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==In The Spotlight== | ==In The Spotlight== | ||
| − | === | + | ===MOIRA ORFEI=== |
| + | [[File:Moira_Orfei_and_elephants.jpg|right|400px]] | ||
| + | Moira Orfei (born Miranda Orfei, 1931-2015) was an Italian pop-culture icon. A member of Italy's most famous circus family, she could compete in fame with any Italian music or movie legend. She was undoubtedly the only circus owner in the world who could get away (for forty years, no less!) with advertising her circus using posters that prominently displayed only her head shot and her first name. Much of her reputation was due to her long movie career, which coincided with the golden age of Italian cinema. But it was also due to the quality of her circus. | ||
| − | + | The daughter of Riccardo Orfei and Violetta Arata, she was born in the family's living trailer on December 21, 1931 in Codriopo, Italy. As a child, Moira was trained in all the basic circus disciplines. In 1960—without ever leaving the circus—she began a movie career. Ultimately, she appeared in nearly forty films, including popular Italian comedies and a host of internationally successful Italian productions based on mythological themes, such as the ''Hercules'', ''Ursus'', and ''Samson'' series. | |
| − | + | In 1961, she married the acrobat Walter Nones (1934-2016), the son of Giuseppe Nones and Adele Medini. A year later, they formed a company with the Austrian Swoboda sisters (of the Medrano-Swoboda circus) and began a long career as circus owners and directors. A year after that, the Orfeis and the Swobodas parted ways. Moira and Walter went on to create their own Circo Moira Orfei, which quickly drew attention, both for the elegance of its productions and its infrastructures and, above all, for the high quality of its acts. | |
| − | + | ||
| − | + | Moira and Walter launched the monumental ''Circo sul Ghiaccio'' ("Circus on Ice") in 1969. It was easily the most sophisticated circus-on-ice show ever undertaken; it had both a circus ring and a skating rink, and the show included elaborate set changes, a huge variety of costumes, and an international cast of circus and variety megastars. During this period, Moira's elephant presentations made her a legend, while Walter became an excellent lion and tiger trainer.... ([[Moira Orfei|more...]]) | |
==New Essays and Biographies== | ==New Essays and Biographies== | ||
| + | * [[Cedric Walker]], Circus Owner | ||
* [[The Aragón Family]], Clown Dynasty | * [[The Aragón Family]], Clown Dynasty | ||
* [[Totti Alexis]], Clown | * [[Totti Alexis]], Clown | ||
* [[Ross Mollison]], Circus Producer | * [[Ross Mollison]], Circus Producer | ||
* [[Don Saunders]], Clown | * [[Don Saunders]], Clown | ||
| − | |||
==New Videos== | ==New Videos== | ||
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Duo_Gold_Video_(2020)|Ambra & Yves Nicols]], Silks (2020) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Mantchev_Trapeze_BAC_Video_(2012)|Andrey Mantchev]], Swinging Trapeze (2012) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Roman_Tomanov_Video_(2021)|Roman Tomanov]], aerial straps (2021) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Marinoni_Video_(2024)|Marica Marinoni]], Cyr wheel (2024) |
| − | * [[ | + | * [[Monte_Carlo_Video_(2016)| International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo]], 40th Anniversary Gala (excerpts) (2016) |
==New Oral Histories== | ==New Oral Histories== | ||
Revision as of 22:45, 25 March 2024
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In The Spotlight
MOIRA ORFEI
Moira Orfei (born Miranda Orfei, 1931-2015) was an Italian pop-culture icon. A member of Italy's most famous circus family, she could compete in fame with any Italian music or movie legend. She was undoubtedly the only circus owner in the world who could get away (for forty years, no less!) with advertising her circus using posters that prominently displayed only her head shot and her first name. Much of her reputation was due to her long movie career, which coincided with the golden age of Italian cinema. But it was also due to the quality of her circus.
The daughter of Riccardo Orfei and Violetta Arata, she was born in the family's living trailer on December 21, 1931 in Codriopo, Italy. As a child, Moira was trained in all the basic circus disciplines. In 1960—without ever leaving the circus—she began a movie career. Ultimately, she appeared in nearly forty films, including popular Italian comedies and a host of internationally successful Italian productions based on mythological themes, such as the Hercules, Ursus, and Samson series.
In 1961, she married the acrobat Walter Nones (1934-2016), the son of Giuseppe Nones and Adele Medini. A year later, they formed a company with the Austrian Swoboda sisters (of the Medrano-Swoboda circus) and began a long career as circus owners and directors. A year after that, the Orfeis and the Swobodas parted ways. Moira and Walter went on to create their own Circo Moira Orfei, which quickly drew attention, both for the elegance of its productions and its infrastructures and, above all, for the high quality of its acts.
Moira and Walter launched the monumental Circo sul Ghiaccio ("Circus on Ice") in 1969. It was easily the most sophisticated circus-on-ice show ever undertaken; it had both a circus ring and a skating rink, and the show included elaborate set changes, a huge variety of costumes, and an international cast of circus and variety megastars. During this period, Moira's elephant presentations made her a legend, while Walter became an excellent lion and tiger trainer.... (more...)
New Essays and Biographies
- Cedric Walker, Circus Owner
- The Aragón Family, Clown Dynasty
- Totti Alexis, Clown
- Ross Mollison, Circus Producer
- Don Saunders, Clown
New Videos
- Ambra & Yves Nicols, Silks (2020)
- Andrey Mantchev, Swinging Trapeze (2012)
- Roman Tomanov, aerial strapsPair of fabric or leather straps used as an apparatus for an aerial strap act. (2021)
- Marica Marinoni, Cyr wheel (2024)
- International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, 40th Anniversary Gala (excerpts) (2016)
New Oral Histories
- For A Moment You Fly, The First Season of The Big Apple Circus (1977)
- Vladimir Durov Documentary on Russian Television (c.2000)
- Dolly Jacobs Interview at The Ringling (2018)
- Pinito del Oro's Interview on Spanish Television (1970)
- Gia Eradze's Interview on SSU TV (2015)
Circopedia Books
- Philip Astley & The Horsemen who invented the Circus, by Dominique Jando (2018)
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
