RIGOLO SWISS NOUVEAU CIRQUE –
PROFILE
As a living experiment, Rigolo strives to create a union of dance theatre, acrobatics, art, music and brilliant décor in its productions. At Rigolo, visitors are spirited away into a forgotten world that only observes its own rules, a world in which mythical and archaic ideas are revealed in new and mysterious ways.
In 1978, Lena Roth and Maedir Rigolo founded the street theatre group Circus Rigolo. They performed on small stages and, supported by various musicians and bands, enacted elaborate stage productions and outdoor spectacles with great audience interaction.
Ten years later, Rigolo realised its dream of attaining its own performance space, in collaboration with the architecture group “Sanfte Strukturen”: the Rigolo PALAIS. This willow tent became Rigolo’s trademark and has been the site of productions such as MONDAUFGANG (“Moonrise”), SANDDORN (“Sallow Thorn”) and SAME SUN, SAME MOON, SAME WATER, which engaged visitors with all their senses. Colours and perfumes, sights, tastes and sounds came together to create rituals that lasted entire nights.
With its ensemble and various guest performers, Rigolo developed the event night GEISTER DER ERDE (“Spirits of the Earth”) in 1993 at a cave in Gossau, Switzerland, which attracted over 4000 visitors. Continuous work gave birth to renowned stage and Rigolo PALAIS productions such as FEUERFISCH (“Fire Fish”), DIE TÄNZE DER KÖNIGIN VON SABA (“The Dances of the Queen of Saba”) and SANDDORN (“Sallow Thorn”).
During the rehearsals for SANDDORN in 1996, Maedir Rigolo discovered his balancing act at the Goa beach, experimenting with dried palm leaf ribs. His SANDDORN BALANCE would later become an independent performance and achieve worldwide success. This was the inspiration for the production of the BALANCE trilogy as well, which explored the theme of equilibrium in a dance performance and art production. Rigolo continued to work with distinguished choreographers such as Paul Loomans (Netherlands), Anzu Furukawa (Japan) and Miyoko Shida (Japan).
In 2004, Maedir Rigolo organised the summer spectacle and park SAME SUN, SAME MOON, SAME WATER to be the stylish residence of the Pedagogical University of Rorschach at Lake Constance, Switzerland. In celebration of Rigolo’s 30th anniversary, the ensemble reinvented itself through the art of Nouveau Cirque by staging BEAUTIFUL TURNS in 2008. Acrobatics and aerial performance were combined with dance, theatre, live music and the unique stage props of Maedir.
In Rigolo’s fourth decade, the BALANCE remains the focus of artistic pursuit. Maedir passed the act on to selected performers; as a result, BALANCE is a raging success on all continents. The performance has gone on tour with André Heller and Cirque du Soleil, was enacted on Broadway and has won numerous awards. Meanwhile, Rigolo continues developing new acts and shows, such as LA DANSE EN ROSE with Lara Eugster Rigolo. TAUSENDWASSER (“Thousand Waters”) and other acts have also gone on tour. In 2011, preparations started for WINGS, a complete stage show celebrating the handing over of BALANCE by Lena Roth and Maedir Rigolo –their legacy to their youngest daughter, Marula.