story and photos by Kayte Deioma
In 1976 – six years before the first Cirque du Soleil production – Circus Roncalli was born. It was the brain child of Bernhard Paul, an Austrian who left his job as Art Director at an international advertising agency to follow his dream of starting a circus. His new spectacle was dense with the
world’s finest physical circus acts. For over 30 years Circus Roncalli has toured Europe, becoming a much-loved tradition.
The original Apollo Theater on Dusseldorf’s Graf Adolf Platz provided variety shows including singers, dancers, comedians, acrobats and later film components from 1899 into the 1950s. It was torn down in the 1960s to make way for an office tower.The New Apollo is a glass-enclosed dinner theater tucked under the Rheinknie Bridge, overlooking the Rhine River.
In1997, Paul combined his successful Roncalli circus acts with Dusseldorf’s long history of vaudeville-style variety entertainment to open Roncalli’s Apollo Varieté in the New Apollo Theater. Once again, acts from around the world come to astound and amaze visitors with their feats of human strength, agility and dexterity, as well as musical and vocal prowess.
The shows change every couple months, with new performers taking the stage. The spectacle that I attended was called Mondkuss (Moon Kiss). Our MC was the multi-talented Chris, a quick-change artist in drag, who converted from little old lady to sequined mermaid and from singer to tap dancer to trapeze
artist in the blink of an eye.
Chris was accompanied on stage by a tightrope walker, juggler, trapeze artist, hand-stand acrobat, vertical rope performer, and a balancing act. 
Soprano Elizabeth Haumann added vocal contrast, singing sometimes solo and also in duets with Chris. Songs were in both German and English, with at least one other language thrown in for good measure.
In June and July 2007, Circus-Theater BINGO will take the stage with their production of Cult, including eighteen performers from the Ukraine and Moldavia. Among the acrobatics, it will contain more dance elements, pantomime and the multi-genre music quartet, Bryats Band.
The amount of any language used in a production varies by show, but there’s always plenty to enjoy for those who don’t speak German. Most shows are family friendly, but some include adult content, so check with the theater before booking tickets for children.
Dinner is available either upstairs before the show in the glass-enclosed dining room overlooking the Rhine, or in the theater itself before and during the show. Only beverages are available in the balcony seats. Show tickets can be purchased without dinner. You can also dine 
in the upstairs restaurant without seeing the show. Smoking is allowed in the theater except during the smoke-free Sunday matinee, but I didn’t notice is being overly smoky.
Occasionally, special one or two-night productions will interrupt the run of a longer show. For those planning a corporate meeting or conference in Dusseldorf, Roncalli’s Apollo Varieté also provides an opportunity to work your program or product into a special performance by their artists.
Roncalli’s Apollo Varieté
Apollo Platz 1
40213 Dusseldorf
49 (0) 211-828-9090
www.apollo-variete.com
info@apollo-variete.com
