*Cirque du Soleil artists performed two 10-minute freestyle shows, interacting with passengers at the airport’s iconic grand foyer.

Passengers at Hamad International Airport (HIA) were treated to an exclusive, surprise preview performance of Cirque du Soleil’s latest production – Messi 10 – last night. Messi 10 opens to the public in Qatar Thursday at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena, marking its Asian and Middle Eastern debut.
At HIA, the artists performed two 10-minute freestyle shows, interacting with passengers at the airport’s iconic grand foyer.


A moment from a freestyle show performed at HIA by Messi 10 artists

Messi 10 is an immersive experience which combines classical circus acts such as trampoline, trapeze and tightrope artists with never-before-seen disciplines, audiovisual material and videos highlighting Lionel Messi’s best plays, as well as exclusive images especially produced for the show. It tells the story of a young man with boundless ambition who overcomes all obstacles to become one of the greatest footballers of his time.
Cirque du Soleil has partnered with Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) to bring Messi 10 to Qatar, with support from Qatar Airways as sponsor. Organised in collaboration with Alchemy Project Entertainment, the show will run until March 7. Messi 10 comes to Doha as part of a limited tour through Barcelona, Buenos Aires, and other Argentinian cities.
Tickets are available on TIXBOX.QA, and are priced from QR295.
Qatar Airways senior vice president Marketing and Corporate Communications, Salam al-Shawa, said: “We are thrilled to support Cirque du Soleil and QNTC to bring this incredible show to Doha. Messi 10 combines two of our passions in Qatar – art and sport – and from what we have seen at the preview performance at HIA today, visitors and residents in Doha are in for a real treat. It’s just one of many incredible events taking place in Qatar this spring.”
QNTC’s chief marketing officer Rashed al-Qurese, said: “Messi 10 is a celebration of a remarkable athlete, and QNTC is proud to bring Cirque du Soleil’s foray into football to Qatar. HIA’s Corporate Communications and Marketing vice president Abdulaziz al-Mass, commented: “Passengers are at the heart of HIA and hence we were excited to offer them a sneak peek of the Cirque du Soleil performance at the terminal. Being a gateway to the world, it is only fitting for us to showcase Qatar’s events to a wider audience within the terminal, while attracting them to visit the country and experience Qatar’s culture and essence.”
As a curator of world-class art, HIA has been known as a destination for global travellers. HIA is currently undergoing an expansion to meet the growing demand for air travel and accommodate more than 53mn passengers by 2022 annually. HIA is currently a candidate for the “Best Airport in the World” award by Skytrax, which also classified it as a five-star airport, making it one among only five other airports in the world and the only one in the Middle East to achieve this prestigious status.
HIA currently holds the 'Fourth-Best Airport in the World' and the 'Best Airport in the Middle East' titles. The results of the Skytrax World Airport Awards will be announced in March 2020. Passengers can vote for HIA by visiting the Official Skytrax World Airport Survey website.
Related Story