Dates

• Existence: Established 1875

Biography

Circus Medrano was stablished by Ferdinand Beert (1835-1902), a Belgian circus entrepreneur and performer, in a static building at the edge of Montmartre in Paris. Originally called Cirque Fernando after his owner, who was known as Fernando, it opened on 25 June 1875.

When Fernando retired the management of his circus passes to his stepson Louis Fernando, who although a good artistic director, did not manage to make the circus financially successful. Cirque Fernando finally went into bankruptcy in 1897 and a year later was purchased by its own star clown Geronimo Medrano (1849-1912), who renamed it Cirque Medrano.

Gerome continued managing the circus until his death in 1912. The circus was then left to his wife Berthe (née Perrin,1876-1920) and his five-year-old son Jérôme (1907-1998). Berthe married Rodolphe Bonten, who took over the management of the circus, upon her death in 1920.

During World War II and the German Occupation of France, the lease of the Cirque Medrano, was bought by the owners of Cirque d'Hiver, Medrano’s main competitor, while Jérôme Medrano fought with the resistance. Jérôme return to the circus after the war and continued managing it until 1962.

The Cirque Medrano gave its last performance on 7 January 1963 and the building was demolished in 1974.

Circus entrepreneur Raoul Gibault leased the Medrano name rights from Jérôme Medrano and continues travelling branches of the circus today under various names including Cirque Medrano-Raoul Gibault, Medrano's Cirque sur l'eau and Medrano's Cirque de Saint Petersbourg.

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records: