The beginning od the venetian carnival
In Venice in 1094 Doge Vitale Falier was in power. In this period the first edition of the Carnival of Venice began unconsciously, as a public celebration to honor the days preceding Lent. Everything is reported in an official document so that the tradition could be followed. But it took long time before the Venice Carnival became a proper festival, ending the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
Once the Carnival began the first Sunday of October, grew with Epiphany and ended with a grand celebration in the day preceding Lent (Shrove Tuesday); its atmosphere was different as the festival was much longer and more intense.
Nowadays the Carnival lasts about ten days, still in the pre-Easter period but the expectation and excitement for Carnival is always present throughout the year.
Carnival at that time was an opportunity to break down all social differences and get everyone on the same level, it was the time to forget life problems and frustrations enjoying this popular festival altogether.
The mask was a symbol of the game but also of equality: as people could hide behind it all their shame. Wearing masks and costumes people could completely hide their identity therefore eliminating all forms of personnel belonging to social class, gender, religion. Anyone could become what he wanted, he could have attitudes and behaviors according to his custom and to his changed appearance. For this reason, it was customary to greet the masks with a “Hello madame mask”!
The joyful participation in disguise was and still is, the Carnival essence. A period of light-heartedness and freedom from the daily routine and from the prejudices and slanders. It was all part of a masked big stage, where actors and spectators were merged into a unique and immense procession of figures and colors.
