Circus Roncalli
Circus Roncalli is a German founder-owned traditional circus and theater company founded in 1975 by Bernhard Paul, operating animal-free touring shows across German and Austrian cities, supplemented by merchandise, café, and B2B event agency services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersHamburg, Germany
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Circus Roncalli does
Circus Roncalli is a privately held, founder-owned traditional circus and theater enterprise headquartered in Germany, founded by Bernhard Paul in Vienna in 1975 and now operating across German-speaking markets. The company produces live touring circus performances featuring international artists, clowns, acrobats, illusionists, and the Roncalli Royal Orchestra, distinguishing itself through an animal-free ('tierfrei') and environmentally conscious ('umweltbewusst') brand positioning. Its 2026 jubilee tour spans five cities across Germany and Austria (Ludwigsburg, Oberhausen, Vienna, Innsbruck, Linz) with approximately 209 scheduled performances, supplemented by a Christmas Circus Berlin season and the year-round Apollo Variété venue.
The business operates through four primary revenue streams: live show ticket sales via direct online channels (tickets.roncalli.de) and the Eventim third-party platform; merchandise sales through the Roncalli Shop e-commerce storefront offering items priced from €4.25 to €100; B2B event agency services through Roncalli Eventagentur (Roncalli Event GmbH) for corporate events, exhibitions, and markets; and hospitality operations including the Roncalli Grand Café in Hamburg and Café des Artistes at touring locations. Distribution is multi-channel, combining direct ticket sales, Eventim partnership, own e-commerce for merchandise, and a government sponsorship relationship with the Federal Government of Germany (Bundesregierung) as part of cultural funding initiatives. Additional strategic partnerships include Mitsubishi Motors Deutschland for sustainable touring vehicles and Metronom Theater Oberhausen as a venue partner for the new 'Circus meets Schlager' production.
The core technology stack is minimal — the company operates as a traditional entertainment enterprise without proprietary digital platforms. Its competitive moat rests on 50 years of brand equity, a differentiated animal-free artistic positioning, established artist relationships, and multi-city touring infrastructure. The organizational structure is exceptionally lean with approximately 7 core employees, supplemented by touring artists and seasonal contractors. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed, though operational scale (209 shows plus Christmas and Apollo programming, merchandise, café, and B2B event services) suggests a mid-sized entertainment enterprise.
Circus Roncalli firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Circus Roncalli
- Legal name
- Circus Roncalli GmbH
- Website
- https://circus.de
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Circus Roncalli is a German founder-owned traditional circus and theater company founded in 1975 by Bernhard Paul, operating animal-free touring shows across German and Austrian cities, supplemented by merchandise, café, and B2B event agency services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Circus Roncalli industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Live Circus and Variety Theater Entertainment
- NAICS
- Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries (713), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Circus & Physical Theatre (MPAGABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Circus, Magic & Variety Shows (THAJAFAH), Consumer & Public Shows (B2C) Organizers (THAHABAC)
Keywords
Where Circus Roncalli is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Hamburg
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Circus Roncalli business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Live Show Tickets: Revenue from circus show tickets sold directly through the company's website and third-party ticketing partners such as Eventim. Shows include the 50th anniversary tour, Christmas Circus Berlin, and special productions like 'Circus meets Schlager'.
- Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded souvenirs including programme booklets (€10), art prints (€100), mugs (€12), t-shirts (€18-20), trailers (€49.99), advent calendars (€34.95), and Bernhard Paul's autobiography (€26).
- Event Agency Services: Roncalli Event GmbH provides event agency services including exhibitions, markets, and corporate events. Revenue from B2B event services.
- Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for circus show tickets.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Souvenir Shop Products |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Circus Roncalli product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Circus Roncalli is a traditional circus and theater company that produces and tours live circus performances featuring international artists, clowns, acrobats, illusionists, and a live in-house orchestra across European cities (primarily Germany and Austria). Beyond touring shows under the big top and in partner theaters, the company sells branded souvenirs and merchandise, gift vouchers, hospitality services at its cafés (Roncalli Grand Café, Café des Artistes), and operates a B2B event agency (Roncalli Eventagentur) providing exhibitions, markets, and corporate event services.
Product overview
Circus-Theater Roncalli operates as a traditional circus and theater company offering live performances under the big top. The core product consists of touring circus shows featuring international artists, clowns, acrobats, illusionists, and the Roncalli Royal Orchestra providing live music. Special themed productions like 'Circus meets Schlager' expand the offering by combining circus arts with musical genres. The company also maintains the Apollo Varieté venue and seasonal Christmas circus programs. Beyond performances, Roncalli operates merchandise through its Souvenirshop, sells gift certificates, and provides hospitality services including the Roncalli Grand Café and Café des Artistes. The B2B division, Roncalli Eventagentur, offers event services including exhibitions and markets. The company was founded in 1975 by Bernhard Paul in Vienna and is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Circus-Theater Roncalli (Touring Circus Shows, including 50 Jahre Roncalli Jubiläumstournee) Traditional touring circus and theater performances featuring international artists, clowns, acrobats, illusionists, and live music, presented under the big top across European cities for families and general audiences.
- Circus meets Schlager Special themed show merging circus performance with German Schlager music, featuring guest artist Ella Endlich, staged at Metronom Theater Oberhausen for broad family and music audiences.
- Roncalli's Apollo Varieté Variety theater venue operated under the Roncalli group, offering a diverse program of artistic entertainment acts.
- Weihnachtscircus Berlin Seasonal Christmas circus show in Berlin, distributed via the Eventim ticketing platform as part of the company's touring program.
- Souvenirshop (Roncalli Merchandise) Direct-to-consumer e-commerce store selling branded souvenirs and merchandise including program booklets (€10), art prints (€100), mugs (€12), t-shirts (€18-20), miniature circus trailers (€49.99), advent calendars with magic tricks (€34.95), jute bags (€4.25-10), and Bernhard Paul's autobiography (€26).
- Gutscheine (Gift Vouchers) Gift vouchers purchasable online that recipients can redeem for Roncalli circus shows and experiences.
- Roncalli Grand Café (Hamburg) Grand café operated by the Roncalli group in Hamburg, serving food and beverages as an on-site hospitality experience.
- Café des Artistes On-site café serving visitors at circus tour locations, named after the performing artists.
- Roncalli Eventagentur (Event Agency) B2B event agency services for corporate clients, providing exhibitions, markets, and bespoke event production leveraging the Roncalli brand and artistic network.
Companies that use Circus Roncalli
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Circus Roncalli technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Circus Roncalli partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Mitsubishi Motors DeutschlandminorAutomotive partner providing plug-in hybrid vehicles (Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV) for Roncalli's touring operations. Supports the company's environmental sustainability philosophy, allowing short distances to be driven electrically while maintaining capability for long touring distances. Alignment with Roncalli's existing rail travel sustainability practices.
- Metronom Theater OberhausencoreStrategic venue partnership for the 'Circus meets Schlager' production. The theater's flexible seating allows for a true circus arena configuration for the first time, providing ideal conditions for this special 50th anniversary show.
- EventimminorThird-party ticketing platform used for ticket sales of Christmas Circus Berlin and special shows.
- Federal Government of Germany (Bundesregierung)minorGovernment sponsor of Circus Roncalli, part of cultural funding initiatives.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Circus Roncalli competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Stage Entertainment: Major European live entertainment producer operating musical theater venues across Germany. Comparable to Roncalli's theatrical entertainment and ticketing operations, with broader scale and portfolio.
- Cirque du Soleil: Global leader in artistic circus entertainment, comparable in animal-free, theatrical circus format and premium family audience. Significantly larger and operates resident shows globally; relevant as the international benchmark for artistic circus category.
Emerging players
- Big Apple Circus: New York-based traditional circus revived after Chapter 11 with a focus on artistic family entertainment. Comparable to Roncalli in the artistic circus genre and direct ticketing model, though operating in a different geography.
- Cavalia: Touring theatrical show combining equestrian arts with live performance. Comparable to Roncalli's touring show format and premium family entertainment positioning, though operating in a different artistic niche.
Direct peers
- GOP Varieté-Theater: German variety theater operator with multiple venues showcasing acrobatic, comedic, and musical performances. Directly comparable to Roncalli's Apollo Varieté subsidiary and to the 'Circus meets Schlager' format combining circus with musical entertainment.
- Circus Krone: Direct competitor in the German circus market, also a long-established touring circus featuring animal acts, performing across Germany and Europe. Comparable in product category (live circus), target customer (families), and business model (touring shows with ticket sales).
- Circus Flic Flac: German touring circus emphasizing acrobatic and artistic performances without traditional animal acts. Directly comparable to Roncalli's animal-free, artistic circus positioning and DACH touring business model.
Regional players
- Wintergarten Varieté Berlin: Berlin-based variety theater with international entertainment programming. Comparable to Roncalli's Weihnachtscircus Berlin seasonal offering and to the broader DACH variety/circus ecosystem.
- Tigerpalast Varieté: Frankfurt-based variety theater offering artistic live entertainment with rotating programs. Comparable to Roncalli's Apollo Varieté and overall variety/circus programming model for German-speaking audiences.
- Friedrichsbau Varieté: Stuttgart, Germany-based variety theater with a long history of artistic and family programming. Comparable to Roncalli's variety theater and theatrical entertainment offerings, with overlap in DACH audiences.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Circus Roncalli social profiles
Digital presenceCircus Roncalli financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Circus Roncalli leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Circus Roncalli subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Circus Roncalli funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Circus Roncalli M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Circus Roncalli
What does Circus Roncalli do?
Circus Roncalli is a traditional circus and theater company that produces and tours live circus performances featuring international artists, clowns, acrobats, illusionists, and a live in-house orchestra across European cities (primarily Germany and Austria). Beyond touring shows under the big top and in partner theaters, the company sells branded souvenirs and merchandise, gift vouchers, hospitality services at its cafés (Roncalli Grand Café, Café des Artistes), and operates a B2B event agency (Roncalli Eventagentur) providing exhibitions, markets, and corporate event services.
Is Circus Roncalli a public or private company?
Circus Roncalli is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Circus Roncalli founded?
Circus Roncalli was founded in 1975. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Circus Roncalli based?
Circus Roncalli is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Circus Roncalli make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Live Show Tickets are the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales, event Agency Services and gift Vouchers.
Who are Circus Roncalli's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Stage Entertainment and Cirque du Soleil. Emerging players are Big Apple Circus and Cavalia. Direct peers are GOP Varieté-Theater, Circus Krone and Circus Flic Flac. Regional players are Wintergarten Varieté Berlin, Tigerpalast Varieté and Friedrichsbau Varieté.
Does Circus Roncalli have an API?
No public API is recorded for Circus Roncalli.
What industry is Circus Roncalli in?
Circus Roncalli's product category is Live Circus and Variety Theater Entertainment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAL, Circus & Physical Theatre, with a secondary code of THAJAFAH, Circus, Magic & Variety Shows. Its NAICS code is 713 and its SIC code is 7990.