Special Guests at the International Circus Festival
With only 40 days to go until the curtain goes up on the twelfth International Circus Festival “City of Latina”, the special guests who will be performing in all the shows are announced.
World-famous circus names and young first-generation performers together in the same show. At this twelfth edition of the International Circus Festival “City of Latina”, three special guests will be enriching the cast of every single show, along with the cast of 23 young artists in competition for the “Latina d’Oro”. The special guests are the ventriloquist Willer Nicolodi, the animal trainer Giordano Caveagna, and the clowns Ale Hop.
Born in Valladolid, Spain, in 1959, Willer Nicolodi is a member of an Italian family of seven generations of circus performers and live performance artists. He began his artistic career at ten years of age as an acrobat in the Circus Knie in Switzerland, and in the following years performed in a trio with his brothers Alex and Ben. After a splendid career which saw him perform in the most important European Circuses and gain numerous awards on an international level, in 1998 Willer Nicolodi gave up acrobatics to embark on the art for which he is famous and renowned all over the world: ventriloquism. A technique in which the performer projects his voice, so that it appears to emanate from another person or object. Ventriloquism is an art that was also frequently used in antiquity by the oracles and priests, long before it evolved into a performing art. In Willer Nicolodi's act his ventriloquism skills are masterly and effortlessly mixed with irresistible comedy that often involves the audience. The public attending the International Circus Festival "City of Latina" will have the privilege and the pleasure of seeing Willer Nicolodi's One-Man Show live, a world class act which has already been seen live by such illustrious names as Jerry Lewis and Paul Newman.
A number with big cats is a classic circus tradition. Giordano Caveagna, a particularly talented Italian animal trainer, has created a number with eight tigers for this year’s Festival at Latina. The most touching part of this act has to be the loving interaction between Giordano Caveagna and his animals: during this act we can see not only see the technical skills, but also the constant affection and kisses that he gives to his tigers. Giordano Caveagna began his artistic career alongside his brother Ivano. Versatility, generosity and great enthusiasm are the words that best describe his philosophy towards his career, which began with Giordano working with horses, then in ‘hand to hand’ numbers, followed by a ‘wheel’ number with his wife Vania Vassallo, and finally working with large felines.
As well as acrobats and jugglers, clowns have always occupied an important role in circuses around the world. The important task of guaranteeing laughter and fun to the audiences of the twelfth International Circus Festival “City of Latina”, and in particular to the younger members of the audience, is in the hands of not just one clown, but a whole troupe of five clowns: the Spanish troupe Ale Hop. This company was founded in Madrid 25 years ago by Alejandra Oviedo and José Marίa Silva, who are both still directors of the troupe. In their numbers the Ale Hop manage, with extraordinary skill, a fusion of traditional clown gags with experimental and innovative street, theatre and cabaret influences to create numbers of huge scenic impact.
