Antonio Giarola

Antonio Giarola born in 1957, is an Italian poet, circus and theater director and circus historian.

Biography Graduated in Dramaturgy at the University of Literature and Philosophy in Bologna, Italy, he began his career at the Teatro Laboratorio in Verona in the early 1980s as an assistant to Ezio Maria Caserta. In 1984 he created his own circus, the Clown's Circus. which constitutes the first example of Theatrical Direction applied to the Classical Circus in the history of the Italian Circus

He was one of the founders of the Accademia d'Arte Circense in Verona (1988), where he taught Circus History (1988–1989). He directed the City of Verona International Circus Festival (1992–1994). From 2009 to 2011 he was artistic director of the Salieri Opera Festival in Legnago. He is currently President of the National Association for the Development of Circus Arts (ANSAC) and of the Circus Arts Documentation Educational Center (CEDAC) in Verona. As a Circus Historian, he is the author of various publications and represents the World Circus Federation with conferences in Europe, China and Canada, he also participated as a speaker at the La Biennale di Venezia convention with David Larible. As a Poet, Historian and Journalist, he has made several publications. He was a member of the Circuses and Traveling Shows Commission at the Italian Ministry of Cultural Activities (1996–2002). He also is the artistic director of The International Salieri Circus Festival, which intends to be the unique competitive festival on the national and international scene presenting a competition of circus numbers with classical music as soundtrack.

In 2021 he created the International Salieri Circus Award, the first competitive circus festival in theater with classical and art music, of which he is also the artistic director.

Circus direction Il Circo, Una Festa, Clown's Circus, Italy, 1984 Il Circo in Arena, Il Florilegio di Darix Togni, Verona, Italy, 1991–1998 Omaggio a Federico, Antico Circo Orfei, Rome, Italie, directed with Ambra Orfei, 1994 Bellissimo, Hermann Renz, Netherlands 2007 Carnevale, Circus Nikulin, Moscow, Russia, 2015 Veneziano, Circus Nikulin, Izhevsk, Russia, 2016 Hi-Ten Show, Hi-Ten Circus, Sanya, China, directed with Joseph Bouglione, 2016 Hi-Ten Show, Hi-Ten Circus, Lijiang, China, 2016 Venice Tribute, Hi-Ten Circus, Beijing, China, 2018 Fantastika, Cirque Nikulin, Moscow, Russia, 2020

Theatrical direction Ringraziamento all'Arte ch'io professo, Lyrics and Music by Antonio Salieri, Salieri Opera Festival, Legnago, Verona, 2009–2011 Varietas Delectat, RBR Dance Company, tournées in Italy and in Saint Petersburg, Russia, 2009-2012 Il Circo di Zeus - RBR Dance Company, tournées in Italy, 2015 Bianco, with choreography by Elena Grossule, Verona, 2025

Equestrian theater direction Zlatne Grive, Arena, Pula, Croatia, 1988–1989 La Briglia D'Oro, Fieracavalli, Verona, 1991 Rêve, an Equestrian Dream, Bobbejaanland, Belgium, 2009 Horse Music, Nuit du Cheval, Paris, 2013 Visions, Fieracavalli, Verona, 2014 Horse Dance, Nuit du Cheval, Paris White. Un Viaggio nel Colore dei Nostri Sogni, with choreography by Elena Grossule, Equestrian Theater, 2014–2016 Anniversary, Fieracavalli, Verona, 2018 Rêve, Salon du Cheval d'El Jadida, Morocco, 2019 Dreams, Fieracavalli, Verona, 2019 Horse Dreaming, Equestrian Theater, Qingdao, China, directed with Mario Luraschi, 2019 Chakras, with choreography by Elena Grossule - Teatro Tenda Villa Giona, Italia, 2022 Sable, Salon du Cheval d'El Jadida, Morocco, 2022 Meraviglia, Fieracavalli, Verona, 2022 Marocco, Land of colors - Salon du Cheval d'El Jadida, El Jadida, Marocco, 2023 Arte, Gala d'Oro – Fieracavalli, Verona, 2023 Pathos, Gala d'Oro – Fieracavalli, Verona, 2024 Bellezza, Gala d'Oro – Fieracavalli, Verona, 2025

Publications Essays Circo Classico e Nuovo Circo in Italia e all'estero, publisher La Biennale di Venezia - Musicateatrodanza n.4, 2000 Il Circo Contemporaneo: Alla Ricerca di Una Nuova Identità, en Aa.Vv., Il Circo e La Scena. Forme Dello Spettacolo Contemporaneo, Edizioni La Biennale di Venezia 2001 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2003-2006, publisher ANSAC-CEDAC, 2006 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2007-2008, publisher ANSAC-CEDAC, 2008 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2009-2010, publisher Equilibrando, 2010 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2011-2012, publisher Equilibrando, 2012 Corpo Animali Meraviglie. Le Arti Circensi a Verona tra Sette e Novecento, publisher Equilibrando, 2013 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2013-2014, publisher Equilibrando, 2014 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2015-2016, publisher Equilibrando, 2016 CEDAC – Documenti e Attività 2017-2020, publisher Equilibrando, 2020 Il pericolo è il mio mestiere! in Il circo e la scena : forme dello spettacolo contemporaneo, publisher La Biennale di Venezia, 2001 Il cavallo in scena, Edizioni Equilibrando, 2025,

Poems Simbiosi, Edizioni MG, 1978 Poesie (1972-1989), Edizioni MG, 1989 Carnaval, (photo by Marco Bertin), Giunti Editore, Florence, 1995 Fiabe, Edizioni del Leone, 1998 Masquerade (photo by Marco Bertin) publisher Edel Classics, Hambourg, 2005 Il Circo Classico, publisher Equilibrando, 2007, White. Un Viaggio nel Colore dei Nostri Sogni, publisher Equilibrando, 2014 Il Circo, Una Festa: poesie, publisher Equilibrando, 2019 L'Uscio che canta (il nulla si fa parola), Edizioni Equilibrando, 2022

Translations Antinoo, Epigrammi d’Amore, (translation from Greek to Italian), publisher Equilibrando, 2012 Gustavo Bernstein, Esercizi di Fede, (translation from Spanish to Italian), publisher Equilibrando, 2018