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Art of Loving Italy

Art of Loving Italy

Art & Beauty are all around us.

Carnival delights in Venice: The Doge’s Ball – Sophia’s dream comes true!

February 23, 2017 by Melissa Muldoon Leave a Comment

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

The magic of Carnival has arrived! This year (2017) the holiday lasts from Saturday, February 11 until Saturday, February 25. It is the period that precedes Lent and concludes with Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

At this time of year, all of Italy comes alive with costumes, masks, parades and allegorical floats, and all manner of delightful parties. It is a time when “La Serenissima,” another name for Venice, surpasses her natural beauty and indeed becomes a garden of earthly delights.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

Carnival is one of Sophia’s favorite times of the year. She loves to dress in costume and don a fabulous mask. Carnival in Venezia, in fact, is one of the culminating scenes of “Dreaming Sophia.” It provides the perfect backdrop for Sophia to step out of her dream world and into the arms of a handsome stranger.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

What would Sophia see if she participated in this year’s carnival events? Well, if she had been in Venice last weekend when the holiday commenced, she would have witnessed the procession of the 12 Marias. She would have also watched the spectacular flight of the Angel as one of Maria’s floated down into San Marco Square from the top of the bell tower.


carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Carnevale di Venezia

During the evening hours, she would have viewed the magical evening light show – La Vanitas degli Abissi. She would have been thrilled to see the canals of Venice illuminated by fairy dancers and sea creatures.


carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Carnevale di Venezia

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Carnevale di Venezia

All this week in Venice, as Sophia wanders through the calli — the narrow streets of Venice, she will see a wide variety of creative costumes and colorful masks. She will wonder about the identities of all the mysterious strangers disguised behind the playful bird and fearsome Bauta masks!

She will also ponder the idea that perhaps a mask might very well conceal a person’s identity, but allow for his true nature to emerge! In the words of Oscar Wilde: Every man lies, but if you give him a mask he will be sincere

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks

In the novel “Dreaming Sophia” our protagonist’s greatest desire is to attend a fancy carnival ball. She knows that the most elegant affair, one that inspires and causes one to fantasize and dream is  Il Ballo del Doge.

This year the Ballo del Doge occurs on Saturday, February 25th, at the 15th-century Venetian palace that flanks the Grand Canal — the Palazzo Pisani Moretta. The ball’s name is derived from the title of the elected head of state — Doge or “Duke” in English. Every year the ball is attended by four-hundred guests dressed in period costume. Masks, of course, are obligatory.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

Il Ballo del Doge has been described by Vanity Fair as “one of the most exclusive parties in the world. Guests have included members of European, Middle Eastern and Asian royal families, celebrities, and leaders in international business and finance. It is an exclusive affair and tickets are quite expensive.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

The Ballo itself is the brainchild of Antonia Sautter. Each year she creates an elegant experience that allows guests to explore their five senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. As soon as each guest crosses the threshold of the palace, he enters an incredible dream world that is sure to delight and amaze. Antonia not only designs unique and lovely venues but also skillfully creates sumptuous costumes and beautiful masks, designed to conceal the most famous of faces. To entertain her guests, she provides performances by daring acrobats, theatrical artists, and accomplished musicians.

carnival-venice-ballo-doge-events-dances-parades-venetian-masks
Photo Credit: Ballo del Doge Antonia Sautter

Oh to be in Venice now and take part in the splendor of all these events! Like Sophia, I too would love to dress in period costume and don an elegant mask. What fun in would be to dance in the arms of a mysterious stranger. After all, as the saying goes: At carnival time, every trick is acceptable.

If you were to attend a Carnival Ball, which costume or mask would you choose to wear?

Il Ballo del Doge 2016 – The Secret Gardens of Dreams – Official Movie from Venetia Srl.

If you liked this post you might also like this one: Italian Legend: Giorni della merla – Blackbird days 

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Filed Under: Italian Festivals, Culture, Melissa Book News Tagged With: Ballo del doge, Bauta mask, Carnevale, Carnival, Dreaming Sophia, venetian celebration, Venetian mask, Venezia, Venice

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The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new n The Matta Book Club returns this fall with a new novel!! 

More details and the big reveal of the title and the author and details how to sign up for the book club will come next week in a post on the StudentessaMatta.com website... so stay tuned. 

Currently, I'm still in Italy wrapping up a very successful language program in Arezzo! We had a wonderful time!

Now I'm at the beach and currently finishing up the next book club read! LOL

What I can tell you about the novel is that it is a contemporary adventure/murder mystery set in Italy, that takes you from Monte Carlo to London and to France where two thieves board the Orient Express to Venice as they track down Casanova's diary. 

Next week you will have the chance to sign up for group book club meetings of up to 3 or 4 readers, or individual sessions. The novel is available in print and audio and it is my recommendation, with plenty of lead time to read the novel during the summer months prior to the October start date, so that we can really dive into the story, and plot, and work on grammar and idioms.

Stay tuned! State sintonizzati! A presto!
This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Ca This guy has all his ducks in a row! Al mare in Castiglione della Pescaia
Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! Buongiorno principessa! Siamo pronti per il mare! 😃

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