As the saying goes:

A carnevale ogni scherzo vale

During Carnevale, any joke goes
What is it?
Carnevale celebrates the end of winter and the coming Spring season. It celebrated during February
and occurs immediately before Lent. Carnevale usually involves public celebrations, parades, and
public street parties. People often dress up with costumes during the celebrations.
What does carnevale mean?
It is believed that the name "Carnevale" comes either from the Italian carne levare, meaning "to
remove meat" or carne vale, which means "farewell to meat". Eating meat during Lent is
forbidden.
What do Italians do during Carnevale?
One of the most spectacular carnivals is the Carnevale di Venezia. Events include:
Il volo della colombina a spectacular event where a mechanical bird or a real lady descends from
the bell tower (il campanile) throwing confetti
La regata a famous gondola race
Il ballo mascherato a ball where people wear masks
La sfilata delle maschere a mask parade
Children and adults dress up with traditional and modern masks (maschere), and a variety of parties
are scheduled in every Italian town, including in schools. There are many parades (sfilate) in each
Italian town, which typically are opened by a Carnevale master, and are made of sometimes very
elaborate floats (carri), bands, and of course anybody who wants to join in.
Children typically carry around a bag of colored paper confetti (coriandoli), which they throw at
people, or they blow stelle filanti: strings of paper rolled up in circles, which get undone as one
blows on them. Fare uno scherzo means to pull a joke on someone, and Carnevale is that time of
the year when you should expect to be the victim of jokes.
The most famous Carnevale celebrations.
Venice
Venice hosts the most famous Carnevale: il carnevale di Venezia, which was first recorded in the
XII century. Masks have always been a central feature of the Venetian Carnevale; traditionally
people were allowed to wear them between the festival of Santo Stefano (St. Stephen's Day,
December 26) at the start of the Carnevale season and midnight of Mardi Gras. Maskmakers
(mascherari) enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and their own guild
(corporazione).

In 1797, Venice became part of the Austrian-held Kingdom of Lombardy-Venetia when Napoleon
signed the Treaty of Campo Formio. The Austrians took control of the city on January 18, 1798 and
it fell into a decline which also effectively brought Carnevale celebrations to a halt for almost two
centuries. Carnevale was also outlawed by the fascist government in the 1930s, and it was not until
1979 that Carnevale enjoyed a revival.
Venetian masks can be made in leather or with the original papier-mch technique. The original
masks were rather simple in design and decoration and often had a symbolic and practical function.
Nowadays, most of them are made with the application of gesso and gold leaf and are all handpainted using natural feathers and gems to decorate.
Two of the classical Venetian masks are the Bauta and the Moretta.
Bauta is composed of a black cloack (tabarro), a black tricorn (tricorno), and a white mask called
larva. It tends to be the main type of mask worn during the Carnevale. It was used also on many
other occasions as a device for hiding the wearer's identity and social status. It was thus useful for a
variety of purposes, some of them illicit or criminal, others just personal, such as romantic
encounters.
The moretta is an oval mask of black velvet that was usually worn by women visiting convents. It
was invented in France and rapidly became popular in Venice as it brought out the beauty of
feminine features. The mask was finished off with a veil. It was secured in place by a small bit in
the wearer's mouth.
Viareggio
The Carnevale of Viareggio is one of the most famous in Italy: it lasts a month with night and day
celebrations, floats, parades, district celebrations, masked dances and other shows. In 2001 the new
"Citadel" (Carnevale town) was inaugurated: a polyfunctional and a great architectonical value
structure that includes new hangars for the creation of the floats, the papier-mch school and a
great arena where, during the summer, "Citadel under the stars" review is held, including shows,
concerts and cultural initiatives.
Ivrea
Another important Italian Carnevale is the Historical Carnevale of Ivrea, mostly known for its
Battle of the Oranges. It is valued as one of the most ancient Carnevales in the world: during the
year 1000 a miller's wife killed the tyrant of the city, King Arduino; from that episode began a civil
war between the oppressed people and the king's supporters, finally won by the people, and until
now every year the citizens remember their liberation with the Battle of the Oranges. Teams of
Aranceri on foot shoot oranges representing ancient arrows and stones against Aranceri on carts,
representing Arduino's allies. During the French occupation of Italy in the nineteenth century the
Carnevale of Ivrea had been modified by adding representatives of the French army who help the
miller's wife.
Milan
In Milan the Carnevale lasts four more days, ending on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday, because
of the Ambrosian rite. The tradition goes that Bishop Saint Ambrose was on a pilgrimage, and had
announced his return to the city of Milan to celebrate the Lent rituals. People of Milan awaited his
arrival and postponed the ritual of Ash Wednesday until the following Sunday. It should be said
that the real story is different. Since ancient times, Lent used to start on a Sunday. It is the roman

rite that introduced a few more days prior, in order to make the effective fasting days 40, taking into
account the fact that on Sundays nobody was expected to be fasting.
Verona
The Carnevale in Verona is celebrated with a parade of "carri allegorici" (floats) on the "Venerdi
Gnocolar", which takes place on the last Friday of Carinval, when people eat traditional potato
gnocchi.
Masks from the Commedia dellarte.
In Italy, the characters of the Commedia dellarte are still very popular, and widely used for
Carnevale disguises.
Commedia dell'Arte (Italian: "the comedy of artists") is a form of improvisational theatre that
began in Italy in the 16th century and held its popularity through the 18th century, although it is still
performed today. Performances were unscripted, held outside, and used few props. They were free
to watch, funded by donations. A troupe consisted of ten people: eight men and two women.
Outside Italy the form was also known as "Italian Comedy".
Conventional plot lines were written on themes of adultery, jealousy, old age, and love. Many of
the basic plot elements can be traced back to the Roman comedies of Plautus and Terence, some of
which were themselves translations of lost Greek comedies of the fourth century BC. Performers
made use of well-rehearsed jokes and stock physical gags, known as Lazzi and Concetti, as well as,
of course, on-the-spot improvised and interpolated episodes and routines, called burle (singular
burla, Italian for joke), usually involving a practical joke. Since the productions were improvised,
dialogue and action could easily be changed to satirize local scandals, current events, or regional
tastes, while still using old jokes and punch lines. Characters were identified by costumes, masks,
and even props, such as a type of baton known as slapstick (batocchio). The classic, traditional plot
is that the innamorati are in love and wish to be married, but one elder (vecchio) or several elders
(vecchi) are preventing this from happening, leading the lovers to ask one or more zanni (eccentric
servants) for help. Typically the story ends happily, with the marriage of the innamorati and
forgiveness for any wrongdoings.
Some of the most famous Characters:
Arlecchino- Arlecchino is a clown. Typically acrobatic and mischievous. He is a servant, and is
recognizable by the colorful diamond-shaped patches that traditionally were part of his costume.
Arlecchino is often the servant to Pantalone, or sometimes to Il Dottore. He is in love with
Colombina, but she only makes fun of him. Arlecchino also tries to trick his masters and is always
plotting and planning, but his plans never work. Arlecchino is a mask from Bergamo.
Brighella - plays either a shopkeeper or a servant. Brighella is always out for a way to profit from
any given situation, and will cheerfully lie to save himself. He is essentially Arlecchino's smarter
and much more vindictive older brother.
Brighella is a mask from Bergamo too.
Colombina - developed as the female counterpart of Arlecchino. She is also a servant. She
frequently initiates the plot of the play. She is usually portrayed as clever, crafty, and untamed. Her
costume often had the same colored patches found in Arlecchino's outfit.
Colombina is from Venice

Pantalone - a member of the vecchi. He is the archetypal "old miser." He is quite wealthy but very
greedy. He only cares about money and he will do anything to get it. His costume usually
incorporates a long beard and red pants.
Pantalone is from Venice
Pedrolino - also known as "Pierrot" or "Pedro" is the loyal servant. He is hardworking, trustworthy,
honest and devoted to his master. Charming and likable, he wears a loose white outfit with a neck
ruff. When onstage Pedrolino tends to be the butt of the physical jokes.
Pulcinella - is portrayed as pitiable, helpless, and often physically disfigured. He usually has a
hump, a distinct limp, or some other obvious physical deformity. In some portrayals he cannot
speak, and expresses himself in squeaks or other strange sounds. His personality can be foolish or
sly and shrewd.
Pulcinella is from Napoli
Scaramuccia - is a roguish character who wears a black velvet mask black trousers a shirt and a hat,
similar to the uniform that Spanish people used to wear in Naples. He is usually portrayed as a
buffoon or boastful coward.
Scaramuccia is from Napoli.
Tartaglia - short sighted with a terrible stutter, he is one of the stock old characters and appears in
many scenarios as one of the lovers. His social status varies; he is sometimes a bailiff, lawyer,
notary or chemist. Tartaglia wears a large felt hat, an enormous cloak, oversized boots, a long
sword, a giant mustache and a cardboard nose.
Tartaglia is another character from Napoli.
Balanzone one of the vecchi or old men whose function in a scenario is to be an obstacle to the
young lovers.
The Doctor is a local angry disruptive busybody who doesn't listen to anyone. Aristocrat and/or
doctor of medicine or law or anything else he claims to know about, which is most things. He is
extremely pompous, and loves the sound of his own voice, spouting ersatz Latin and Greek. His
interaction in the play is usually mostly with Pantalone, either as a friend, mentor or competitor.
Balanzone is from Bologna.
Gianduia - The mask depicts an honest peasant of Piedmontese countryland, with a certain
inclination for wine, gastronomy and beautiful girls, while strictly faithful to his lover Giacometta,
who is usually represented by a cute girl.
Gianduia is from Torino
Did you know?
Gianduia is a sweet chocolate containing about 50% hazelnut paste. It takes its name from
Gianduia, a Carnival and marionette character who represents the archetypal Piedmontese, the
Italian region where hazelnut confectionery is common.

Gianduiotti, a speciality of Turin, are chocolates shaped like an upturned boat, again made with a
mixture of cocoa and hazelnut paste.
There are many more characters in the Commedia dellArte, some of which associated with Italian
regions:
https://www.globalkidsoz.com.au/carnevale_in_italy.php