The circus building has 5 arenas (equestrian, water, illusionist, ice rink, and light-effect), located 18 meters below the floor, which can be swapped during the performance.
Initially the circus building was merely
a performance venue. In early 1990s its own company was formed. It is headed by Leonid Kostyuk, a former circus artist and equilibrist. The former organizer of circuses in
Soviet Russia was Soyuz Gost-Cirk (loosely translated as Russian People's
Circus). Under the Soviet regime, there were over 70 circus buildings in the
Soviet states, as well as a specialist training-school system. Thousands of
performers worked for the circus organization. They were all State employees;
salaries were not high in comparison to the West, but employment was secure,
and equipment, costumes, travel and accommodation were all provided, as well as
a pension upon retirement.
The present company employs several
hundred performers and tours as the "Great Moscow State Circus".
The Moscow State Circus is a state-owned
enterprise. The circus organization was threatened by the dismantling of the
Soviet Union, and by some performers' inclination to seek better-paid foreign
contracts. In June 2007, an attempt to privatize the building was initiated,
strongly opposed by company director Leonid Kostyuk, among many others. Eventually President Vladimir Putin eliminated the building from the list
of state properties to be privatized. A
large number of artistes now belong once again to the State system.
During the week ahead of our visit it had been competition arranged and
some of the winners got their award in a long award ceremony. Nice to see the Princess Stephanie of Monaco, Countess of Polignac there handing out awards. Since the death of her father, Prince Rainier, Stephanie has become deeply involved in the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival.
11th
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