The International Salieri Circus Award has announced the 23 acts selected for its sixth edition, taking place September 24–28, 2026, at the Teatro Salieri in Legnago, Italy. Chosen from approximately 550 applications submitted from around the world, this year’s competition will bring together more than 50 circus artists representing 25 nationalities across five continents, making it the festival’s most internationally diverse edition to date.
Produced by Proeventi and promoted by ANSAC – National Association for the Development of Circus Arts and the Fondazione Teatro Salieri, the festival has established itself as a unique event where circus, music, and theatre converge. This year’s edition continues that vision by presenting a programme that balances traditional circus disciplines with contemporary creation, dramaturgy, live music, and artistic experimentation.
“This year’s selection confirms the growing international prestige of the festival,” said General Director Luciano Giarola, noting that artists from across the globe will once again transform Legnago into a meeting place for cultures and performing arts traditions.
The competition will be divided into two distinct programmes—Programme A and Programme B—each opening with an original Ouverture inspired by Antonio Salieri’s opera La Fiera di Venezia, performed by the Circul Metropolitan of Bucharest.
Artistic Director Antonio Giarola emphasized that the festival’s selection extends beyond technical excellence.
“What interests us is not merely technical difficulty, but the artists’ ability to create genuine stage works in which circus, music, directing and performance come together to generate emotion and tell a story.”
Reflecting this philosophy, the festival will once again present the “Salieri d’Arte” Directing Award, recognizing excellence in stage direction and dramaturgy.
Large-Scale Productions and New Artistic Languages
Among the highlights are several large ensemble productions made possible by the expansion of the Teatro Salieri stage, including The Freestyle Orchestra, whose performers simultaneously play live music while performing group acrobatics, the Teeter Trio with its dynamic Korean teeterboard act, and United of the South, presenting a high-energy banquine routine.
The programme also showcases artists pushing the boundaries of contemporary circus through innovation and original apparatuses. Highlights include Germany’s The Fusion Showteam with LED juggling, the Czech Republic’s Lukas and Martina performing on a custom-designed aerial Cyr wheel apparatus, and American aerialist Caitlin Marion, presenting her original multiloops discipline.
Technical Mastery Meets Poetic Storytelling
This year’s line-up spans the full spectrum of contemporary circus, from poetic movement to extraordinary technical achievement.
Featured performers include Belarusian hair hanger Daria Sheremet, Moldovan wire artist Valeria Garmider, French duo Mateo & Aelia with their diabolo dance creation, and Duo Out of Time, combining aerial straps with live cello performance. Technical highlights include Sundello’s blindfolded aerial straps act, Armenia’s Arzuman Arutiunian, Swedish aerial pole artist Anna-Maija Nyman, Swiss world-record holders Esther & Jonas, and Tanzanian contortionist Hassan Gorila.
Italy will be represented by Disguido, whose blend of clowning, magic, and theatrical storytelling pays tribute to the history of cinema, alongside juggler Nicole Errani, a member of one of Italy’s historic circus families.
Special Guests
Outside the competition, audiences will also experience two special guest performances: Duo Spinfusion from the Philippines, combining wheelchair dance with aerial arts, and the Franco-Italian clown Pass Pass, whose intimate performances blend mime, improvisation, and audience interaction.
The winners of the sixth International Salieri Circus Award will be announced during the Awards Gala on September 28, concluding five days of performances celebrating the evolving language of contemporary circus. Advance tickets are available through the festival’s official website and TicketOne.
Images are courtesy of Salieri Circus Festival.