Highly anticipated for the prominent role being played by Cirque du Soleil in Canada's Shanghai Expo 2010 offering, the Canadian Pavilion's theme will be The Living City: inclusive, sustainable, creative.

Though Cirque itself will not be performing at the Expo, their live performance savoir faire is being put to work recruiting and organizing performances by over 150 Canadian artists, so many that the pavilion won't be able to host them all. Some will take place in nearby Americas Square. 

The 150 artists being featured range from musical groups, to contemporary dance troups, slam poets, comedians and multi-media artists including Cutting Edge Music Festival headliners Bedouin Soundclash, award winning comic/acrobat Jamie Adkin, award-winning artist Scott Conarroe, critically acclaimed indigenous dance performers Red Sky and Acadian folk-Celtic rockers Grand Dérangement (great disturbance).

The pavilion is designed to be easily taken down and recycled after Expo's end, showcases the exceptional quality of life offered by Canadian cities and features an open plan centered around an open-air public performance space, where many of the artists recruited by Cirque du Soleil will be wowing the Expo crowds.

More useful information:

Shanghai Expo tickets
Shanghai Expo transportation
Shanghai Expo 2010 homepage