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February 25th, 2024 – Eleonora Corradi
The Carnival of Venice is one of the oldest and most prestigious in the world, with written records dating as far back as 1094, and has helped make the lagoon city world famous. During the Carnival festivities, Venice is transformed into a stage of beauty and creativity, with endless care devoted to the creation of masks by skilled artisans.
Among the oldest and most evocative traditions is the Volo dell’Angelo (Flight of the Angel) in St. Mark’s Square, reminiscent of the feat of a Turkish acrobat who was able to reach the St. Mark’s bell tower by walking on a very long rope from a boat anchored on the Piazza’s pier.
Carnival of Viareggio:
For more than a century, the city of Viareggio has celebrated Carnival with a majestic parade of floats, which are the largest of their kind in the world. These imposing and spectacular papier-mâché constructions, often with satirical, political and social themes, are expertly crafted at the La Cittadella art center where there is a real Carnival museum.
Carnival of Putignano:
In the picturesque setting of Puglia, the floats of the Putignano Carnival are created by local artisans, are inspired by the worlds of politics, entertainment and society, and travel the streets of the city in four spectacular parades. Among the most evocative traditions of this Carnival is the Campana dei Maccheroni: according to tradition, macaroni with sauce and sausage are eaten to the rhythm of the tolling of the church bell that marks the closing of Shrove Tuesday and the opening of Ash Wednesday.
DID YOU KNOW?
Confetti are small scraps of colored paper that are thrown in the air or on people during Carnival or other festivities.
The custom of throwing confetti dates back to the Renaissance: at that time, however, they did not use paper confetti, but real coriander seeds (a precious spice from the East), coated in sugar, as a sign of good luck.
The switch to paper confetti occurred in the late 1800s, for “economic” reasons: in 1875 engineer Enrico Mangilli had the idea to recycle as confetti the waste scraps of papers used in silkworm breeding. At the same time, engineer Ettore Fenderi had no money to buy “real” confetti, so he decided to cut out paper triangles and throw them from his house in downtown Trieste to celebrate Carnival.
ESPRESSIONI IDIOMATICHE
Indossare una maschera: nascondere i propri pensieri e intenzioni, essere imperscrutabili. To hide one’s thoughts and intentions, to be inscrutable.
Giorgio sembrava un bravo ragazzo, invece indossava solo una maschera: in realtà è una persona crudele e cattiva.
Giorgio seemed like a good guy, but instead he was only wearing a mask: he is actually a cruel and evil person.
Gettare la maschera: rivelarsi per quello che si è veramente, smettere di fingere. To reveal oneself for who one really is, to stop pretending.
Lucia pareva gentile con i suoi colleghi al lavoro, ma quando ha avuto la promozione ha gettato la maschera e si è mostrata come è veramente, esigente e severa.
Lucia seemed kind to her colleagues at work, but when she got the promotion she threw off her mask and showed herself as she really is, demanding and strict.
Sembrare una maschera: avere il volto eccessivamente truccato o essere vestiti in modo troppo vistoso. To have an excessively made-up face or to be overdressed.
Laura, ti sei messa troppo ombretto e troppo rossetto, sembri una maschera !
Laura, you put on too much eye shadow and too much lipstick, you look like a mask!
Ti conosco mascherina!: esclamazione che si usa scherzosamente per comunicare a qualcuno di aver capito le sue vere intenzioni, nonostante le simulazioni adottate. Exclamation jokingly used to communicate to someone that you have understood their true intentions, despite the simulations adopted.
-Gianna, cosa stai mangiando?
-Niente! Sai che sono a dieta…
-Ti conosco, mascherina! So che non riesci a resistere al cioccolato e vedo bene che ne manca un po’ dalla dispensa!
-Gianna, what are you eating?
-Nothing! You know I’m on a diet…
-I know you too well, you can’t fool me! I know you can’t resist chocolate, and I can well see that some is missing from the pantry!
Fare la maschera/lavorare come maschera: occuparsi dell’accoglienza del pubblico a teatro. To take care of audience reception at the theater.
Luigi studia ingegneria, ma per guadagnare qualche soldo fa la maschera al teatro Verdi la domenica.
Luigi is studying engineering, but to earn some money he is an usher at the Verdi Theater on Sundays.
