Ueli Hirzel
Contemporary circus pioneer
Swiss Performing Arts Award 2024
Ueli Hirzel was born in Wetzikon (canton of Zurich) in 1949 and began his long career in the circus as a tightrope walker and clown. He is a contemporary circus pioneer thanks to his efforts as an artist and producer. After completing an apprenticeship as a draughtsman in the construction industry, he worked as an extra at the Schauspielhaus Zurich in 1967 and later as a stagehand and director’s assistant at the Theater Neumarkt, also in Zurich, simultaneously studying acting and directing at the Bühnenstudio Zurich, a predecessor of what is now the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). He began his training as a tightrope walker and clown with Zirkus Stey, one of Switzerland’s oldest circuses, in 1972 and performed his own works. In 1979, he founded his first circus together with Odette Kuratli, the Varieté Zirkus Aladin. This was followed in 1991 by Cirque O, which combined circus performance with dance and theatre in a poetic, but also exciting and bold way. Ueli Hirzel lived for a long time in France, where he and Eva Bruderer created the artistic residence Château de Monthelon ‒ Atelier International de Fabrique Artistique.
Now back living in Switzerland, Ueli Hirzel opened the cirqu’Aarau festival in 2023 with his highly personal solo piece Sandscapes, in which he reflects on his achievements, the circus and the concept of time. Sandscapes is touring through various countries and can be seen at Station Circus in Basel in autumn 2024. For a long time, Ueli Hirzel mainly worked as a director and producer. His first troupe, Varieté Zirkus Aladin, set up its big top as part of the Zürcher Theater Spektakel during its early days in 1980, 1981 and 1987. In the 1980s, he acquired an antique hall of mirrors in the Netherlands and toured it as Aladin’s Palace with various programmes before installing it permanently in Berlin in 1992 under the name Bar jeder Vernunft, where it hosts cabaret and musical comedy to this day. Following Cirque O (1991-1993), he staged productions under the label Que-Cir-Que (1994-2000). Ueli Hirzel has also been working with Chinese artists since 2017, when he staged About Ding Yulei with a former top acrobat at the Zürcher Theater Spektakel.
Ueli Hirzel is an artist, producer, director and above all a pioneer. An idea, he says, is not something you think up but something that captivates you, refuses to let go and creates an irresistible urge to make it happen. A brief glance at his career makes it clear that he gets captivated by quite a few ideas. They manifest themselves both on stage and behind the scenes. He is currently performing his solo work “Sandscapes”, has made history with Varieté Zirkus Aladin and laid a solid foundation for future artistic endeavour with the residence Château de Monthelon. For almost half a century, he has quietly but tirelessly made his mark on the national and international contemporary circus scene.
Johanna Hilari, Jury member
