The lessons of Bouglione. A Builder’s Manual for an (Inter)National Circus Imperium - CircusTalk

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The lessons of Bouglione. A Builder’s Manual for an (Inter)National Circus Imperium

To present one or several new productions each year, to be considered an institution in the circus landscape, to enjoy international respect and earn a good living as well. Who wouldn’t sign on for that? Well, it is possible. The Bouglione family in France has been the living proof of it, for years. How did they get there, and how can you get there yourself? With Circus Bouglione as inspiration, here is a short guide…

A GOOD START IS HALF THE BATTLE

Depending on who you talk to (and how old they are), the Bougliones have been presenting circus for six, seven or eight generations. Legend has it that a certain Michele Bouglione, a wealthy dealer in fabrics, fell in love with a gypsy girl. He left everything behind for her, and together they started one of the most famous circus families in the world. A slightly less romantic version recounts that the Bougliones were descendants of the Sinti, coming to Europe in the nineteenth century. After drifting around Eastern Europe and Italy, they finally settled in France. Whichever account you choose to believe, the fact remains that the name Bouglione and the circus have been inseparable since the middle of the nineteenth century. The family tree is gigantic and most all of the family have remained faithful to the circus. So you should get an early start at building your circus empire, or better yet, you should already have started a couple decades ago!

INVEST IN REAL ESTATE

In 1934 the Bouglione family bought the Winter Circus in Paris, a magnificent building near the Place de la Republique, in the heart of the French capital. As the story goes, circus director Mustafa Amar beat the Bougliones to buying a herd of elephants. When Amar was on the verge of buying the Parisian circus palace, the Bougliones took their revenge. During the auction of the building the Bougliones doubled Amar’s bid. They snatched the building from under his nose and swiftly christened it the ‘Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione’. Legend or fact? At any rate, that which may have been an impulse in 1934 has in the meantime become a serious nest egg. The Cirque d’Hiver was built under the commission of Napoleon III. After several renovations the circus temple, with its gold ornamentation and red velour, continues to exude class and grandeur to this day. To own an historical monument of this stature in the centre of Paris insures without doubt one’s future security. The moral of the story: if you ever find yourself torn between buying real estate in Paris or a herd of elephants, go for the first option. Your grandchildren will be forever grateful.

 

Link to Full Article at Circus Centrum

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