Moscow State Circus - Grounds for Propaganda?

This picture is of the interior and at a show. The act is called "cranes," a flying trapze troupe and named after a song depicting fallen Soviet WWII pilots. The act focuses on both skill and the story being told. 

The demand for circus in Russia is quite high as in 2011, 100 million Russians see 6,000 performers by the Soyuzgosirk, the centralized circus administration that ran the circus since 1957 [1]. In addition, the circus in Russia is much different than in the West in that its operated in fancy, permanent arenas. The Moscow State Circus was only recently privatized in July 2007 [2].  The Moscow State Circus, like many other institutions, was nationalized in 1919 and since the shows lasted for many hours and were widely attended, Glenn Collins, a NYTimes writer, argues that they even became grounds for Soviet propaganda. The circus was even considered as culturally important as the ballet, but was a more affordable choice and therefore more proletariat [1]. Vladislav Chernievski, the leader of the teeterboard troupe said that “These playlets that give not only the flavor our life, but also reveal the soul of Soviet man.” This statement may be an overstatement, but it is no doubt that the success of the circus was a symbol for the strength of the USSR. As circus was a symbol of a state enterprise that did well and today, in 2007, circus was almost broke and lost a lot of its troupe to the Cirque du Soleil, a sign of the disappearing influence of the Soviet Union [2].

In the end, the Moscow State Circus, though tightly connected to the state, was able to develop into a widely watched spectal for most Russians and was a world acclaimed show. Its success was at the very least a symbol of the strength of the USSR.

[1] Glenn Collins. “The Moscow Circus: Vaudeville That Delivers a Nationalistic Message,” The New York Times. 1988.

[2] Hauss, Charles and Haussman, Melissa. Comparative Politics: Domestic Responses to Global Challenges. 2012. Page 258.