Difference between revisions of "Main Page"

From Circopedia

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==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
  
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===YURY NIKULIN===
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===SERGE===
  
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[[File:Yury_Nikulin_Moscow.jpg|right|400px]]Yury Nikulin (1921-1997) was the Soviet Union’s (and later, Russia’s) greatest and most beloved clown, as well as a remarkable and equally beloved screen actor; his performing career covered more than three decades, from 1948 to 1981. Upon his retirement from the ring, he became Director of Moscow's "Old Circus" on Tsvetnoy Boulevard, which he had entirely rebuilt (from 1985-1989) into a modern facility by a Finnish company, thus bringing that cherished Moscow institution into the modern age, and restoring its prominence on the Russian and European circus scenes at a critical moment in Russian history.
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Serge (1901-1992) was, from the 1930s up to the late 1970s, a well-known figure of the Parisian entertainment scene, not as an actor—although his flamboyant personality would certainly have made one think he was a thespian—but as a journalist and chronicler, author of many books, and a prolific illustrator. He was also an exuberant circus enthusiast, and most of his work concerned the circus and its close cousin, the music-hall (vaudeville or variety).  
  
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Yury Vladimirovich Nikulin (Юрий Владимирович Никулин) was born in a theatrical family on December 18, 1921, in Demidov, a small town in the province of Smolensk, in northwest Russia, near the Belarussian border. His father was Moscow-born Vladimir Andreyevich Nikulin (1898-1964); his mother, Lidiya Ivanovna Nikulina (1902-1979), was born Lidiya Germanova in Lievenhof (today's Līvāni) in Latvia, which was then part of the of the Russian Empire; she had moved to Demidov with relatives during the First World War to stay away from the combat zone. There, she met and married Vladimir Andreyevich.
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He was born Maurice Féaudierre in Paris, France, on December 14, 1901, to Jules Victor Féaudierre, a paint merchant, and his wife Marguerite, née Bauvé. It is not clear where his nom de plume, Serge, came from. All his life, Serge was a Parisian through and through, although he had a great affection for London, a city to which he dedicated one of his books, ''Londres secret et ses fantômes'' (1946), which chronicled the great city as it was just after the end of WWII. He traveled often to see circus and variety shows all over Europe. His wife, née Blanche Barbas, was a dentist.  
  
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When Yury was born, Vladimir Nikulin had just been discharged from the Red Army and got a job at the Drama Theater in Demidov, where Lidiya also worked as an actress. Then, he organized a traveling propaganda-theater group that promoted the brand-new Soviet regime through "revolutionary humor," and acted in plays which he also directed. In 1925, the Nikulin family moved to Moscow, where Vladimir wrote sketches for circus and variety shows—which were still intensely politicized then. He also organized the theater group at the school his son, Yury, attended. Later, he became a journalist.
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Serge, who was outgoing and always ready to strike a conversation with people he had just met if they shared his interest for (or worked in) his favorite performing art, had many friends in the circus world. He was also fascinated by the world of Gypsies ("Bohémiens," in French), but his books, whatever their subject, always returned to the circus. During his long period of professional activity, there was no Parisian circus or music-hall event to which Serge was not invited, and his ebullient personality always made his presence difficult to ignore—and always welcome!
  
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On November 18, 1939, after graduating from high school, young Yury Nikulin was drafted into the Red Army for his three-year mandatory military service. This would have a long-lasting impact on Yury Nikulin as a man: In June 1941, the USSR declared war on Germany and the Axis powers, and what will be known in Russia as "The Great Patriotic War" started. Yury Nikulin was then serving in the 115th anti-aircraft artillery regiment. During the Soviet-Finnish war (1939-1940), his anti-aircraft battery had guarded the air approaches to Leningrad. ([[Yury Nikulin|more...]])
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He published his articles in several newspapers and magazines, notably ''Le Crapouillot'', a popular pre-war satirical magazine, and ''Comœdia'' and ''Les Nouvelles Littéraires'', two important literary journals. But over the years, his radio broadcasts truly made him a household name, at a time when radio personalities, before the development of television, were extremely popular. His radio shows, ''Panorama des Variétés'', ''Les Jeux du Cirque'', ''Jeudi au Cirque'', ''Gens du Voyage'', ''Circoradio'', etc., and his inimitable style (written and spoken) particularly rich in flourishes, as well as his high-pitched voice reminiscent of a fairgrounds' barker, made him immediately recognizable: His voice and style merged perfectly with the rousing circus music that accompanied his enthusiastic descriptions and comments. An entire generation of French children and adults had been led to love the circus by the sheer magic of Serge's voice. ([[Serge|more...]])
  
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
 
==New Essays and Biographies==

Revision as of 20:35, 28 February 2022

Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!
Bienvenida! ✫ Benvenuto! ✫ 歡迎 ! ✫ Vítejte! ✫ Καλώς ήρθατ ε!
Üdvözöljük! ✫ Добре Дошли! ✫ Welkom! ✫ Ласкаво Просимо!
Velkommen! ✫ Tervetuloa! ✫ Дабро Запрашаем! ✫ Välkommen!

Circopedia was originally created with the support of the Big Apple Circus Ltd.
and inspired and funded by the Shelley & Donald Rubin Foundation.

In The Spotlight

SERGE

Serge (1901-1992) was, from the 1930s up to the late 1970s, a well-known figure of the Parisian entertainment scene, not as an actor—although his flamboyant personality would certainly have made one think he was a thespian—but as a journalist and chronicler, author of many books, and a prolific illustrator. He was also an exuberant circus enthusiast, and most of his work concerned the circus and its close cousin, the music-hall (vaudeville or variety).

He was born Maurice Féaudierre in Paris, France, on December 14, 1901, to Jules Victor Féaudierre, a paint merchant, and his wife Marguerite, née Bauvé. It is not clear where his nom de plume, Serge, came from. All his life, Serge was a Parisian through and through, although he had a great affection for London, a city to which he dedicated one of his books, Londres secret et ses fantômes (1946), which chronicled the great city as it was just after the end of WWII. He traveled often to see circus and variety shows all over Europe. His wife, née Blanche Barbas, was a dentist.

Serge, who was outgoing and always ready to strike a conversation with people he had just met if they shared his interest for (or worked in) his favorite performing art, had many friends in the circus world. He was also fascinated by the world of Gypsies ("Bohémiens," in French), but his books, whatever their subject, always returned to the circus. During his long period of professional activity, there was no Parisian circus or music-hall event to which Serge was not invited, and his ebullient personality always made his presence difficult to ignore—and always welcome!

He published his articles in several newspapers and magazines, notably Le Crapouillot, a popular pre-war satirical magazine, and Comœdia and Les Nouvelles Littéraires, two important literary journals. But over the years, his radio broadcasts truly made him a household name, at a time when radio personalities, before the development of television, were extremely popular. His radio shows, Panorama des Variétés, Les Jeux du Cirque, Jeudi au Cirque, Gens du Voyage, Circoradio, etc., and his inimitable style (written and spoken) particularly rich in flourishes, as well as his high-pitched voice reminiscent of a fairgrounds' barker, made him immediately recognizable: His voice and style merged perfectly with the rousing circus music that accompanied his enthusiastic descriptions and comments. An entire generation of French children and adults had been led to love the circus by the sheer magic of Serge's voice. (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • Alma's Troupe, tissu(French) A double piece of hanging fabric, generally made of silk, used for an aerial act. (See also: Fabric, Silks) ensemble (2011)
  • Zhang Fan, slack wireA Tight Wire, or Low Wire, kept slack, and generally used for juggling or balancing tricks. (2003)
  • Luis Gerardo Cuevas, juggler (2020)
  • Andrey Jigalov, clown (2006)
  • Oleg Izossimov, hand balancing (2007)

New Oral Histories

Circopedia Books

A Message from the Founder

CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus. New videos, biographies, essays, and documents are added to the site on a weekly—and sometimes daily—basis. 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.

Dominique Jando
Founder and Curator
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