V-STORY
RONCALLI – the first circus in the world with animal welfare in mind
The magic of childhood dreams comes true under the big top
“A day without laughter is a day wasted.” What Charlie Chaplin was preaching many years ago has been lived out by Circus Roncalli for almost 50 years: Unique circus poetry that bewitches audiences across Europe with each new show and whisks them away on a journey to a land of dreams, color, and imagination. The magic starts as soon as you enter the circus grounds with its nostalgic atmosphere. The original, renovated circus carriages and the imposing circus tent immerse you in a fairytale landscape. Austrian founder Bernhard Paul has a keen eye for every last detail of his Roncalli circus world. You won’t find any plastic seats here. Those who have booked a box can make themselves comfortable in chairs upholstered with real mohair fabric, while in the stalls, wide wooden benches provide comfortable places on which to sit. There are around 100 historical circus carriages decorated with precious gold leaf, each of which is a work of art in its own right.
The red and blue circus tents are covered in thousands of small lightbulbs, which emit a magical glow into the night sky. At the center of it all is the large show tent, which accommodates an audience of around 1,500. The circus ring at the center is surrounded by an auditorium constructed in the style of La Scala in Milan. Roncalli can therefore also be described as a circus theater. Bernhard Paul always wants to make a statement with his shows: “Against the economic crisis and the greed of the banks. For the beauty that makes life sweeter. For the circus.” The father of three speaks from experience, because the past decades haven’t always been easy for the head of Roncalli. “Time and again, there have been moments when things looked hopeless, and it was even uncertain whether the circus would be able to go on at all.”
Poetic feats
Bernhard Paul founded his circus back in 1975 and finds inspiration and artists for his show, which he develops anew every three years, all over the world. “Fashion shows and rock concerts, street artists – I can’t get the circus out of my head. Everything I see makes me think about how I could use it and adapt it for Roncalli. His own experiences, such as images and dreams from his childhood in his hometown of Willhelmsburg in Austria, also feed into the images within the circus, which gives the show an even more personal touch. The choice of artists is as diverse as it is select. Whether their background is circus school, competitive sport or television, all Roncalli artists have one thing in common: they are poetic masters of their art in the ring, and are part of the crème de la crème of the circus world. And it’s not just Roncalli’s artists who are world-famous – it’s also its clowns, who manage to combine poetry with the highest level of performance. The masters of “big emotions and small gestures” are quite simply in a class of their own, and Bernhard Paul – in his legendary starring role as Zippo – is famous well beyond the limits of the Roncalli circus ring.
Animal-free since 2018 and that’s why it’s so magical
The only animals which appear in the “world’s first animal welfare circus” are holograms, because Roncalli has made a conscious decision not to use real animals. Since 2018, the circus has not only been plastic-free but also completely animal-free. Instead, virtual horses dance in the circus ring, light fish float through the air and an impressive elephant apparition beguiles the audience. Circus Roncalli is the first circus in the world to use 3D holograms and has ‚roncallized‘ the way animals are handled in the circus. The news of this change was reported in 150 countries worldwide. With eleven laser projectors and a concept worked on by 15 designers and software developers over two years, Roncalli shows what it means to be a modern circus and to be ahead of its time. A love of animals can also be felt during the intervals at Roncalli, because visitors can also choose not to consume any animal products during their trip to the circus. Instead, they are spoilt for choice with a large selection of vegan and vegetarian interval snacks, meaning that they can treat themselves to a guilt-free savory snack.
Animal lover Bernhard Paul made the very conscious decision not to use wild animals or shy exotic animals right at the beginning when he founded Roncalli. “At the time, the decision had a huge effect on audience numbers, as many people only went to the circus to see the animals. But I never went back on my decision. Large wild animals do not belong in small circus cages. Roncalli’s poetry and uniqueness lie elsewhere. We can’t be compared to other circus acts,” he says. And his decades of success bear witness to his words. “The worst enemies of the circus are bad circuses and bureaucracy,” he explains. “The only thing you can do about bad circuses is to make your own circus good. Unfortunately, I still haven’t found a panacea for dealing with bureaucracy.”
Into the future with the Prix Roncalli
It is very important to the head of the Roncalli team that the circus should have a future. It becomes clear to anyone who meets him that everyone in the team is listened to, and that the team is one big, happy and impressively creative circus family: “The Prix Roncalli has existed for several years now. It’s awarded to those exceptional artists who are able to envision the innovative circuses of the future.” In keeping with the original idea of the prize, the trophy was designed by star designer Luigi Colani. “Over the past decades, he has reinvented the image of the world like no other,” says Paul. And so, the Prix Roncalli has the honor of joining the ranks of Luigi’s designs, which include high-speed trains, pianos and police uniforms. “The prize is a token of appreciation for the artists, and a living, powerful sign that circus will always have a future,” says Bernhard Paul.
The future of his life’s work is already in safe hands. Eliana and Bernhard Paul, who have been happily married for many years, have passed on their love of the circus to their beautiful, ambitious children Vivian, Adrian and Lilian, who have also inherited their parents’ talent, creativity and love for animals.
This year, too, it will be possible to experience the poetry of Roncalli live in a handful of cities, and to be whisked away on a wonderful journey. The current show, entitled “ARTisART”, is a multimedia spectacle which combines all of the arts: theater, movies, painting, music and of course the art of the circus blend together to create a unique overall piece of art. Costumes and scenery are inspired by artists such as Keith Haring, Frida Kahlo, Picasso and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. In addition to rousing artistry and charming clowning, it is especially the unique 360-degree holographs that create an intoxication for all the senses. A production that combines both nostalgia and modernity.
