|
Behind the MaskThe Venice CarnivalBy Olivia Mackinder
The carnival is a stylish, vibrant celebration of traditions dating back centuries. ‘carnevale’ is from the Latin ‘farewell to meat’ and it precedes the abstinence of Lent with a breathtaking 12-day festival of fantasy, intrigue, music, entertainment, parties and parades.
St Mark's Square is the focal point of the festivities and joining the throng there, we saw for the first time the spectacular costumes that take months to perfect and take your breath away. Faces hidden behind masks, bodies swathed in ornately decadent fabrics, anonymous, ageless figures drift through the crowds or pose elegantly in front of ancient buildings, serene and regal before the gaze of eager tourists. We had deliberated for some time on our costumes. Fantastic in any form is ideal, but there are some traditions to guide you if you need the reassurance. Many revellers adopt the full face mask, their features completely hidden. The ‘Moretta’ is a black version, held in place by a button between the teeth. It was thought to highlight the feminine features, but rendered the wearer silent - beauty seen and not heard!
Carnival lore encompasses a host of colourful figures, traditionally symbolic, but also the stars of intricate plots and histories. As recognisable characters, their costumes are often adopted by those with a passion for the theatrical! The women stand for love and seduction. There’s Isabella, Aurora and Isabella’s maid, Columbine, the lover of Harlequin or Arlecchino, once a Pagan spirit of earth and nature who is now depicted as rather more demonic! Pedrolino or Pierrot is a sad-eyed fellow and the lowest of the low. He is in love with Columbine, but she only has eyes for the tumultuous Harlequin… Pulcinella (Punch) is the simple servant with hooked nose and long white hat and Pantalone, the old merchant, very rich and highly-esteemed. And then there’s the Captain, swaggering with pompous machismo, whose amorous advances towards Isabella were rejected, with much mocking from Harlequin!
We had brought hired Georgian-style costumes with us - my partner in a frock coat and breeches, with a tricorn hat and cape, while I had the full-skirt and bodice of 18th-century nobility – fairly conventional by carnival standards and extremely heavy to travel with! You can hire costumes in Venice, it's just a question of money. However, there's no better way to get into the Carnival spirit and, as soon as we had unpacked, we dressed the part and, feeling ludicrously excited, made our way back to the square. The city is a sumptuous treasure trove of historical gems and a feast for the senses. Sitting in Quadri's or Florian, ornate 18th-century coffee houses in St Mark's Square, you become a part of the largest stage set in the world.
Gala balls are very much part of the celebrations and the most extravagant of all is the Doge's Ball held in one of the most beautiful palaces on the canal. The Doges were the esteemed governors of Venice and this is a party for the international jet set, with ticket prices that reflect this (around L500.000 per person - about $250).
It was 9.15pm and we were running late. It was my fault, unaccustomed as I am to wrangling with the intricacies of hip padding and corsetry. We left the hotel at a pace onto the darkened streets, capes floating out behind us and, as we neared the square, we heard the heavy, almost tribal sound of drumbeats. Turning the corner, the spectacle of carnival by night met our eyes – fire breathers, musicians, acrobats, flickering lights, laughter and dancing... Dark figures drew back to let us pass, their eyes glinting with amusement, indulging our hurried progress. No one runs in La Serenissima: this is a place where pleasures are taken slowly. Our boat was still waiting when we reached the water's edge. Like most buildings in this ancient city, the splendour of the Palazzo Vendramin had faded, but inside candlelight and a slightly worn red carpet welcomed us - along with an enthusiastic Harlequin, who bowed as we entered, encouraging us inside with expansive arm gestures. A long table was spread with a buffet - typical Venetian dishes such as soup, black cuttlefish with polenta and ‘sarde in saor’ (marinated sardines), as well as an abundance of shellfish and meat dishes. Our table of ten included guests from France, Germany and Italy and we got along in a mixture of English and scraps of French. With my face partially covered, it was easier to be uninhibited. It gives you a strange confidence. I felt distinctly mischievous and wildly attractive. Strange, given that I was almost completely hidden behind a mask and wig of riotous blonde curls. It was wonderful! However, not all events require you to dig so deeply in your pocket… For a slightly more modest price, around L 90.000 ($45), try 'Il Codega', an escorted promenade lead by an expert - the 'codega'. This old Venetian character once upon a time guided visitors through the city, revealing the beautiful secrets of the narrow streets and squares and regaling his companions with incredible stories.
As tradition goes, masks are forbidden after midnight on Shrove Tuesday. The dancing and revelry that erupts even in convent courtyards must come to an end and be replaced with sobriety and decorum. The festivities close with the burning of an effigy of ‘Carnivale’ and a parade into St Mark’s Square for the Concert of Ashes, and then Ash Wednesday mass - the heavy, frankincense-scented velvet curtain that brings this flamboyant, exuberant, sensual performance to a close.
The weekends are a focus for many of the celebrations, but book early. For more information, visit www.carnivalofvenice.com or www.carnival-venice.com We stayed at the Hotel Europa e Regina, the best value of the deluxe hotels and offering many rooms with canal views. It is sumptuously and ornately decorated in typical Venetian style. San Marco, Phone: (39)(041) 240 0001 |
|
TM
Of course I'd seen pictures, but as
we walked to our hotel from the canal side, I soon realised that Venice at
Carnival time is not something you can really prepare for. It is utterly
unreal, another world, and pure escapism. 
It
opens with The Flight of the Little Dove – a papier maché puppet that floats
on a cable from St Mark’s bell tower to the Doge’s Palace. In times gone by,
this was known as the Flight of the Angel and an intrepid tightrope walker
took the lead role - an acrobatic feat revived in 2002 for the first time in
years.
Alternatively, the
‘Bauta’ is a white half-mask, worn with a black veil or cloak and a tricorn
hat. With its protruding upper lip and tiny nose, it alters the sound of the
wearer’s voice, concealing their identity whilst still allowing them to eat
and talk - perfect for anonymous romantic liaisons and a mask that in the
city’s hedonistic youth was found useful at any time of the year!
But there are no
rules. Carnivale is all about flouting convention. Personal identity and
class no longer matter and the genders become indistinguishable from each
other - if you choose to let them! During our rather more modern carnival,
any licentious behaviour was hidden behind firmly closed doors – although
dreamy couples were everywhere, reconfirming, rediscovering each other in
every square and on every bridge…
A visit to the
tourist office near St Mark's Square provided us with a calendar of events
for the carnival and the chance to book tickets. Flushed with the wonderful
strangeness of it all, we lost the financial prudence of home and bought two
tickets to a masked ball at the Vendramin Palace that night for about $150
each.
Guests gather by
the light of 1000 candles, surrounded by magnificent frescoes and
tapestries. Dinner is served by waiters in livery, while a chamber ensemble
play minuets and waltzes. For lovers of passion and romance and the lavish
decadence of a bygone era, the fantasy experience is out of this world.
There
is a ball in St Mark's Square, open to anyone in costume, a treasure hunt,
competitions to judge the most beautiful costumes and a water procession of
decorated boats and gondolas which is stunning. You can also join the city's
dignitaries, the King of the Carnival and the main corporations as they lead
wreathed bulls to be fought by a 'torero'. 
Carnival 2003 begins on 21st
February and closes on 4th March.