On Sunday, LalibertГ© told Radio-Canada he intended to buy back the company: вЂњToday, I took the decision to embark on the purchasing process.вЂќ But his overture was two days before QuebecвЂ™s government stepped in with its own financial offer.Д¬irque sidelined 44 shows internationally, including six Las Vegas Strip productions, because of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. Just as that infusion was announced, company founder Guy LalibertГ© went public to share his dream of possibly returning to the company. This month, Cirque has received $50 million in вЂњemergency fundsвЂќ from primary investors TPG Capital of San Francisco, Fosun Capital Group of China and the pension fund Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec. The strong interest shown by the consortium formed by Investissement QuГ©bec and our current shareholders is further evidence of the strength of our brand and the importance of preserving the QuГ©bec heritage of Cirque du Soleil.вЂќ вЂњThe Cirque is too important for Quebec to let it be bought by a foreign company that will then move the head office out of Quebec.вЂќД¬irque responded in a statement: вЂњWe welcome todayвЂ™s announcement, which is part of the companyвЂ™s recapitalization process. We said, вЂYes, weвЂ™re going to help you but here are the conditions.вЂ™ вЂ¦ The most important thing is we are relaunching the Cirque with Quebecers in positions of power, with the intellectual property here. вЂњThe current shareholders have a plan to relaunch the Cirque and they came to see us. вЂњThe Cirque has a need for financial aid to allow it to be relaunched,вЂќ the minister said prepared remarks. The loan is intended to ensure CirqueвЂ™s financial viability. Cirque would then be under Quebec ownership, though Fitzgibbon said the government agency does not want to run the company. The Montreal Gazette posted the original story about the latest move in CirqueвЂ™s attempts to stabilize.ДЄs a provision of the loan, Fitzgibbon also said the Quebec government will accept the option to buy Cirque if the company decides to sell. On Tuesday, Pierre Fitzgibbon, the provinceвЂ™s economy minister, announced the publicly funded loan to keep the faltering company in business. Thus, Cirque has been thrown a lifeline in the form of a loan of up to $200 million under the governmentвЂ™s Investissement Quebec company.

The production company also is a favorite in its home province of Quebec. (Elizabeth Page Brumley/Las Vegas Review-Journal du Soleil is a Las Vegas institution.

Dancers with Cirque du Soleil and the Nevada Ballet Theatre perform a routine while rehearsing for 'A Choreographer's Showcase' during a practice session at the Mystere Theater at Treasure Island in Las Vegas on Thursday, Oct.

Cirque du soleil merchandise