It is one of the cultural highlights of the year – and a total work of art that is much more than just a circus: Roncalli will be thrilling audiences in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main area from 6 June to 29 June
The most poetic of Germany's circuses is back – and is currently working its magic at the Ratsweg fairground. For some visitors, Roncalli is a childhood memory. They were able to experience the magic at the Bockenheimer Warte, the Alte Oper or the Ratsweg.
With its new production "ARTistART", Circus Roncalli brings a production to the ring that combines artistry, visual art and a nostalgic circus atmosphere to create a modern Gesamtkunstwerk.
What founder Bernhard Paul once started as an outsider project has long since developed into an established fixture in German cultural life – celebrated by audiences and viewed critically by the traditional circus world for years. Today, Roncalli is not only established, but as an animal-free circus, it is also a role model for an industry in transition.
With "ARTistART", Roncalli is continuing its own vision of developing the circus as a living art form: without animal training, but with subtle clowning, top-class artistry, detailed sets and artistic choreography. The programme is accompanied musically by the Roncalli Royal Orchestra under the baton of Georg Pommer – live, of course.
The new show is also a tribute to the great artists of the modern era: works by Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Keith Haring and Toulouse-Lautrec inspire the costumes, movements and visual language of the performances. The result is a living tableau in the ring – colourful, poetic and deeply human.
Among others, the Turkeev duo will amaze audiences with their aerial performance under the circus dome, as will aerial ring artist Alisa Shehter, the Cardio duo with their virtuoso balancing act, and clowns Gensi, Canutito Jr. and Matute – a trio that touches audiences with quiet humour and subtle melancholy. Lili Paul-Roncalli, daughter of the circus founder and well-known TV and social media star, will also be performing in the ring – as a representative of the new generation that is continuing the legacy of the Roncalli family.
One detail that underlines the uniqueness of the company: Roncalli is the only circus in Germany that still travels by rail in historic circus wagons – a logistical commitment to both tradition and sustainability.
In the run-up to its 50th anniversary in 2026, "ARTistART" seems like a shining promise: that the circus can maintain its place even in the digital age – as a place of wonder, art and great stories. Bernhard Paul sums it up: "The circus is art you can feel. Only those who burn can ignite."
Further information on performance times, tour stops and tickets can be found at: www.roncalli.de
