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==In The Spotlight==
 
==In The Spotlight==
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[[File:Darix_Togni_1963.jpg|right|thumb|320px|Darix Togni]]
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===THE TOGNI FAMILY===
  
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===NINA KORNILOVA AND THE KORNILOV DYNASTY===
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The Togni dynasty was founded by Aristide Togni (1853-1924), a university student who, in the 1870s, ran away and joined the Circo Torinese, a circus company  headed by Giovanni De Bianchi. Like many Italian circuses at the time, the Circo Torinese performed on stage, in theaters. De Bianchi had married Maria de la Garenne (a.k.a. de Lagarein), a Sinti gypsy, who was said to be the granddaughter of a French nobleman who had fled to Italy during the French revolution.
  
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[[File:Aleksandr_Kornilov_and_Nina_Kornilova.jpeg|right|thumb|410px|Nina & Aleksandr Kornilov]]
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Togni married Giovanni's daughter, Teresa De Bianchi. Together, they created a circus company of their own—which, as legend has it, consisted of a single wagon and a monkey—and headed for the South of Italy. Circa 1880, they had acquired a small, one-pole big top that could house an audience of forty: the first Circo Togni was born. The couple had eight children, and their circus grew quickly, soon performing under a medium-size big top. It became so popular, apparently, that the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, awarded Circo Togni the title of Circo Nazionale in 1919.
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There never have been many elephant acts in the Soviet and Russian circus. Several members of the Durov family have included one pachyderm or two in their animal presentations and a small number of animal trainers, such as Boris Fedotov, Sarvat Begbudi and Msistlav Zapashny have trained elephants. The Kornilov Dynasty, however, is the exception that confirms the rule: Since 1929, they have not only been the great Russian elephant-training specialists, but they also have been among the world’s very best—and the productions of their magnificent acts remain unequaled.
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Born November 22, 1903 in Russia, Aleksandr Nikolaievich Kornilov (1903-1977), the founder of the Dynasty, began his professional life as a sailor. At the end of the 1920s, he landed in Samara, the great port city on the Volga river, where he discovered the traveling menagerie of Ivan Lazarevich Filatov (1873-1956)—the father of the legendary Russian bear trainer Valentin Filatov and scion of an old family of itinerant animal trainers.
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Aristide's succession was assured by three of his sons, Ercole (1894-1958), Ugo (1897-1981), and Ferdinando (1900-1990). The circus alternated summer seasons under the big top with winter engagements in some of the most beautiful theatres of Italy. For several years, they toured Sicily and Greece. In the 1930s, the Dopolavoro Fascista (the entertainment office of the Fascist government) supported the Circo Nazional Togni, which it considered a major artistic propaganda tool.  
  
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This unforeseen encounter changed Kornilov’s life: Although he was indeed fascinated by the Filatov Menagerie exhibitions, he was even more attracted to Masha, the pretty young girl who handled the box office. Masha (Maria Ivanovna Filatova, 1904-1975) was Ivan Lazarevich’s daughter: They quickly fell in love, and Aleksandr decided to stay on dry land and follow Masha, whom he eventually married.
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The circus began to travel with a menagerie, which included tigers, lions, bears, elephants, and an important collection of horses. Ferdinando became a fine horse trainer and presented beautiful "liberty" horse acts; Ercole was the house clown and a good tumbler; Ugo was a perch-pole acrobat, aerialist, and animal trainer. There were also about twenty talented performers among their daughters and sons, and the company included members of other famous Italian circus families, such as Miletti, Jarz, and Casartelli.
  
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Now part of the family, Aleksandr had to bring his contribution to his father-in-law’s business. Working as a simple cage and stable boy, he did his apprenticeship on the job. After having acquired enough experience caring for the menagerie’s animals, he finally made his public debut as a trainer in 1929 with a group that included brown bears, polar bears and lions. He presented also the menagerie’s single elephant in a sketch titled ''The Elephant at the Restaurant''.
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The third Togni generation created the Tognis's three principal signature acts: pyramids on horseback, "jockey," and flying trapeze. By the late 1940s, Darix Togni (Ercole's son, 1922-1976) became, with his lion act, the star of Circo Nazionale Togni. In that act, Darix began to develop his legendary gladiator character. Circo Togni's large, round cupola allowed the presentation of the Tognis's spectacular cross-flying trapeze act, which had no less than two catchers and nine flyers. Among those, Cesare Togni (Ugo's son) accomplished a double "casse-cou" (front somersault) to the catcher, with a return to the bar with a triple pirouette.  
  
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Elephant training appealed to Aleksandr, and Ivan Filatov eventually trusted his pachyderm to him. Later, three additional elephants joined his original animal when Kornilov became part of the central system of Soviet circuses (G.O.M.E.Ts., which later became SoyuzGosTsirk); it allowed him to expand his act without having to bear personally the financial burden. (Ivan Filatov, for his part, was asked by the government to organize the zoological park system of the U.S.S.R.)
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Although it survived and performed safely during WWII, the Circo Nazionale Togni was devastated by a fire in 1951. Ercole, Ugo, and Ferdinando decided that it was time to split their ever-growing family within three separate circuses.... ([[The Togni Family|more...]])
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At a time when Russian elephant acts included only one or two animals, Kornilov’s four elephants looked like a herd! This effect was amplified in 1943 when he created his first "attraction," ''Elephants and Dancers'', with a group of fourteen dancers whose soloist was the young and talented Nina Suprun—the future Nina Kornilova (1926-2025).... ([[The Kornilov Dynasty|more...]])
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==New Essays and Biographies==
 
==New Essays and Biographies==
  
 +
* [[Richiardi Jr.]], magician
 +
* [[Astley's Amphitheatre]], circus
 
* [[Virginie Kenebel]], equestrienne
 
* [[Virginie Kenebel]], equestrienne
 
* [[Chongqing_Acrobatic_Troupe|Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe]], History
 
* [[Chongqing_Acrobatic_Troupe|Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe]], History
 
* [[Cirkus_Verdensteater_(Oslo)|Cirkus Verdensteater]], Oslo Circus Building
 
* [[Cirkus_Verdensteater_(Oslo)|Cirkus Verdensteater]], Oslo Circus Building
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* [[Eddie Murillo]], Circus Agent and Producer
 
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* [[The Biasini Family]], Circus Owners, Artists
 
−
 
  
 
==New Videos==
 
==New Videos==
  
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* [[Golyshev_Video_(1984)|Golyshev Troupe]], comedy acrobatics (1984)
+
* [[The_Brockways_Video_(1971)|The Brockways]], bicycle act (1971)
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* [[Nazarova_Video_(1960)|Margarita Nazarova]], tiger act (excerpts) (1960)
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* [[Giulia_Giona_Video_(2025)|Giulia Giona]], horses at libety (2025)
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* [[Casselly_Comedy_Horse_Video_(2025)|Merrylu Casselly]], comedy horse act (2025)
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* [[Maxim_Voronin_Video_(2025)|Maxim Voronin]], magic/hand-balancing/contortion (2025)
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* [[Belui_Music_Video_(2025)|Duo Belui]], musical comedy act (2025)
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* [[Fuentes-Gasca_Video_(2024)|The Flying Fuentes-Gasca]], flying trapeze (2024)
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* [[Chongqing_Diabolo_Video_(2011)|Chongqing Acrobatic Troupe]], diabolo act (2011)
+
* [[Diables_Blancs_Video_(1974)|Les Diables Blancs]], high wire (1974)
  
 
==New Oral Histories==
 
==New Oral Histories==

Latest revision as of 21:17, 11 December 2025


Welcome! ✫ Bienvenue! ✫ Willkommen! ✫ Добро Пожаловать!
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Circopedia is an independent educational website, initially created as a project of the original, non-profit Big Apple Circus.

In The Spotlight

Darix Togni

THE TOGNI FAMILY

The Togni dynasty was founded by Aristide Togni (1853-1924), a university student who, in the 1870s, ran away and joined the Circo Torinese, a circus company headed by Giovanni De Bianchi. Like many Italian circuses at the time, the Circo Torinese performed on stage, in theaters. De Bianchi had married Maria de la Garenne (a.k.a. de Lagarein), a Sinti gypsy, who was said to be the granddaughter of a French nobleman who had fled to Italy during the French revolution.

Togni married Giovanni's daughter, Teresa De Bianchi. Together, they created a circus company of their own—which, as legend has it, consisted of a single wagon and a monkey—and headed for the South of Italy. Circa 1880, they had acquired a small, one-pole big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau) that could house an audience of forty: the first Circo Togni was born. The couple had eight children, and their circus grew quickly, soon performing under a medium-size big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau). It became so popular, apparently, that the King of Italy, Victor Emmanuel III, awarded Circo Togni the title of Circo Nazionale in 1919.

Aristide's succession was assured by three of his sons, Ercole (1894-1958), Ugo (1897-1981), and Ferdinando (1900-1990). The circus alternated summer seasons under the big topThe circus tent. America: The main tent of a traveling circus, where the show is performed, as opposed to the other tops. (French, Russian: Chapiteau) with winter engagements in some of the most beautiful theatres of Italy. For several years, they toured Sicily and Greece. In the 1930s, the Dopolavoro Fascista (the entertainment office of the Fascist government) supported the Circo Nazional Togni, which it considered a major artistic propaganda tool.

The circus began to travel with a menagerie, which included tigers, lions, bears, elephants, and an important collection of horses. Ferdinando became a fine horse trainer and presented beautiful "liberty"Liberty act", "Horses at liberty": Unmounted horses presented from the center of the ring by an equestrian directing his charges with his voice, body movements, and signals from a ''chambrière'' (French), or long whip." horse acts; Ercole was the house clown and a good tumbler; Ugo was a perch-poleLong perch held vertically on a performer's shoulder or forehead, on the top of which an acrobat executes various balancing figures. acrobat, aerialistAny acrobat working above the ring on an aerial equipment such as trapeze, Roman Rings, Spanish web, etc., and animal trainer. There were also about twenty talented performers among their daughters and sons, and the company included members of other famous Italian circus families, such as Miletti, Jarz, and Casartelli.

The third Togni generation created the Tognis's three principal signature acts: pyramids on horseback, "jockeyClassic equestrian act in which the participants ride standing in various attitudes on a galoping horse, perform various jumps while on the horse, and from the ground to the horse, and perform classic horse-vaulting exercises.," and flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze). By the late 1940s, Darix Togni (Ercole's son, 1922-1976) became, with his lion act, the star of Circo Nazionale Togni. In that act, Darix began to develop his legendary gladiator character. Circo Togni's large, round cupola allowed the presentation of the Tognis's spectacular cross-flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) act, which had no less than two catchers and nine flyers. Among those, Cesare Togni (Ugo's son) accomplished a double "casse-cou(French) A front, or forward, somersault." (front somersault) to the catcherIn an acrobatic or a flying act, the person whose role is to catch acrobats that have been propelled in the air., with a return to the bar with a triple pirouette(French) A full rotation of the body in the vertical axle. Double pirouette: two rotations, etc..

Although it survived and performed safely during WWII, the Circo Nazionale Togni was devastated by a fire in 1951. Ercole, Ugo, and Ferdinando decided that it was time to split their ever-growing family within three separate circuses.... (more...)

New Essays and Biographies

New Videos

  • The Brockways, bicycle act (1971)
  • Giulia Giona, horses at libety (2025)
  • Maxim Voronin, magic/hand-balancing/contortion (2025)
  • The Flying Fuentes-Gasca, flying trapezeAerial act in which an acrobat is propelled from a trapeze to a catcher, or to another trapeze. (See also: Short-distance Flying Trapeze) (2024)
  • Les Diables Blancs, high wireA tight, heavy metallic cable placed high above the ground, on which wire walkers do crossings and various acrobatic exercises. Not to be confused with a tight wire. (1974)

New Oral Histories

Circopedia Books

A Message from the Founder

CIRCOPEDIA is a constantly evolving and expanding archive of the international circus, maintained by reliable circus historians and specialists. 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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