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==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
  
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===THE CODONAS===
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===OLIVER GROSZER===
  
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[[File:Codonas_in_net_(c.1932).jpg|right|300px]]The Codonas (and Alfredo Codona in particular) were conceivably, in terms of international fame, the greatest circus stars of the first half of the twentieth century. They owe their distinctive place in circus history to the exceptional talent of Alfredo Codona, but also to the dramatic ending of his career, and subsequently, the tragic conclusion of his life. Not only was The Codonas’ act recorded on film (in E.A. Dupont’s ''Varieté'' in 1925), but they were also the subjects of an Academy Award-nominated documentary, Jack Cummings’s ''Swing High'' (1932), a romanticized biopic, A.M. Rabenalt’s ''Die drei Codonas'' (1940)—a very rare occurrence for circus artists—and two romanticized biographies.
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Oliver Groszer was born on October 13, 1966 in Berlin-Köpenick, then part of East Berlin in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). His mother, Franziska Groszer, is a celebrated writer whose activist work at the time was at odds with the Communist viewpoint, and evidently made her a threat to the political status quo in the eyes of the East-German regime. Oliver’s father, Gert, developed radically opposite views in matters of politics, and he and Franziska eventually divorced when Oliver was four years old.
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Alfredo (1893-1937) and Abelardo ("Lalo," 1895-1951) Codona were born into a circus family. Apparently, their grandfather, William, came from a long line of Scottish showmen, the Cardownies, who have been variously known in the business as Cardonas, Cordonas, or Codonas. William married a French woman, Victorine Régnier, with whom he had a son, Eduardo, born in Mexico on September 21, 1859.... ([[The Codonas|more...]])
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In March 1977, Franziska was finally banned by the East-German authorities, who forced her to leave the GDR. She, Oliver, and his sister Josefine crossed the Berlin Wall and moved to West Berlin; Oliver was ten. It was an entirely new life for them; Franziska later told of young Oliver’s experiences in West Berlin in an award-winning book, ''Rotz und Wasser'' (2006).
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Oliver was first exposed to performing at age fourteen, when he took theater classes in boarding school with an American teacher, Keith LeFever. At age seventeen, Oliver discovered juggling. He began to practice for fun, and then, after meeting a truly proficient juggler who amazed him with the tricks he showed him, Oliver started taking juggling seriously. On weekends, he went to perform on street corners in Heidelberg, where he was studying then.... ([[Oliver Groszer|more...]])
  
 
==New Biographies==
 
==New Biographies==

Revision as of 08:43, 1 December 2012

Welcome to Circopedia,
the free encyclopedia of the international circus.
A project of the Big Apple Circus,
inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.


In The Spotlight

OLIVER GROSZER

Oliver Groszer was born on October 13, 1966 in Berlin-Köpenick, then part of East Berlin in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). His mother, Franziska Groszer, is a celebrated writer whose activist work at the time was at odds with the Communist viewpoint, and evidently made her a threat to the political status quo in the eyes of the East-German regime. Oliver’s father, Gert, developed radically opposite views in matters of politics, and he and Franziska eventually divorced when Oliver was four years old. In March 1977, Franziska was finally banned by the East-German authorities, who forced her to leave the GDR. She, Oliver, and his sister Josefine crossed the Berlin Wall and moved to West Berlin; Oliver was ten. It was an entirely new life for them; Franziska later told of young Oliver’s experiences in West Berlin in an award-winning book, Rotz und Wasser (2006). Oliver was first exposed to performing at age fourteen, when he took theater classes in boarding school with an American teacher, Keith LeFever. At age seventeen, Oliver discovered juggling. He began to practice for fun, and then, after meeting a truly proficient juggler who amazed him with the tricks he showed him, Oliver started taking juggling seriously. On weekends, he went to perform on street corners in Heidelberg, where he was studying then.... (more...)

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CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding encyclopedia of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. So keep visiting us: even if today you don't find what you're looking for, it may well be here tomorrow! And if you are a serious circus scholar and spot a factual or historical inaccuracy, do not hesitate to contact us: we will definitely consider your remarks and suggestions.
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