Carnival is the very old festival that precedes Lent and is traditionally a time for partying and making whoopee. Viareggio’s carnival dates back to 1873 when some young men, all frequenters of the same casino, decided to organise a procession of carriages on Shrove Tuesday evening, with the passengers in fancy dress. It was such a success that it was repente the following year, and, in a sense, every year thereafter (except for the periods of two World wars) growing ever more ambitious and elaborate.
By the end of the 19th century, carriages had been moine by carts drawn by horses oxen, with tableaux made of jute, wood, iron and plaster of Paris, very heavy and therefore very small by today’s standards. These had subjects such as The Little Zulus, The Triumph of the match in honour of the newly invented Cerini maches with wax sticks, and The Goddess of Flowers in praise of unspoilt nature, with prizes awarded for originality, design and ingenuity.
It wasn’t long before Viareggio’s local government began to appreciate the financial advantage of these parades wich attracted people from the surrounding villages as well as foreign tourists, all with money to spend. Public funding of the event began in 1910.
Two principal factors changed the rather earnest character of the event into the wonderfully exhilarating funfest that it is now.
The first was the use of paier-machè, introduced in 1925. This meant that enormous, hollow, lightweight figures could be made and animated by people with ropes and pulleys. The workshops where the’re made are in the purpose-built Cittadella del Carnevale, a multi purpose building opened in 2001 wich now also has a Carnival Museum.
The second was the increasing emphasis on satire and grotesquerie. No public figure, beh e President of the United States or the Pope, is exempt, Indeed, these two are amongst the main targets-what will the designers do with Barack Obama next year, I wonder? This year’s image is almost benign.
In a perverse way, however, being the the object of this savagery i san honour ( or at least a distinction of some kind) and politicians and other kent faces come to the opening Carnival to see how the paier-machè wizards have dealt with them. Before the event begins, the designers’ sketches are published with explanations of their message. The title of the one at the top of the page is “The cow licks and licks.. she ate the calf!!!”
This is the description. “The construction is a biking satire on the economic and political situation in Italy. At the centre of the float i san enormous cow representing our Republic.
She lies sprawled on a huge, wobbly, gilded armchair. She has her tongue hanging out and is guarded by two cavalry officers wearing breastplates. She would love to lick her calf which here represents the italian people, but only a dangling skeleton remains.
There’s nothing left to lick. Today, the builder is warning us, we must pay for everything and life for the people of Italy is down to the bone”.
Carnival doesn’t consist only of the major floats, however. There are smaller floats and lots of lorries carrying associations, school groups and people all dressed up, having fun and/or making a point. Many of the people who come to watch are wearing fancy dress and wigs and carrying spray cans of goo. It’s all so good-natured. There’s also a lot of very loud music.
The setting for the parade is the seaside “passeggiata” where the floats trundle back and forth at walking speed all afternoon till it grows dark. All that commotion and noise under the wide wintry sky, with the sea, the umbrella-less beach, the sagge mountainous backdrop… Magic
Category: Events in Tuscany
Tuscany, Art for Cystic Fibrosis
This is an opportunity for artists of all ages to show their work in the splendid setting of Cerruglio Castle, Montecarlo thus supportino the cause of Cystic Fibrosis. An estimated 60 artists will be on display.
The exhibit will take place September 19 to 27 2009, in the context of a week of culture involving both the castle and Teatro dei Rassicurati.
The application deadline is May 3rd and the rules for partecipation (in english) can be consulted: www.bidiboard.it/en/index.php
At no cost those selected (except application fee of 70 euros), their works will be placed on display in the castle, on the internet site and in catalogue that will be available to the public. (Those not selected will nonetheless have their work displayed in the association website).
Earnings from any works sold will go directly to the artists. Many artists from troughout Italy have already asked to partecipate in this event, sponsored by the town of Montecarlo, il Giardino di Bidi cultural association, the Italian Cystic Fibrosis League and O.F.FI.CIU.M.- association of parents of children with Cystic Fibrosis
Lucca Jazz Donna 2009, 21-28 February
Coincidentally enough at the press conference for this the 5th edition of Lucca Donna Jazz, held in the Headquarters of the patrons Fondazione Banca del Monte, the conversation spontaneously turned to this era of Lucca Jazz.
The board members reminisced their teenage pilgrimages to San Giorgio in the hope of a few notes from Chet’s last partner Ruth Young sang at the 2006 edition of the festival.
So don’t miss this week of top class concerts taking place in the San Girolamo Theatre starting February 21st and presented by famous TV music personalità and DJ Claudio Sottili. Thi is the 2009 Lucca Jazz Donna Festival organized by the Circolo Lucca Jazz, dedicated this year to Billie Holiday on the 50th anniversary of her death.
As a side event the 1984 Emmy and Bafta award winning film Billie Holiday – The Long Night of Lady Day by Jhon Jeremy will be shown at the Cinema Centrale on Thursday 19th February.
The festival aims to bring female jazz musicians to the forefront, whether they sing, play, compose or arrange jazz music. Two mid-week evenings are dedicated to the 2009 Award for young talent and feature, six female groups from Rome, Palermo, Puglia, Milan and Lucca.
The weekend events in Lucca feature Michele Hendricks, daughter of Jon of legendary trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross, Eileina Dennis from the US with her gospel background and hit recording with Randy Crawford and Zucchero, Tiziana Ghiglioni known as La Signora del Jazz Italiano and the captivating voice of Ada Montellanico with her guest Max Ionata.
A special tribute to Billie Holiday entitled Our Way to Lady Day will take place at Teatro Alfieri in Castelnuovo Garfagnana on March 27th with the Ricciardi/Premazzi Quartet.
previous edition have hosted dramme Kim Thompson, just on the cusp of fame, saxophonist Lisa Pollard and violinist Regina Carter, to name a few.
The festival is a showcase for Lucca to be proud of, adding sparkle and International glamour to the town during the drab low season of february. Spread the word!
Last year these shows were a sell-out so we recommend you buy tickets in advance from Telerecord, Via Santa Croce 11/13. On sale from 10th february. More info regarding the programme and tickets at www.luccajazzdonna.it; segreteria-eventi@comunelucca.it
Tel. +39 0583.442444, or centro.po@provincialucca.it Tel. +39 0583 433435
Listening also in What’s On Central pages.
Tuscany, Puccini Happy Birthday
The year -long celebration of the 150th anniversary of Puccins birth is now drawing to a close.
His actual birthday on 22 december will be celebrate musically with a concert in the Teatro del Giglio with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and solo artists.
This has been a remarkable year in Lucca for Puccini fans, old and new,with the opportunity to see and hear almost his entire works, including rarely performed operas such as Le Villi and Edgar.
However , the Buon Compleanno concert is no so much Saynara as See You Soon since this gala event will be fallowed on the first of January by chamber concert with a hour and a half of some of his most celebrate arias as well as music by one of his contemporaries, Emilie Tavan, who composed for silent films. In the afternoon what could be nicer after a Hogmanay party.
The 2008 Puccini Project was orchestrated by a number of bodies not only to give an overview of his work but to help consolidate and develop the commercial and tourism potential of the maestro for the benefit of the Provincie of Lucca, as a stepping stone to increasing business for hotels and other tourism-related commerce.
This year hotels and restaurants were given opportunity to buy tickets at 10E so they could offer guests and customers a special package with significant cultural highlight. The aim , also, is to stimulate tourism during the off -season-the New years Day concert is an example of this and intended to be annual event.
Tuscany, Manon Lescaut
Puccini wrote Manon Lescaut between 1889 and 1892.
Neither of his previous operas ( Le Villi which has some charming music but includes spoken narration and rather a lot of hectic dancing, and Edgar with its huge canvas, huge chorus and undeveloped principal characters ) had had any real success.
Manon Lescaut, on the other hand, was a triumph. Its first performance ended with thirty curtain calls, hard-boiled critics confessed they’d wept and at the celebratory supper afterwards, Puccini was so overcome that he forgot all about the notes he’d written on his shirt cuff for his speech and could only stammer a few words.
What had happened? Two things, basically. The first is that for the first time it was he who decided on the subject of the opera.
His publisher, Giulio Ricordi, had already commissioned a libretto for a Russian subject but Puccini put his foot down. It wasn’t suitable for him. He’d been reading the 18th century French novel The Story of the CHevalier Des Grieux and Manon Lescaut and decided that here was his next opera. There was a snag. Massenet had written his opera Manon just a few years earlier, but Puccini brushed this aside. ” Manon is a heroine I really believe in, ” he wrote to Ricordi.
” She’s a woman who cannot fail to win the hearts of the public. I don’t see why there can’t be two operas about her. A woman like Manon can have more than one lover. ”
The second thing was the libretto. Puccini had accepted his first two libretti without demur but from now on he was much more demanding, engagingly so at times. His first idea, in fact, was to write it himself. Then two librettists were found and sacked.
In the end, at least five people contributed to it and since there were so many of them, they decided to put no names on it.
And with the right libretto, the composer was on song.
But to our tale. In act I, the beautiful ingenue Manon arrives in Amiens where she is to enter a nunnery. She’s accompanied by her double-dealing brother, Lescaut. Two men are smitten by her – the rich old lech Geronte who is planning to abduct her and the student Des Grieux who has fallen in love with her. She leaves for Paris with Des Grieux.
Act II, however, finds her in Geronte’s house, having her hair done for a party and regretting choosing money over love.
Guests arrive and a madrigal is sung. Manon tells her brother she’s bored and he goes to look for Des Grieux.
There follows a dancing lesson and then the guests leave with Geronte.
Des Grieux arrives and Manon persuades him that she still loves him.
As they prepare to leave, Geronte returns briefly and departs with a menacing, ” A presto! ” Manon delays while she gathers jewels together. Geronte has reported her to the police and when she’s arrested, he laughs.
Offstage and during an intermezzo, Manon is convicted of being an immoral woman and a thief, imprisoned and taken to Le Havre from where she is to be deported to America.
Act III is set in the docks in Le Havre at night. Lescaut tells Des Grieux he has bribed a soldier to help Manon escape and he and Des Grieux go looking for her.
The lovers have a brief, anguished conversation through a window.
Officers are heard approaching. Lescaut appears and warns Des Grieux that the game is up.
Townspeople begin to crowd and stage. The sergeant calls out the names of the women to be deported, Manon amongst them, and they go on board while the chorus comments. Des Grieux begs the ship’s captain to take him too.
Act IV finds Des Grieux and Manon in a desolate place ( Louisiana according to the libretto ). Both are spent but Manon is dying. While he looks for water for her, she sings of her regrets.
When he returns, she tells him how much she loves him and dies.
He slumps over her body.