L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 8 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 L'Italo-Americano T h e c o u n t r y h a s t a k e n y e t a n o t h e r s m a l l s t e p t o w a r d s normality, with t h e c e l e b r a t i o n o f t h e Carnevale di Viareggio, after the cancellation of the 2 0 2 0 e d i t i o n b e c a u s e o f Covid-19. W h i l e t i m e s a r e s t i l l difficult across the globe, the rise in number of vaccinated p e o p l e a n d t h e o v e r a l l efficacy of the jab means we m a y s t a r t l o o k i n g a t t h e future with a smile. And is there a better way to stamp a smile on your face than an Italian-style carnivalesque parade? For Viareggio, Carnevale floats are a well-established t r a d i t i o n d a t i n g b a c k t o 1873, when a group of young well-to-do patrons of the Viareggio Casino's café had t h e i d e a t o c e l e b r a t e Carnevale with a parade on Mardi Gras. On that first edition, there weren't floats b u t , r a t h e r , d e c o r a t e d c o a c h e s a n d , w e l i k e t o imagine, many happy people in colorful dress-up. The first carri trionfali, large d e c o r a t e d f l o a t s m a d e o f w o o d a n d p a p i e r m a c h é made their appearance at the end of the 19th century, thanks to the creativity and efforts of the carpenters and blacksmiths who worked in Viareggio's dockyards. Since then, the fame of the city's corso mascherato - - t h e o f f i c i a l n a m e o f Viareggio's float parades -- has only increased, to reach i n t e r n a t i o n a l a c c l a i m , especially after the end of t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r , when people's eagerness to be carefree after years of pain marked a real artistic and popularity renaissance for the event. T h e C a r n e v a l e ' s n e v e r been accustomed to see its celebrations canceled: only the world wars cause it to stop. Before Covid, that is. This is why this edition must feel a lot, in atmosphere at least, like that first parade after the end of the second world conflict: back then, t h e c o u n t r y w a s j u s t beginning to get back onto i t s f e e t a f t e r 2 0 y e a r s o f dictatorship and 5 of war; t o d a y , w e ' r e a l s o i d e a l l y rising back from almost 24 months of limbo, that likely c h a n g e d t h e w a y w e c o n c e i v e a n d l i v e o u r existence in ways we still cannot fully appreciate. Yet, this 2021 edition still feels different from what's "normal," because it takes place 7 months later than usual, yet it gives a strong s i g n o f r e c o v e r y , o f normality, of our necessity to have some lighthearted f u n . T o m a n y , t h i s Carnevale -- which started on the 18th of September and will conclude with the last triumphal parade on the 9th of October -- is one of "renaissance," just like the one in 1946, when the event had returned after the war. I n d e e d , a s m e n t i o n e d b y I n T o s c a n a ' s G i u l i a R a f a n e l l i , t h e s o n g p u b l i s h e d t h a t y e a r t o celebrate it seems perfect for this year's edition, too: "More beautiful you rise, Viareggio, the time of joy and love is coming (...)." Simple words, but that well describe the atmosphere of j o y f u l e x c i t e m e n t w e c a n breathe in Viareggio's streets these days. T h i s e d i t i o n i s v e r y s p e c i a l b e c a u s e i t ' s dedicated to the universe of Carnevale around the world, to the many carnivalesque traditions we can encounter across the continents, with their uniqueness, history, a n d l o r e . I t ' s c a l l e d t h e Carnevale Universale and will also, of course, present floats about the pandemic. T h e o f f i c i a l p o s t e r f o r i t , c r e a t e d b y a r t i s t P i e r o F i g u r a , i s v e r y m u c h symbolic of the soul of this y e a r ' s c e l e b r a t i o n s : a n e l a b o r a t i o n o f t h e 1 9 5 9 ' s poster by painter Uberto Bonetti, the creator of the Carnevale's own mascots, B u r l a m a c c o a n d O n d i n a , d o m i n a t e d b y a j o y f u l , smiling Earth. Needless to say, the real protagonists of the event are always the floats: this year, they are dedicated to many important figures of world c u l t u r e , a r t , a n d h i s t o r y , from Martin Luther King to Chico Mendes, all the way to Nelson Mandela and Rita Levi Montalcini, but also Anne Frank, Luis Sepulveda, E z i o B o s s o , a n d C h a r l i e Chaplin. The idea is to bring together figures that belong to the world, not to a single nation or culture, and that contributed with their work, commitment, ethic, and life t o e n r i c h H u m a n k i n d universally. B u t i t w o u l d n ' t b e V i a r e g g i o w i t h o u t s o m e political satire, so: enters the Europafest float, created by Marzia Etna and Matteo Lamanuzzi, where European l e a d e r s e n g a g e i n a n Oktoberfest-inspired party t o c e l e b r a t e p o s t - C o v i d recovery. Social awareness also takes center stage, with f l o a t s a b o u t L G B T Q families, mental health, and the environment. The way V i a r e g g i o f l o a t s t a c k l e difficult social and political s u b j e c t s , a l l e g o r i c a l l y stressing their relevance and g o o d - h e a r t e d l y m o c k i n g i m p o r t a n t i n t e r n a t i o n a l p l a y e r s i n t h e w o r l d o f c u l t u r e a n d p o l i t i c s i s renowned: in fact, one could say that having a Viareggio float dedicated to you is the ultimate VIP certificate! T h e C a r n e v a l e d i V i a r e g g i o 2 0 2 1 o f f i c i a l l y opened with the first corso mascherato on the 18th of S e p t e m b e r . T h e s e c o n d c o r s o , o n t h e 2 6 t h o f September, was canceled halfway because of the bad w e a t h e r , b u t b o t h appointments for the month of October, the Carnevale weekend on the 2nd and the 3rd, as well as the grand finale on Sunday the 9th, have been confirmed. A detail of a traditional papier maché float at the Carnevale di Viareggio (Photo: Marco Guidi/Dreamstime) Another step towards normality: the Carnevale di Viareggio is back! FRANCESCA BEZZONE HERITAGE HISTORY IDENTITY TRADITIONS

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