Carnival of Venice

The traditional carnival in Venice, with its masks, animal fights, Hercules games and fireworks of the most well-known alongside those of Florence and Rome. Based on the Italian princely courts have developed since the late Middle Ages always more magnificent and more elaborate forms of the carnival. In general, took the feast of Epiphany (January 6 ) to the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. The origin of the Venetian carnival goes back to the Saturnalia of ancient customs and festivities, and thus of before Lent, to the 12th century. They were celebrating the victory of Venice until 1797 every year about Aquileia in the year 1162nd In Venice celebrated the carnival at the Boxing Day (December 26 ). Until 1796 he was followed during the Ascension fair always a smaller hard.

History

A carnival ( pullus carnisbrivialis ) in Venice was first mentioned in the chronicle of the Doge Vitale Falier for 1094. The oldest recorded mention of a mask in Venice is the description of a guild parade at Martino da Canal and therefore dates from the 13th century. During his lifetime, Giacomo Casanova in the 18th century the carnival reached its greatest splendor, while the manners were always loose.

The heyday of the Venice Carnival ended when in 1797 the Venetian Republic by Napoleon Bonaparte lost its independence and was annexed Austria. The following economic decline affected the self- image of the city considerably. Elaborate processions and parades, there were hardly any. There are also various, sometimes contradictory evidence on bans and restrictions of Carnival 1797-1815. Helping to a ban on wearing masks, have been canceled under the Regno Italico. The occasionally -to-read statement, Napoleon forbade the Venetian Carnival, which is why until 1979 was no longer celebrated in Venice, however, goes too far, for in the course of the 19th century was celebrated in Venice carnival. In the wake of the Risorgimento and especially after the defeat of Venice during the First Italian War of Independence in 1849 were part of the population of Venice boycotted public events as a sign of passive resistance and theaters closed, which also covered the carnival.

Carnival in the 19th century in Venice, although the economic situation of large parts of the population was very difficult, especially as a private party with artistic creations and as an event of the Austrian officers, where events of the occupying power were shunned by the locals at times, celebrated. After the unification of Venice, Italy on 18 October 1866, efforts were made to revive the great tradition of Venetian festivals again.

" In 1867, just months after the annexation of Venice to the Kingdom of Italy (19 October 1866), the Venetians celebrated for ten days from 24 February to 5 March, a carnival with a rich program. A, Società del Carnevale ', which, brava gente Benemerita out ', probably decent and honorable citizens, was composed, organized the festivities. The carnival should be no longer a private matter. The event has been declared aim of the organizers was rather to attract strangers, bring the money ', ... as in, Corriere di Venezia ' of 10 January 1867 Read more ... financed by a subscription, the first signatory Amadeo d' Aosta, the son of King Vittorio Emanuele II, and the mayor of Venice were ... However, that was hard, a short fire that quickly burned ', as described contemporaries. "

However, a sustainable revival of the Venetian carnival solved only Federico Fellini's film Casanova made ​​in 1976. Federico Fellini, the theater director Maurizio Scaparro, the mask maker Guerrino Lovato and numerous other artists organized the revival of Carnival, the Biennale 1979 in particular was a great success. Finally, the owner of the carnival attended, who has since become an international tourist attraction. Traditional events were taken up again. For example, the theater form Commedia dell'arte, which are mainly trying to match the modern carnival masks, returned to the stage and is also listed in the indoor or outdoor auditorium as.

Carnival Festivities

Historically

At the time of the Venetian Republic the Thursday before Ash Wednesday was not only the actual start of the carnival. On this day, above all, the victory of the Doge Vitale Michiel I. over Ulrich II of Treven, Patriarch of Aquileia, at giovedì grasso ( ven. berlingaccio ) for the year 1162 was celebrated. For this reason, the Doge took part in the festivities traditionally himself, along with the Senate and the ambassadors.

On the Piazzetta fireworks were burned down. Groups of young people danced the Arab moresca, and young men from this side and the other side of the Grand Canal built human pyramids. The guilds of blacksmiths and the butchers slaughtered as a fixed contribution to the original by the Patriarch of Aquileia each year to be delivered oxen and pigs; this bloody tradition was after 1420 but for harmless entertainment.

Among the many performances in St. Mark's Square, the puppet theater was under the Campanile special appeal that always staged new adventure of the traditional masks. In addition to the astonished audience wild and exotic animals were presented in kennels. Otherwise, there were lotteries, teeth were pulled, astrologers prophesied the future, quack remedies sold. In the corners of the square appeared acrobats and tightrope walkers. The festival reached its peak with the 1548 first time running so-called Angel Flight: an acrobat climbed over into the bay in front of St. Mark's Square on a raft anchored double rope up to the top of the campanile and threw flowers from there into the crowd; then he balanced the grandstand in front of the Doge's Palace down.

The carnival season was also the main season the theater. The variety of festivities during Carnival knew no limits. Famous were the Bullenhatzen, as well as the bloody fights between dogs and bears. Rushing costume celebrations took to the delight of locals in the most beautiful buildings of Venice instead, and in the streets, the most beautiful masks were presented. Shrove Tuesday, the last day of the carnival, the feast finally reached its peak. Thousands of masqueraders ran through the torch-lit streets. At the end of the Piazzetta was burned in front of St. Mark's Square, a huge figure with Pantalones mask while the crowd chanted between the two columns on the southern edge: " It's over, it's over, the carnival is over " These rang the Fast bell of San Francesco della Vigna slowly and carried a Lent.

Modern

At the present time the carnival is officially 10 days before Ash Wednesday and Sundays from 10.30 clock, opened with the Angel Flight. The festivities begin but about a week before (2014 on Valentine's Day ). When Angels Flight ( Volo di Angelo ) floats an artist on a steel cable secured from the Campanile down St. Mark's Square. There are in the city on various stages of artistic and artistic performances. Individuals strolling in costume through the city, in the majority of course to St. Mark's Square around. Most visitors come on the weekend before Ash Wednesday; except from further afield who had traveled tourists, there are also many day visitors from the surrounding area (up to Austria ). For the costumed parade and the awards are the highlight for the most beautiful costume on Sunday. Here are the winners of the last years:

  • 2006: 1st place: " The Mists of Avalon ", Chair: Vivienne Westwood
  • 2007: 1st place: " La Montgolfiera " by Tanja Schulz -Hess
  • 2008: 1st place: "Luna Park " by Tanja Schulz -Hess
  • 2009: 1st place: " Marco Polo's Travels " by Horst Raack and Tanja Schulz -Hess, Chair: Gabriella Pescucci
  • 2010: 1st place: " Pantegane " from England
  • 2011: 1st place: " Omaggio a Venezia " by Paolo and Cinzia Pagliasso and Anna Rotonai from Rome, shared with " La Famille Fabergé " by Horst Raack, as well as the 1st place in the special category " 19th century " Lea Luongsoredju and Roudi Verbaanderd from Brussels.
  • 2012: 1st place: " Teatime " ( il servizio since thé del settecento ) by Horst Raack, as well as the 1st place in the special category " most original costume" to Jacqueline Spieweg for " Oceano ".
  • 2013: 1st place: " Alla Ricerca del Tempo Perduto " by Anna Marconi, Senigallia ( AN), and the 1st place in the special category " most colorful costume" for " Luna Park".
  • 2014: 1st place: " Radice Madre " by Mary Roan di Villa Vera, shared with "Una giornata in campagna " by Horst Raack

In 1999, the Festa delle Marie is revived under the direction of Bruno Tosi and it is now part of the Venetian Kareneval as one of the Associazione Venezia è ... ( Storia arte cultura ) organized beauty contest.

Masks and Costumes

At the carnival, especially the half- mask was worn in Venice, which covers only a part or one half of the face. Originally it was in use as a theater or speech mask - for example in the Italian Commedia dell'arte - the actors facilitated the loud and clear speaking. At the carnival they also had the advantage that you could eat and drink without too much difficulty. The Bauta, a full mask with protruding chin was common in both men and women.

How to costumed in the 18th century, is a document entitled " Different styles, to dress up in carnival ... " refer to. Among the many options listed are for example: fishing with fishing rod, Doctor of Medicine, lackey, attorney with files, devil, butchers, astrologer, Hunter with gun dummy. In between cavorted the classic masks of Harlequin with its patchwork suit, the wily Colombina, the resourceful servant Brighella, Pulcinella ( with a question mark made ​​of macaroni ), the vain Dottore, the boastful Capitano.

The wearing of masks in Venice was also outside of the carnival usual, so in the two weeks before Pentecost and thereafter until mid-June. Later masks were also allowed on 5 October until the beginning of the Christmas novena on 16 December in time. So wrote Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during his Italian journey on October 4, 1786: "It was arrived my fancy to purchase me a tabarro with the Apartinentien, because one is already running in the mask. " To all the important events such as official banquets and other celebrations of the Serenissima you went with mask and cape. Furthermore, gamblers and impoverished nobles masked for protection (from creditors ) begging on the street corner.

In addition to the traditional masks that appeared in the plays listed for Carnival time, there were other masks and disguises. An almost constantly worn, real anonymity permissive mask costume was the baùtta, a disguise for both women and men, which was allowed outside of the carnival to the specified times. It consists of a black robe made ​​of silk or velvet, which has an open front hood, which makes the face free. About the hood of a black or white mask ( volto or larva ) is pulled, the face covered only up to the mouth. For this purpose, the mask is worn over the typical Venetian tricorn.

A popular carnival mask for women was the so-called moretta. It is small, oval and originally consisted of black velvet. It is held in the mouth, so that the wearer can not speak.

The making and selling of masks evolved over time into a highly profitable business, not only within the city. Countries throughout Europe were supplied with the well-known and popular Venetian masks. The mask -maker or " Maschereri " had since 1436 under the Doge Francesco Foscari even their own statutes. They belonged to the painters' guild and were supported by subscribers, faces designed in various shapes and ran with great attention to detail. Until 1820 there was an extensive production mask in Venice, which then slowly defeated the French low-cost competition. 1846 but still 75000-100000 masks were nevertheless made ​​in Venice ( Zorzi Austria Venice S. 263, 351).

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