Zoppé swings into Redwood City

Once he pulls the elastic back and slaps on his rubber nose, he transforms into Nino the Clown.

The children and parents around the bleachers cheer for the character that not only opens the show but represents the Zoppé Circus and its legacy.

Zoppé is the sixth generation in his family to take over the circus and the thrilling show has now made a stop in Redwood City during its tour, featuring acrobatic acts, equestrian showmanship and clowning.

“When I’m creating a show or even performing a show, there’s a feeling that I have that reaches back in history and captures the essence of what they [his family] used to do,” Zoppé said. “The emotion of the circus, a real circus, traditional circus, historical circus, circus with meaning, circus with heart.”

The Zoppé Circus was founded 181 years ago by Napoline Zoppé. It was passed down to Giovanni 21 years ago and he is now the circus director and opening act.

“I would describe myself as a clown, as a true clown,” Zoppé said. “A clown with roots, with history, with tradition. It’s not about the makeup. It’s not about the costume. It’s about the heart. A clown is about the heart, about what’s real, not what’s fake.”

Zoppé named his character after his nickname, “Giovannino,” and took the last four letters to make Nino.

“My clown is me,” Zoppé said. “It’s nobody else. I’m not playing another character. I’m playing myself.”

For Zoppé, the circus is his home. Seats are no more than 19 feet away from the ring, creating an intimate setting where the audience can connect with the acts.

“My home never changes, but my backyard changes all the time,” Zoppé said. “I’m 58 years old and I still haven’t left home. I never went anywhere to get a job.”

This is the 17th year the two-hour show has returned to Redwood City, a meaningful location for Zoppé. It was here that his father gave his last performance before dying, and his son appeared on the stage for the first time.  

Zoppé introduces his cast of 34 as his family, creating a sense of unity within the community. Many of his acts come from Mexico, France, Italy, Canada and Ethiopia.

Caleb Carinci, who performs the bareback riding act on his horses, returned to the Zoppé Circus after eight years for a second season.

“It was a magical experience,” Carinci said. “We step inside, and it’s like some fantastical church. I got to meet his father, who was a legendary bareback rider. So riding on this show, I’ve got some really big shoes to fill.”

Zoppé and Carinci both keep performing because of the passion they have for their art but also for the emotion they give to the audience. They see it as a gift to have people leave their busy lives, come into their show and give back the feeling of joy in return.

“I believe that every artist changes lives, but we don’t know whose we’ve changed or how,” Zoppé said. “As artists, we have the ability to give to the world something negative or positive. We show positivity here. We show family. We show culture. We show history. We show feelings. When I am able to give that joy to somebody, you can’t beat the feeling. That’s why I’m here.”

The Zoppé Circus will be at 1044 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, until Dec.1. Tickets can be purchased online at zoppe.net or in person at the Circus Tent, one hour prior to first showtime.