Claudio Cinelli is one of the most eclectic artists of the Italian theatrical panorama. His experiences include theatre and Figure Theatre. During his more than 45 years career, he has performed, directed and made more than 100 shows.

In 1972, when just twenty years old he was one of the leaders of Teatrolimite, which was one of the most influential Italian theatre groups of that time when there was a need to convey a sense of utopia outside the theatre. There were flash mobs on the streets, in the factories, where the body was used to convey this message.

In 1982 he was one of the founders of the Gran Teatro dei Burattini del Sole, an affiliation of the Centro di Sperimentazione e Ricerca Teatrale di Pontedera. He produced several shows involving various theatrical techniques: actors, marionette, shadows and mimes. Then he started experimenting with operas such as Turandot, Macbeth, Ivan the Terribile and Traviata. And it is this show on Traviata by G.Verdi, named “Mani d’Opera” aka “One more Kiss”, that made Cinelli a household name. Mani d’Opera is the performance that first exemplifies his research, his need to express himself with a few but significant elements distinguishing his poetry. Although 35 years have passed since its debut, this show is still performed in Italy and abroad.

From 1986 to 1990 he worked for Italian television and later on he took part in various television shows abroad.

In 1992 he founded “Porte Girevoli”, a cultural association of which he is still the art director. This group was formed by artists Cinelli had met for many years and they had shared with him artistic and life choices.
The group made their first appearance (debut) in 1993 at Todi Festival with a show on Puccini, ”Puccini en sortira!” a theatrical performance where several techniques merge together. The scenery is minimalistic with a great poetic connection that brings back theatre to its primary core. In September 1994 the show took part as a representative of Italy at the Stadsschouwburg Centenary Celebration in Amsterdam.

1995 marked the beginning of his work in the Opera Theatre. Various Italian and International Opera Foundations asked him for his directing as well as set design and costumes. Nowadays he continues to work with these foundations while working with his theatre company.

Since the early 2000’s he has been working together with various artists, musicians and dancers on an international level. Shows as “L’Anatomia dell’Anima”, “I Testimoni” by Diego Fabbri, “Dreamers”, “Kabarett 13” and “Fortepiano” are an example of this.

For many years Claudio Cinelli has been an actual authority in the international panorama of the Figure Theatre. He holds qualifications and training courses in theatre academies and he has taken part in approximately 500 festivals both in Italy and abroad.

He has been a curator for many important exhibitions, he has an MSc in Architecture and his dissertation was “History and technique in Figure Theatre”. He also has a Certificate in Directing and Set Design at “The Busoni Centre” in Empoli, led by Virginio Puecher.

He lives and works in Vinci (Florence) Leonardo’s birthplace.