Venice Carnevale a Celebration of the Senses
It’s snowing in New York. I am in my bed reading The Sunday New York Times. Sipping my Earl Grey tea, I read on the front of the Travel section: ” Venice: If you are lucky to be there for Carnival…”. I simply decide to be lucky and buy a one-way ticket to Marco Polo, the Venetian airport.
Once my travel arrangements are set, I realize the stress I got myself into. The various social networks, geo-locators and internet sites inundate me with an average of six to ten different cultural events per day, exhibitions, happenings and concerts in addition to all the private balls between January 25th to February 5th.
This year the City of Venice gives to all its hosts the opportunity to live a deep and unique experience: Sensation, the 2008’s Venice Carnival celebrations. It represents a very original way to visit Venice. Each of the 6 Sestieri, the quarters that compose the city, has been associated with a particular sense: Dorsoduro with Touch, Santa Croce with Smell, Cannaregio with Taste, Castello with Hearing, San Polo with Sight and San Marco with the 6th Sense, the Mind.
A Lebanese woman invites me via e-mail to a Cruella costume party; she insists I should organize myself and need to pack in advance as in Venice there are no costumes with this theme if I wish to get in.
Another man from Bologna (writing to me from Moscow) assures me that the party to attend, would start sailing from Treporti on a historical Venetian Galleon — that would bring us among the isles and sandbanks of the Venetian lagoon. The party on board will include music and fun, trumpets, streamers, masks, typical carnival sweets, good wine and a rich buffet. Once in Venice, we’d stop to join other friends in a party at Hotel Bauer or a for short walk in Piazza San Marco. I thank everyone for their kind suggestions.
Among other numerous events here is a list of what could be considered (I told you it’s a terrible stess — at least in Rio de Janeiro it’s about one and only Avenue called Sanbodromo, and that’s it!):
Carnival Opening Opera Luna Hotel Baglioni: In costume at the elegant ambiance of the Marco Polo Ballroom, with original frescoes by the pupils of the Tiepolo School you can savor Venetian Canapès and sip renown Bellini and Rossini cocktails while entertained by a special funny Gioacchino Rossini Opera: “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” and dance afterwards till dawn with international and acclaimed DJs.Friday January 25,
The Ball of Casanova, at the Zenobio Palace, El Ballo de la Theriaca on Saturday February 2 at the Palazzo Albrizzi in Canareggio.
Ball of Louis du Soleil: In the opulence of the 18th century Palazzo Zenobio, whose entrance will be crowded by birds of fire and harpists, you can dance along the canal, with flame throwers, musicians as entourage into the mystery of a fairy-tale-like garden and a gilded ballroom flooded bien-sur (surely) by a constant flow of Champagne. Goes without saying, you must wear a Costume d’Epoque. Friday, February 1
The Carnival Concert: With the famous young Maestro Andrea Bacchetti performing a solo piano concert on the notes of J.S. Bach, Mozart and Debussy at one of most prestigious estate Palazzo Mocenigo.
A Gondola parade in honor of the Consular Corps of Venice: Along the Grand Canal from Ca’ Farsetti (Venice City Hall by the Rialto bridge) to the Casino Ca’ Vendramin Calergi for a concert of the famous “Summertime” choir followed by a cocktail.
The Hot Chocolate in Costume : With cakes and sweets , in the elegant Gran Cafe Lavena in the Piazza, a Venetian Carnival time tradition since 18th Century on Sunday February 3.
Dorsoduro – Touch- ‘Carnival in the dark’: A special edition of Dialogue in the dark, dedicated to the sensory perception of touch and carnival elements. A feast, a Carnival itinerary completely in the dark, in collaboration with the Italian Institute of the Blind, based on an exhibition that is acquiring a record of visitors all over the world, where groups of people guided by blind persons follow a sensorial itinerary completely in the dark. January 25 to February 5
Santa Croce – Sense of smell : Project Bagliori curated by Pietro Chiarenza. The national debut of the show ‘Meetings’, revised in the stimulation of the sense of smell: the protagonists will be incenses and their perfumes in a show of 50 minutes made of dancing, fires and circus elements.
From 31st January to 5th February 2008 in Campo San Giacomo all’Orio.
Cannaregio –Taste: In collaboration with the restaurant owners of this area, a Carnival itinerary made of food, wine and various performances on gastronomic themes.
Fondamenta Cannaregio – Ponte delle Guglie, Campo SS. Apostoli.
Castello – Hearing : Project ‘Venice Gate of the East’. The rhythms of the East arrive at the Pavilion Italia of the Biennale, with a high quality programme concerning more than 150 among musicians, deejays, actors, for more than 46 hours of performances. A mix of live music, popular rhythms, video installations, deejay sessions, ethnic music, ethno-electronic, ethno-rock and ambient. at the Pavilion Italia, Gardens of Biennale.
San Polo – Sight: The chandelier of Jacopo Foggini and musical sessions. One of the biggest chandeliers in the world accompanies the musical sessions in the evenings of Campo Bella Vienna, in an alternation of deejay sets and live music.
St.Mark – Sixth sense –Mind: A stage created for the concept of such Sensation Carnival: a great sphere in pop style which will hold artists, shows, concerts, small and great events of Carnival 2008 in Venice.
During the flight I am sitting next to a professor of photography from the University of New Orleans, I take advantage to exchange some ideas about the appropriate use of the zoom lens versus the wide angle when confronted with carnival masks in the Piazza on rainy conditions. I also try to make a time table in my small agenda to be able to participate in most of the events during my stay. It took almost all of the flight to do this.
Every single day, from January 25 until February 5th, this wave of emotions has the intention to lead everyone in Venice into a revolution of perceptions and feelings, and to enjoy the Carnival in every single sense.
I need to sleep and recuperate my own senses before I arrive to destination, and the trip hasn’t started yet!
Petter Hegre's
