Best of Budapest & Hungary

Cirque du Sziget, one of the most popular venues of the Szitizenes, will be back in its usual place, but with more and more colourful offerings if possible.

From early afternoon until late at night, the 1000-seat large circus tent and the outdoor outdoor venues will be filled with a constant succession of exciting performances. The tent will host performances by four companies each day. This year, thanks to the cooperation between Sziget and the International Federation of Circus Schools (FEDEC), two circus schools will have the opportunity to present their students at the festival. Last year's cancelled performance by Amoukanama Circus (titled: FA) from Guinea will be presented on the outside stage each day. Since they were selected for America's Got Talent last year, they will be invited to perform on the Sziget this year. The other circus school, the Baross Imre Artists' Training School's adaptation of John the Valiant (János Vitéz) will open the tent programme each day.

The students of the local circus schools fled the war in Ukraine, partly to Budapest and partly to Prague. The Cirk La Putyka company in Prague took on the artistic training of the young acrobats and students who fled to them. In Boom Vol. 2, young Czech and Ukrainian acrobats perform together, sharing their professional skills and personal stories and experiences.

The Canadian Cirque Alfonse company needs no introduction to Sziget audiences, as they return to the festival stage for the third time. The family formation brings together members of three generations, from grandfathers to grandchildren, and in their latest show Animal, they charm with their trademark humour and naturalism.

Each night, the tent's programme concludes with a performance of Humans 2.0 by the world-famous Australian company Circa. Company director Yaron Lifschitz challenges the perceived limitations of the human body to bring out the best in acrobats. Their light-hearted yet lyrical performance leaves no one in any doubt as to why they are one of the world's most exciting contemporary circus companies.

The outside stage takes centre stage in the time slots between performances in the tent. This year's performances include three female acrobats from the French company Das Arnak, who will showcase the ancient Chinese technique of hair hanging. The same venue will also host a Chinese pole performance by the Argentinean troupe manoAmano. Perhaps one of the most spectacular performances this year will be the Moroccan Cirque’s Colokolo's Chouf Le Ciel, which will feature acrobatics, juggling and hip-hop dance, accompanied by traditional and electronic music. The programme on the outdoor stage will close each night with the inevitable fire show, a performance by the best Hungarian fire jugglers, specially created for Sziget.