PITTSBURGH - Cirque du Soleil will return to Pittsburgh in October.The Montreal-based circus will perform eight shows, starting Oct. 7, at the Petersen Events Center on the University of Pittsburgh campus.

Tickets are available now for Cirque Club members, with the general on-sale starting 11 a.m. Aug. 17 by calling Ticketmaster at (412) 323-1919 or visiting www.cirquedusoleil.com/alegria.

The Pittsburgh show, “Alegria,” will feature 55 performers and musicians from 17 countries. Acts include the Synchro Trapeze and high-speed aerial high bars, where aerialists fly 40 feet above the stage.

“Alegria” has entertained 10 million people worldwide since its April 1994 debut. The name, translated from Spanish, means “happiness, joy and jubilation,” reflecting the show’s operatic look at the struggle for power and the invigorating energy of youth.