Detailed bio

Education

  • Four – year BA Degree, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Genova
  • Three – year Diploma in Acting, Theatre School of Teatro Stabile of Genova
  • Diploma in Singing, Directing  Opera, Ferruccio Busoni Music Centre,  Empoli (Florence)
  • Professional Diploma, Academy of Fine Arts, Genova

Campo studied with Master Teacher  Marcello Bartoli : Commedia dell’ Arte (traditional and contemporary), masks, buffoon, character work, theatrical clown; Maestro Angelo Corti (Piccolo Teatro di Milano) : movement, mime; directors Marco Sciaccaluga and Egisto Marcucci: acting, character work, acting Brecht ; Alessandra Manari: contemporary dance; Nanda Mari: voice, acting in traditional opera.

At Ferruccio Busoni Music Centre she specialised with:  soprano Cathy Berberian: singing, acting in contemporary opera, Weill  repertory; Candy Smith: voice ; Virginio Puecher : directing opera, acting in opera, directing and acting Brecht

Workshops with: Dario Fo: storytelling, improvisation ; Carlo and Romano Colombaioni: clown, farse; Pierre Byland : theatrical clown; Terry Hands : acting Shakespeare;  Odin Theatret, Richard Cieslak : actors physical training; Katie Duck: contact dance; Roy Hart Theatre : voice.

MEMBERSHIPS

SIAE,  Italian Society of Professional Authors and Editors

Profile

Valeria Campo is an internationally renowned  expert in Commedia dell’ Arte ,  acting teacher, director, author. She is a curator of  festivals, events, symposia, actor training projects for theatre and contemporary circus schools. With a background in visual arts at Academy of Fine Arts of Genova, she designs masks and costumes.

In 2014  Mibact, the Italian Ministry of Heritage , Culture and Tourism based in Rome , appointed Campo Head of the Circus Arts Commission   and  Member of the Multidisciplinary Theatre, Dance, Circus, Music Commission of the Ministry.

Campo owns a Diploma in Acting from Theatre School of Teatro Stabile of Genova and   was an actress with prestigious theatre companies Giorgio Albertazzi, Teatro La Tosse, Teatro Archivolto. At Teatro Stabile di Genova . She was in the cast of Goldoni’s  The Two Venetian Twins ( director L. Proietti), La Bocca del Lupo by  A. Bagnasco (director  M. Sciaccaluga), Happy End by B. Brecht (director V. Puecher), A respectable wedding by B. Brecht (director G.Gallione), Il Labirinto by Armand Gatti,  Henry IV by  W. Shakespeare (director G. Albertazzi). From its foundation  she was a member of  Teatro Archivolto, the eclectic Italian theatre ensemble which in the 90s developed a hugely successful and unique style of comedy, drama, music theatre. Campo was at  Archivolto Theatre for ten years  acting, teaching, directing, producing, designing masks and costumes for productions in the fields of Commedia, comedy, music theatre, opera, self devised plays. While based in Italy, Campo  teaches and directs worldwide, having developed CirComedy, a Commedia dell’ Arte and mask based actors training system aimed at international actors of theatre and circus, directors, opera singers presented in major Theatre and Circus schools, Universities in Australia, Canada, USA, Asia. I

Commedia dell’Arte worldwide

Le Maschere Viaggianti (The Travelling Masks) , solo conference/show on Commedia dell’ Arte and Goldoni by and with Valeria Campo toured universities and the circuit of the  IIC, the Italian Government Cultural Centers in Canada, USA, India, Africa, Europe. The performance was produced by Ensemble Vicenza Commedia dell’ Arte Company and sponsored by Veneto Government and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the frame of the 1992 International Goldoni Celebrations. As a  guest lecturer expert  in Commedia dell’ Arte and masks  and a director  Campo has visited universities and  theatre schools all over the world, including DOCH University of the Arts (Stockholm, Sw); Rotterdamse Dansacademie (NL); Concordia University and UQAM University (Montréal, Ca), ACT American Conservatory Theatre (San Francisco, USA), National Centre for the Performing Arts (New Delhi, Mumbasa, India). In Australia Campo  taught Commedia and Goldoni master classes for prestigious theatre companies such as Bell Shakespeare Company and  was guest artist  at NIDA National Institute of Dramatic Arts, among her students Cate Blanchett. She was a regular guest lecturer  in Commedia dell’ Arte at VCA School of Drama of Melbourne University ), directed by international director and actor trainer Lindy Davies. In the UK she was Master Teacher of Commedia dell’ Arte  for the MA/MFA Courses in Theatre Directing At Middlesex University (London).

Commedia dell’Arte in Asia

Campo has introduced Commedia dell’ Arte techniques in major performing arts schools in Asia: HKAPA Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, K-Arts Korea National University of Arts School of Drama (Seoul), Lasalle College of the Arts School dance and Drama (Singapore). In 2018 she will be guest lecturer on Commedia dell’ Arte and Brecht at the Directing Department of Central Academy of Drama in Beijing.

Contemporary circus

Campo is an expert in international contemporary circus. In 2014 the Italian Ministry of of Arts, Heritage and Culture  appointed Campo  Head of the Circus Arts Commission of the Ministry, in charge of evaluating the Italian contemporary circus projects. Campo  has presented acting and Commedia classes and created and directed shows  at the two  major international contemporary  circus centers: National Circus School of Montréal (Quebec) and  NICA National Institute of Circus Arts, Melbourne (Au). For Ecole Nationale she devised and directed Circo Paradiso a theatre circus show  in contemporary Commedia style; for NICA she wrote and directed DiVino Circus Cabaret, coproduced by Melbourne International Festival of the Arts and presented in the 2007 official season of the Festival. As artistic consultant of KEvents FilmMaster Group she introduced international circus and street performance in major public and corporate events such as Carnevale di Venezia,  La Notte Bianca, the 20th Winter Olimpic Ceremonied held in Torino.

Campo and the Italian Cultural Institutes worldwide

Campo  is a frequent  guest lecturer at the IIC, the Italian Government international network of the Italian Cultural Institutes, having presented workshops and talks at the IIC in Nairobi, New Delhi, Singapore, Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney. The Cultural Affairs Offices of the Italian Embassies have sustained generously Campo’s activities  around the world such as the Pirandello conference and workshops  in San Francisco,  celebrating the first ever performance of Pirandello’s Henry IV at the San Francisco Conservatory Theatre,  the Melbourne Festival coproduction  of DiVino Circus Cabaret and the Commedia dell’ Arte workshops presented at Lasalle College of the Arts  School of Dance and Theatre in Singapore.

Opera

Campo  was associate director for  A Streetcar Named Desire by André Previn, Conductor Maestro Steven Mercurio, Teatro dell’Opera Regio di Torino; Street Scenes by Kurt Weill, Conductor Maestro John Mauceri, Teatro dell’Opera Regio di Torino;  Opera ballet Dylan Dog,  Composer  Maestro Marco Tutino, Coreographer  David Parker, Bang Group, New York at Teatro dell’Opera Arena di Verona. She was adaptator of the libretto and director of C’ era una Volta un Flauto Magico (The Magic Flute) by W.A.Mozart, Teatro dell’ Opera Regio di Torino  (Royal Opera House of Torino). She wrote and directed Hommage La Fenice, opera extravaganza commissioned by Italian Cultural Institute of Vancouver, with soprano Miwako Matsumoto and  tenor Gianfranco Pastine.

Curator

Campo is artistic consultant for theatre and circus schools, symposia, festivals and events  companies.
In 2017 she was curator and lecturer of the course on theatre  circus organized by  prestigious Theatre School Paolo Grassi , Milano Foundation  (Milan). In  2018  she will be  curator  and speaker of the Theatre Clown Symposium and Festival organized by CLAPS Theatre at Teatro Franco Parenti, Milan. In 2010 and 2011 in the frame of the EU project Sipario she was project deviser and lecturer  of the performing  arts  training project CircoArt, organized by DAMS, Performing Arts Department of Tor Vergata University, Rome. She is artistic consultant for events companies such as  ArtScena, Utopia, KEvents FilmMaster Group and for the Culture Departments of cities such as Rome and  Sorrento. For KEvents she was a member of the creative consultancy team for the ceremonies of the  20th Winter Olimpic Games held in Torino, curator of the theatre circus section of Le Notti Bianche Festival and artistic director of the Vulcano Buono event in Naples. In 2002 she was curator of the circus section of Festival Faccia di Comico at Teatro Ambra Jovinelli (Rome).
For the city of Sorrento Cultural Office from 2002 to 2007 she was Artistic Director of Carnevalè, Contemporary Circus Festival.

Carnevale di Venezia: masks, Commedia dell’Arte, open air theatre

From 2008 to 2010 for KEvents FilMaster Group Campo Campo was Artistic Consultant  for the open air events of  theatre, circus, Commedia dell’ Arte  of Carnevale di Venezia,  the iconic Venetian celebration of masks  and Commedia dell’ Arte . In this frame she  produced  in San Marco Square the first ever open air performances  of Goldoni’s Arlecchino Servant of Two Masters,  presented by  Piccolo Teatro di Milano in the original Giorgio Strehler version, with acclaimed Arlecchino Ferruccio Soleri, and “Mistero Buffo” by Dario Fo, performed  by the Noble Prize author and actor Dario Fo.

Directing, adapting

Campo has created, adapted  and directed numberless Commedia dell’ Arte scenari and plays in Italian and English: Arlecchino Servant of many masters, adaptation from Goldoni and Gozzi, Curious mishaps and scuffles under the moonlight in Venice by Carlo Goldoni, The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Bertolt Brecht, Lasalle  Cube Theatre (Singapore); DiVino Circus Cabaret, Melbourne Festival (Au); DiVino Circus, NICA Theatre, Melbourne; C’ Era una volta il Flauto Magico (The Magic Flute), music by W. A. Mozart, Teatro dell’ Opera Regio di Torino; Se una notte, Festival delle Colline (Prato); Circo Paradiso, École Nationale de Cirque de Montréal (CA); Storie in un Guscio di Noce,  L’Attore Mascherato, No Spot, Ritorno al Pulito, Teatro Archivolto di Genova; Le Maschere Viaggianti with Ensemble Vicenza Commedia dell’ Arte Company; Hommage a La Fenice, opera extravaganza with soprano Miwako Matsumoto and  tenor Gianfranco Pastine; Pirandello All Night Café or The man with the flower in his mouth) by L. Pirandello, NIDA Parade Theatre, Sydney(AU).

Workshops and masterclasses 1996 – 2017

Hong Kong: HKAPA Hong Kong Academy for  Performing Arts –  Singapore : Lasalle College of the Arts School of Theatre and Dance – South Korea: K-Arts  South Korea National University of Arts, Seoul – UK: Middlesex University, London  MA- MFA Directing Course  – USA:  ACT American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco, Dell’Arte School of Physical Theatre – Australia: Bell Shakespeare Company, NICA National Institute for Circus Arts, VCA Victorian   College of the Arts, NIDA National Institute of Dramatic Arts – Canada : École Nationale de Cirque de Montréal, UQAM Université du  Quebec, Concordia University University, Atelier Pochinko, Theatre Resource Centre, Toronto – India: National Centre for the Performing Arts, New Delhi, Mumbai – The Netherlands: Rotterdamse Dansacademie  – Sweden: DOCH, School of Dance and Circus, University of the Arts, Stockholm – Switzerland: Dimitri School of Theatre –  Italy: Teatro Archivolto Performing Arts Centre, Teatro Stabile of Genoa Theatre School, Genova;  Theatre School A. Galante Garrone, Bologna; School of Italian Opera of Opera Theatre  of Bologna;  Royal Opera Theatre, Torino;  CircArt / DAMS Tor Vergata University, Rome;  Teatro La Scaletta, Rome;  Link Academy, Performing Arts Department  University of Malta in  Rome.

CURATOR

I  create great scale events which are a spectacular fusion of contemporary circus and Commedia dell’ Arte, dance, music, visual arts: a contemporary celebration of the magic entertainment of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque period.
As an expert  on Commedia dell’ Arte and circus arts  I consult for symposia, EU funded projects, theatre and circus schools and theatres. I am artistic consultant on contemporary circus for Italian festivals, theatres, events companies, Culture Departments of major Italian cities.

Some collaborations

KEvents FilmMaster Group, ArtScena, BludiGenova, Utopia, Missoni, Teatro Ambra Jovinelli, Pavarotti International, Rimini Fiere, Culture Departments  Offices of the cities of Rome and Sorrento

Artistic Director: Sorrento Carnevalè Festival 2002 – 2007; Pulcinella Award by Emanuele Luzzati

Artistic consultancy: member of the KEvents artistic consultancy team for the ceremonies of the Winter Olimpic  Games Torino 2006; Rome: Faccia di Comico Festival, Teatro Ambra Jovinelli, The White Night of Rome, spectacular opening of Teatro Ambra Jovinelli”; Carnevale of Venice by KEvents; Tendenza Clown  festival and symposium, Franco Parenti Theatre, Milan, 2 – 7 May 2018.

Curator, lecturer: symposia  “Circus Dramaturgy”, NICA, Swinbourne University (Melbourne, Au), “Text  and Tricks”, Copenhagen International Theater; CircoArt, EU funded formation project, Studionet/Tor Vergata University, Rome;  Semplicemente Circo, course, Paolo Grassi Civic Theatre School, Milan Foundation.

Carnevale of Venice  2008 – 2010 by KEvents: artistic consultant, director of open air events

Carnevale of Venice is a world famous annual celebration of masks and Commedia dell’ Arte held in Venice. The event is  unique in many ways:  for its history (it dates up to 1296), its masks and its atmosphere, for the  fusion of popular and refined entertainment attracting an audience of more than 3.000.000  from all the world.
The 2008 – 2010 edition of the Carnival presented a unique selection  of theater, street theater , circus  and Commedia dell’ Arte in San Marco Square with international companies: Pantakin, the celebrated Commedia dell’ Arte ensemble, Piccolo Teatro di Milano with Strehler’ s version of  Arlecchino Servant of Two Masters by Carlo Goldoni performed by internationally renowned Harlequin Ferruccio Soleri, Noble Prize author and actor Dario Fo with Mistero Buffo; contemporary  circus and street arts companies Close Act, Dream Engine, Bagliori Project, La Salamandre, Sarruga, Tintalo Circus, Ulik, Fanfare Le Snob, La Tal, Los Kaos, Nakupelle, Baladeu’x.