Circus is back in town.
It's show time again starting 14th January, when the 34th edition of the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival enters the ring. Last year 3000 to 4000 spectators watched the acrobats, clowns, and animal trainers perform under the big top. This year more than 20 countries are represented, and 150 artists will be amazing audiences over 10 days. Besides the 4 competition shows and 8 prize winners' shows, there are the usual parade, friendly football match, and circus themed art exhibitions. Check maBoum's circus festival listing for details of all activities.
The organizing committee is once again presided over by Princess Stephanie, whose father Prince Rainier III created the festival in 1974. Urs Pilz, artistic director, has traveled the world to see many of the acts performing in the ring this year. Among the 28 disciplines are:
- Zulu floor acrobats from Kenya
- Timour Eshimbekov's troupe of Djiguites horsemen
- Allegria Troupe of Russian acrobats
- Petra and Roland Duss' sea-lions
- Rossyans clowns from France
- Andrejs Fjodorovs' white pigeons
- Yakubovi acrobatic act from Kazakhstan
- Natalya Hertz from Russia, a solo trapeze artist
- The Flying Michaels flying trapeze artists from Mexico
- Court-Circuit clown, a young French artist with amazing disguises
