What Stardust International does

Stardust International is a family-owned live entertainment producer founded in 1966 by Henk van der Meijden and headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, operating as Stardust Holding B.V. The company produces three principal product lines: annual Christmas-season circus productions at Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam (Wereldkerstcircus, 40th edition in 2025) and Cannstatter Wasen in Stuttgart (Weltweihnachtscircus, 31st edition in 2025–2026), which draw 66,000–128,000 visitors per season at near-full occupancy; international theater and ballet productions featuring companies such as the Shanghai Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and illusionist Hans Klok; and immersive digital exhibitions through Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD), a joint venture with Spanish partners SOM Produce and Layers of Reality operating under a 10-year lease at Matadero Madrid's Nave 16.

The MAD platform is built on proprietary immersive technology including 1,200m² of 360° projection space, a 50-seat virtual reality station (described as Europe's largest), augmented reality experiences, metaverse environments, and hologram technology. The exhibition slate rotates through IP-led productions (Gustav Klimt, Tutankhamun, The Last Days of Pompeii, The Legend of the Titanic, and Cleopatra, premiered September 2025), with Tutankhamun alone exceeding 1 million tickets sold worldwide. Content is produced with partner Studio Sila Sveta and original soundtracks by Dutch composer René Merkelbach.

The company's revenue model is consumer ticket sales across its three product lines, sold direct through venue platforms (carre.nl, weltweihnachtscircus.de) and the MAD website. Customer segments are families seeking holiday entertainment, cultural enthusiasts attending ballet/theater, and immersive experience seekers — a horizontal B2C segmentation with no enterprise customer concentration. In 2023, leadership transitioned from founder Henk van der Meijden and Monica Strotmann to their daughter Elisa van der Meijden, while the company continues to invest in international touring to cities including Vienna, Cairo, Shanghai, and Tel Aviv.

Name

Stardust International

Legal name

Stardust Holding B.V.

Website

https://stardustcircus.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Stardust International is a family-owned Dutch live entertainment producer founded in 1966, operating Christmas-season circus productions in Amsterdam and Stuttgart, international ballet and theater tours, and the Madrid Artes Digitales immersive exhibition joint venture serving consumer audiences across Europe and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Entertainment Production

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Concerts & Music Festivals (THAJAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Classical Ballet (Full-Length & Repertoire) (MPAGADAA), Touring & Production Services (Staging, Lighting, Sound, Video) (MPAIAFAF)

Keywords

• Live entertainment production
• Circus productions
• Immersive exhibitions
• Theater ballet productions
• Digital art experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Den Haag

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket sales - Circus productions: Primary revenue from ticket sales for Wereldkerstcircus (Amsterdam) and Weltweihnachtscircus (Stuttgart) annual circus productions
2. Immersive exhibition admissions: Revenue from admission tickets to immersive exhibitions at Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD) including Tutankhamun, Pompeii, Titanic, Cleopatra, and Gustav Klimt
3. Theater and ballet productions: Ticket revenue from theater, ballet, and musical productions including Shanghai Ballet's Swan Lake, Bolshoi Ballet, and Hans Klok shows

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Stardust International is a live entertainment production company that creates and produces Christmas circus shows (Wereldkerstcircus and Weltweihnachtscircus), international theater and ballet productions, and immersive digital exhibitions under the Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD) brand. Productions feature world-class circus artists, ballet companies such as the Shanghai Ballet and Bolshoi Ballet, and immersive experiences combining 360-degree projections, VR, AR, metaverse, and hologram technology. Tickets are sold directly to consumers through partner venues and proprietary ticketing platforms.

Product overview

Stardust International is a live entertainment producer with a diversified portfolio spanning three distinct product lines: (1) World-class Christmas circus productions including the Wereldkerstcircus at Koninklijk Theater Carré Amsterdam and the Weltweihnachtscircus at Cannstatter Wasen Stuttgart; (2) International theater and ballet productions featuring companies such as the Shanghai Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, and illusionist Hans Klok; and (3) Immersive digital exhibitions through its Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD) subsidiary, featuring productions like Tutankhamun, The Last Days of Pompeii, The Legend of the Titanic, Cleopatra, and Gustav Klimt that combine 360° projections, virtual reality, augmented reality, metaverse experiences, and hologram technology. The company was founded in the 1960s and is currently transitioning leadership to the next generation under Elisa van der Meijden.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Wereldkerstcircus (World Christmas Circus) Annual Christmas circus production held at Koninklijk Theater Carré Amsterdam, featuring world-class circus acts, Golden Clown winners, world records, and world premieres for families and cultural tourists during the holiday season.
• Weltweihnachtscircus Stuttgart Annual Christmas circus at Cannstatter Wasen Stuttgart, the largest Christmas circus in the world, featuring over 200 staff and 100 international circus stars during a 30+ day run.
• Theater & Ballet Productions International touring theater and ballet productions including Het Grootste Zwanenmeer ter Wereld (Shanghai Ballet), Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Béjart Ballet Lausanne, Hans Klok illusion shows, and musicals such as Annie, Cotton Club, and Josephine.
• Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD) Permanent digital art center at Matadero Madrid (Nave 16) operating under a 10-year lease, presenting immersive digital exhibitions combining 360° projections, VR, AR, metaverse experiences, and hologram technology, produced in partnership with SOM Produce and Layers of Reality.
• Gustav Klimt - The Immersive Exhibition First immersive exhibition at MAD featuring 1,200m² of immersive projection space, 3D virtual reality, exhibition spaces, and interactive tools exploring the life and works of Gustav Klimt.
• Tutankhamun - The Immersive Exhibition Immersive exhibition on the life and tomb of Tutankhamun combining 1,200m² projections, AR adventure, an exact tomb replica, and Europe's largest VR station area; also presented at the Grand Egyptian Museum Cairo alongside original artifacts.
• The Last Days of Pompeii - The Immersive Exhibition Immersive exhibition recreating Roman Pompeii before and during the Vesuvius eruption, featuring 360° projections, VR, Metaverse room, and 5D sensory experiences including simulated scents.
• The Legend of the Titanic - The Immersive Exhibition Immersive exhibition covering the Titanic's history from construction through its tragic sinking, featuring 360° video mapping, VR, Metaverse area, AR, and a live-recorded symphonic soundtrack; named most awarded immersive experience of 2025.
• Cleopatra - The Immersive Exhibition Immersive exhibition exploring the life of Cleopatra through scenographic reconstructions, 360° projections, VR, Metaverse journey, and advanced hologram technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% average occupancy for Wereldkerstcircus productions
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Circus Festival of Monte CarlocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Long-standing partnership with Festival of Monte Carlo under direction of Princess Stéphanie and Urs Pilz. Acts from Stardust productions regularly invited to and win awards at the festival. Flying Caballeros won Golden Clown at Monte Carlo after European premiere at Wereldkerstcircus.
• SOM ProducecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Spanish partner in Madrid Artes Digitales joint venture. Brings deep knowledge of Madrid cultural sector with over 1 million tickets sold annually.
• Layers of RealitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Spanish partner in Madrid Artes Digitales joint venture. Founded one of Europe's first digital art centers in Barcelona.
• Studio Sila SvetacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Multi-year creative partnership for visual content production. Studio Sila Sveta previously worked on shows and videos for Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, FIFA World Cup, and Adidas. Contributed visual content for Tutankhamun, The Legend of the Titanic, and other MAD productions.
• René MerkelbachcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Dutch composer who creates original soundtracks for MAD immersive exhibitions including Tutankhamun, Pompeii, and Titanic. Soundtracks recorded with orchestras and choirs for immersive experiences.
• Grand Egyptian Museum CairomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to present Tutankhamun immersive exhibition at GEM starting November 2023, alongside original 5,500 Tutankhamun artifacts. Described as 'Royal approval' for MAD's work.
• Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022Joint venture with Spanish partners SOM Produce and Layers of Reality to create permanent immersive digital art center in Matadero Madrid. Stardust serves as international partner and producer of immersive exhibitions. 10-year lease on Nave 16 space. First exhibition Gustav Klimt opened March 2022, followed by Tutankhamun, Pompeii, Titanic, and Cleopatra.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Circus Roncalli: Berlin-based circus founded by Bernhard Paul, considered Germany's leading contemporary circus. Highly comparable to Stardust's Wereldkerstcircus/Weltweihnachtscircus as a premium, artist-led European Christmas circus competing for the same holiday-season audiences and top international acts.
• Atelier des Lumières (Culturespaces): Paris-based immersive art center operated by Culturespaces, the most established direct competitor to Madrid Artes Digitales (MAD). Uses comparable 360° projection and immersive formats for art and history exhibitions, targeting the same cultural-tourism and family audiences across Europe.
• ECA2: French entertainment company specializing in large-scale permanent immersive shows (e.g., 'The Han Show', 'Macau 2049') using projection, lighting, and stage technology. Closely comparable to MAD's technology-driven immersive exhibition business model.
• Franco Dragone Entertainment: Belgian-Italian entertainment production company behind many of Cirque du Soleil's signature shows and creator of resident spectaculars in Las Vegas, Macau, and elsewhere. Comparable as a producer of theatrical live-entertainment IPs with similar creator-led, project-based production model to Stardust's immersive and circus titles.
• Cavalia: Producer of large-format touring live entertainment spectacles (notably the equestrian show 'Cavalia'). Comparable to Stardust's touring circus and ballet productions in scale, big-top logistics, and reliance on multi-city European and international tours to drive ticket revenue.
• Great Chinese State Circus: Long-running touring Chinese acrobatic circus that has toured Europe since the late 1980s, including Stardust's 'Ying-Yang' co-production. Competes for the same touring circus audience in European tent and theater venues and is a direct supply / co-production peer in the Chinese acrobatic circuit.

Others

• Fever: Global experiences marketplace that distributes and co-produces immersive exhibitions and live entertainment, including direct partnerships with major immersive IP producers. Functions as an indirect channel partner and potential competitor for ticketed immersive experiences Stardust produces through MAD.

Emerging players

• teamLab: Japanese interdisciplinary art collective operating large-scale permanent immersive digital art museums worldwide (Tokyo, Shanghai, Helsinki, etc.). Direct competitor in the immersive exhibition category where Stardust operates MAD, with overlapping technology stack (projections, interactivity) and visitor demographics.

Broad incumbents

• Cirque du Soleil: The global incumbent in contemporary circus and live entertainment with resident shows, touring productions, and theatrical IPs. Operates at far greater scale than Stardust and overlaps directly on premium circus acts and the producer/promoter role for major theatrical spectacles.

Regional players

• Moscow Circus (Great Moscow State Circus / Nikulin): Historic Russian state circus touring classical and acrobatic productions. Operates in similar traditional circus category as Stardust but originates from and is primarily anchored in the Russian / CIS market, with limited overlap in Western European venues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC4FV6B_9EEXpFfGR6Ta9Fvg
• Facebookfacebook.com/StardustInternationalProductions
• Instagraminstagram.com/stardustinternational
• Xx.com/stardusttheatre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stardust-international-b-v

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stardust International