CIVITAS LUDENS: VENICE CARNIVAL IN THE SPIRIT OF FUN AND “PLAYING”
Venice, 26 January 2018
The theme that brings together the rich program of initiatives of the 2018 edition of Venice Carnival is “playing”. As conceived by the artistic director of this year’s event, Marco Maccapani, the theme lends itself to many interpretations and expressions. Playing has an important role in primary socialisation and in building adult identities; playing is common to man and all animals and comes in a variety of different forms depending on the various ages in life.
Therefore, forms of playing such as disguising, inventing, changing identity up to its most articulated and complex expression like entertainment, theatre, music, art and the circus.
"The idea of this year’s Carnival - says Artistic Director Marco Maccapani – is to pay tribute to an age-old form of entertainment - the circus - made of amazement, skill, acrobatics and magic; where the settings, roles, skills and imagination intermingle in a surprising mix that conveys timeless emotions. This tradition is also being re-enacted to commemorate Federico Fellini, who was a great admirer of the circus".
For over two weeks, from January 27 until February 13, Venice and Mestre become a big circus. The tradition is also inspired by the scenography designed by the set designer of the La Fenice Theatre, Massimo Checchetto, both for St. Mark’s Square, the heart and soul of entertainment in Venice, and Piazza Ferretto, Mestre's “fancy parlour”. For the occasion, several elements of the Italian Togni circus will be used characterised by the classic yellow and red lines that had been used in the set design of the film "La strada" by Federico Fellini.
To officially open the Carnival on Saturday January 27 at 06:00 pm will be the Venetian Festival, an event that each year transforms Rio di Cannaregio into a real stage set on water. This year’s show, "VeCircOnda", organised by Wavents, will see the classical attractions of the early twentieth-century circus take on the leading roles: the carousel of horses, the caravan of showgirls, acrobats, clowns and exotic animals. The show will be repeated at 8:00 pm. On Sunday, January 28 it will be the turn of the masked water parade by the various rowing associations starting from Punta della Dogana to Rio di Cannaregio. This year, the event will be preceded at 10.30 am by the Regata Sprint delle Colombine organised by the Associazione Regatanti Venezia, which is a sprint regatta for women, who for the first time will compete on small gondolas that are usually used by men. At the arrival of the parade, food stalls by A.E.P.E. will offer tastings of traditional Venetian specialties. Also on Sunday, January 28 from 03.30 pm onwards, there will be a preview of the Mestre Carnival Street Show with a parade of some of the stage elements of the VeCircOnda event through the streets of Mestre city.
On Saturday February 3 at 2.30 pm, the Festa delle Marie will kick off the shows in St. Mark’s Square. The twelve young Venetian ladies previously selected by an ad hoc jury, dressed in costumes made by Atelier Pietro Longhi with fabrics by Rubelli will be followed by a historical period costume procession organised by C.E.R.S. - European Consortium of Historical Re-enactments, from San Pietro di Castello to the stage in St. Mark’s Square, where they will be officially presented to the public. From February 3 onwards at noon every day the daily competition of ‘the most beautiful mask’ will take place, while Mestre will hold one of the most popular carnival events on mainland Venice: the Mestre Carnival Street Show, which offers a rich program of entertainment for an audience of all ages on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 February and then from February 8 to 13, including street performers, music, games and shows throughout the streets of the city. The entertainment will spread throughout the city from the main stage in Piazza Ferretto, which will be evocative of the big top and the hub of the event.
From February 3 to 14, in an evocative gothic atmosphere, Ca' Vendramin Calergi, a majestic building on the Grand Canal, home to the Casino, hosts the official dinner and ball of Venice Carnival 2018 "JACK HILL and Mrs. HIGH". The exciting artistic performances of Nuart, the entertainment of Prince Maurice, the costumes of Atelier Pietro Longhi, the breath-taking view of the Grand Canal are the ingredients for an evening where dancers, musicians, artists and actors create an atmosphere of fun and folly, improvisation and role changing. Dinner in the halls will be accompanied by live performances and, after midnight, live music and DJ set until 2.30 with cocktail bar. As an exception, the Dinner Show this year will extend its program until Ash Wednesday to celebrate Valentine's Day.
The flight of the Angel will take place on Sunday, February 4 at 12.00 noon. Elisa Costantini, Maria of 2017 edition of Carnival, will descend from St. Mark’s bell tower at noon, dressed in a costume made by Atelier Stefano Nicolao.
On Thursday, February 8, the last Thursday before Lent, the Ballad of the Masks (Ballata delle Maschere) organised by the "Compagnia L'Arte dei Mascareri" Association returns once again in this year’s edition. The event – Cut of the Bull’s Head (Il taglio della testa al toro) reinterprets the ancient anecdote of Shrove Thursday of the year 1162 in which the victory of Doge Vitale II Michiel over Patriarch Ulrich of Aquileia with the twelve rebellious feudal lords was celebrated. The event will start from campo Santa Margherita at 03.00 pm and arrive in St. Mark’s Square with a great final show.
On Friday, February 9 there will be two repeat performances (at 2.30 pm and 5.00 pm) of the historical re-enactment, of the fights between the rival factions of two sestieri (districts) of the city, the 'nicolotti' (Dorsoduro) and the 'castellani' (Castello), in St. Mark’s Square.
Protagonist of the Flight of the Eagle to be held on Sunday, February 11, at 12.00 noon, will be the owner of Diesel, Renzo Rosso. At the same time, the traditional Flight of the Donkey will take place in Mestre with a descent from the Tower to the stage in Piazza Ferretto. In the afternoon, the grand finale of “The Most Beautiful Mask” competition will be held in St. Mark’s Square with prizes being awarded to the finalists and - for the first time - a Carnival Sprint Regatta among the typical Venetian fishing boats known as ‘Caorline’, from 2.30 pm in the section of the Grand Canal between Ca' Vendramin Calergi and Rialto, organised by the rowing associations Associazioni Agonistica di Voga Veneta and the Regatta Office of the City of Venice.
The Grand Finale will take place on Shrove Tuesday, February 13, with crowning of the winner of the 2018 edition of the ‘Festa delle Marie’, who will arrive in the Square at the end of the water procession departing from San Giacomo dell'Orio, and at 5.00 pm, the Flight of the Lion in St. Mark’s Square will mark the end of the celebrations. The gigantic Venetian flag will travel in the opposite direction to the other flights, that is, from the bottom to the top, about ninety meters that separate the centre of the stage from the belfry to the notes of the hymn of St. Mark.
Among the centres of entertainment dedicated to young people are the Arsenale Carnival Experience 2018 with 5 DJ sets, running from February 9 to 13, organized by Molocinque in collaboration with Vela.
To support the performances in the squares is a vast program of cultural events, curated by Stefano Karajov, in the major public and private establishments of the city - museums, libraries, theatre, archives, music halls - amounting to a total of 150 events and more than 300 artists and groups involved in theatrical performances, workshops for children, live concerts and guided tours.
In addition to all the initiatives that are held in various parts of the City of Venice - among these are the traditional parades of masked floats that take place in the estuary, on Burano Island on Thursday February 8 and Tuesday February 13, and on land, in Zelarino on Saturday February 3 and Tuesday February 28, and in Marghera on February 10. For several years now, Venice Carnival has taken on a widespread dimension bringing together an articulate program of initiatives in the various municipalities of the metropolitan area.
For a full program of events, please see the website www.carnevale.venezia.it
Info: Ufficio Stampa Carnevale di Venezia
c/o Telecom Future Centre, San Marco 4826, Venezia
Tel. 041 5238087/5237987
Fabrizio Conte:Tel. 331 / 98 90 556
Sabino Cirulli :Tel. 349 / 21 65 175
Raffaele Rosa : Tel. 338 / 4855430
Marta Moretti:Tel. 346 / 3112970
Mail:
Web:www.carnevale.venezia.it
www.twitter.com/Venice_Carnival
www.facebook.com/carnevaleveneziaofficialpage
www.instagram.com/venice_carnival_official