The Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival is widely considered the Olympics of the circus world. While Luxembourg’s version has a distance to travel to reach that stature, the new festival held in the big top on Glacis represents a significant step forward.
The organiser and artistic director of Cirque du Lux, Bianca Renz, aims to establish Luxembourg as a recognised venue on the international circus circuit by providing a professional and competitive platform.
The festival operates on a judged competition model, with performances assessed via a points system by a five-member jury of industry professionals, including circus directors and former Monte-Carlo laureates. While many acts will also feature in the upcoming Advent Circus in Luxembourg City, several international stars performed exclusively for this competition.
At the conclusion of the event, top performers were honoured across several award tiers, from bronze to gold. The gold awards were presented to the Kevin Richter Troupe from Hungary for their acrobatic gymnastics and to the renowned Martinez Brothers, who are previous winners of the prestigious Monte-Carlo Golden Clown.
Audiences will have further opportunities to see select festival acts, as a number of performances will remain part of the programme on Glacis in the coming weeks.
