five times shareholders’ equity. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

During their debut show , ‘Bazzar’ in India, a high point was the teeterboard act — where two men take turns jumping and somersaulting high in the air and landing on the edge of a seesaw-like plank. A Bloomberg report stated that Cirque had $1.47 billion in liabilities at the end of 2019, about five times shareholders’ equity. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

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A scene from the troupe’s production ‘Bazzar’ in Mumbai in November 2018. Interest payments were already draining the bottom line at Cirque du Soleil Holdings LP before the Covid-19 pandemic froze its revenues, according to a report by the monitor in its bankruptcy protection case, and as reported by Bloomberg. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

A scene from the troupe’s production ‘Bazzar’ in Mumbai in November 2018. Interest payments were already draining the bottom line at Cirque du Soleil Holdings LP before the Covid-19 pandemic froze its revenues, according to a report by the monitor in its bankruptcy protection case, and as reported by Bloomberg. (Pratik Chorge / HT Photo)

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An act from Cirque du Soleil's Crystal show in Riga, Latvia, on January 15, 2020. Ernst & Young, the firm overseeing Cirque’s restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in Canada, said its net loss increased to $80 million last year from $10.2 million in 2017-- a report by Bloomberg stated. (Ints Kalnins / REUTERS )

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

An act from Cirque du Soleil's Crystal show in Riga, Latvia, on January 15, 2020. Ernst & Young, the firm overseeing Cirque’s restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in Canada, said its net loss increased to $80 million last year from $10.2 million in 2017-- a report by Bloomberg stated. (Ints Kalnins / REUTERS )

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During Cirque du Soleil’s show ‘LUZIA’ from August 2018 in Guadalajara City, Mexico. Canada’s once high-flying Cirque received initial protection from its creditors, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the famed circus operator to cancel shows and lay off artists, Reuters reported. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

During Cirque du Soleil’s show ‘LUZIA’ from August 2018 in Guadalajara City, Mexico. Canada’s once high-flying Cirque received initial protection from its creditors, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the famed circus operator to cancel shows and lay off artists, Reuters reported. (Ulises Ruiz / AFP)

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An artist performs during Cirque du Soleil's Totem show in London's Royal Albert Hall in January 2012. The Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group had almost $1.5 billion in liabilities as of December 2019. The suspension of shows because of the coronavirus outbreak pushed the company to file for bankruptcy protection on June 29. (Paul Hackett / Reuters)

Published on Jul 04, 2020 4:51 PM

An artist performs during Cirque du Soleil's Totem show in London's Royal Albert Hall in January 2012. The Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group had almost $1.5 billion in liabilities as of December 2019. The suspension of shows because of the coronavirus outbreak pushed the company to file for bankruptcy protection on June 29. (Paul Hackett / Reuters)

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