By Rick Riozza
While we dress up big time for Halloween, the Venitians have been doing so for over a thousand years. The Carnevale di Venezia is a public festival in the Italian city of Venice. The Venetian Carnival is an international event becoming more and more important each year thanks to the participation of thousands of people who gather in the Venetian streets and squares: Next event date February 22nd to March 4th, 2025.
Carnevale was first celebrated in Venice in 1094. For two weeks, the areas around Venice become the showcase for actors, acrobats and musicians with residents and visitors alike wearing elaborate masks and elegant costumes.
Carnevale typically involves celebrations, parades, and public street parties. People often dress up in costumes during the celebrations, and specifically, the wearing of masks in Venice where they originated. And the news just gets better:
We are very happy to join in with the folks over at Consozio Prosecco DOC in bringing attention to top quality Italian Prosecco. “The Venice Carnival and Prosecco DOC: masks, tradition, and conviviality. The harmony of masks and bubbles in a playful journey between the symbolism of Carnival and the character of Prosecco DOC.”
The Venice Carnival, with its masks and traditions, is a celebration that breaks down social barriers, a moment when anyone can become who they want to be. This spirit of inclusivity and festivity is reflected in Prosecco DOC, a wine that brings people together in moments of shared joy and embodies a culture that celebrates luxury in its most accessible form: the luxury of lightness, conviviality, and the gesture of raising glasses to savour the moment.
Prosecco is a sparkling wine that originates from Valdobbiadene region in Veneto, Italy. The wine is made from Prosecco grapes (also called Glera) and made into wine via the charmat sparkling method. It is about two times the pressure of beer and half the pressure of Champagne. Prosecco shows balance between fruity flavors, acidity and subtle sweetness. It should be served cold (42–46 °F / 5–8 °C) and most will agree that the best glasses to serve the bubbly are in a sparkling tulip glass or a glass with a larger bulb that will better accentuate the wine’s floral character.
The Venice Carnival is a mosaic of tradition, mystery, and festivity, an event that transforms the Serenissima into a living stage where every participant becomes a protagonist. Amidst the alleys and canals, Venetian masks evoke ancient stories, personalities, and beliefs intertwined with the historical and cultural fabric of the city. Much like Prosecco DOC, it celebrates its region of origin, uniting diverse people and places in a shared experience of joy and connection.
One of the most important events is the contest for la maschera più bella (“the most beautiful mask”) takes place the last weekend of the Carnival and juried by a panel of international costume and fashion designers.
Venetian Masks: the charm of tradition: The masks, main characters of the Venetian Carnival, are also symbols, allegories of various aspects of human life that intertwine beautifully with some of Prosecco DOC’s features, a symbol of Italian dynamism and creativity.
The Bauta: One of the most iconic masks of the Venice Carnival, the Bauta symbolizes anonymity and freedom. With its rigid, angular shape, it completely covers the face, allowing the wearer to move freely and express their hidden identity. The Bauta embodies the principle of social levelling, where nobles and commoners could mingle without distinctions, much like Prosecco DOC, which offers a refined experience accessible to everyone.
The Moretta: This small oval mask, primarily worn by women, was considered an accessory of elegance and mystery. The Moretta, with its enigmatic charm, lacked ribbons or straps and was held on the face by biting a button. This mask represents silent seduction and refinement, characteristics reflected in Prosecco DOC, a wine that conquers the palate with its delicacy and complexity.
The Plague Doctor. Originally created for protection during epidemics, the Plague Doctor mask, with its long beak, has become a simultaneously unsettling and captivating symbol. It represents fear and hope, two sides of the same coin, and in the context of Carnival, it transforms into a reminder of irony and lightness in facing life’s challenges. Similarly, Prosecco DOC, with its lively and light bubbles, reminds us of the importance of celebrating life even in less favorable moments.
The Gnaga. A traditional Venetian mask associated with satire and disguise. It represents a caricatured female figure, often linked to rural and popular life, but worn by men who wanted to play with gender roles. The Gnaga carries a sense of irony and burlesque, expressing irreverent comedy. This mask can be associated with Prosecco DOC for its ability to convey lightness: sip by sip, it celebrates the jest and merriment of the moment.
In every glass of Prosecco DOC, one finds the essence of the Venice Carnival, where fun, conviviality, and the spirit of celebration color the alleys and squares. The Venetian masks remind us that life is a play of roles and improvisation, a theatre where everyone is equal and free to express their deepest essence without inhibition: in vino veritas. Prosecco DOC, with its lively and refined taste, is the perfect companion for a dance between fantasy and reality.
This spontaneous and profound connection is the inspiration behind a new cinematic project curated by image director and philosopher Anam Cara, where the mask “Prosecco DOC” will take centre stage as the leading character. This mask, inspired by Dionysus, the god of wine, is adorned with Glera leaves, clearly evoking a neoclassical style.
A toast to the Carnival, a toast to life!
