On a tightrope: Bulgarian circus struggles on

This year Alexander Balkanski, 78, had hoped to celebrate the 200th anniversary of his family's involvement in circus and the 20th birthday of Circus Balkanski, but the lockdown has drastically curtailed the season, which usually runs from April to November.

All European circuses are on their knees, said Balkanski, a former acrobat and trapeze artist and the founder of Bulgaria's largest circus.

A welcome injection of 50,000 euros (58,663 dollars) in state aid was spent within days on back pay, rents and maintenance bills for his 40-member troupe.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Balkanski remains defiant that the show must, and will, go on. "Bulgaria needs to know that Circus Balkanski is alive," he said.