Carnevale di Bergamo

The Carnival of Bergamo began as an ancient tradition of burning a wooden lady representing the defining problem of the previous year. The two week long festival celebrates recreation as well as death and rebirth of nature with the cycle of seasons. Falling in the middle of Lent and ending on Fat Tuesday, it takes place in many Italian cities, each with their own local flair.  Festivities include theatrical productions, music, parades, food and toy markets, symbolic costumes and masks, Halloween-ish dress-up for children, and a sea of confetti.

costumes symbolizing rebirth of nature

shops selling baked goods, candy, toys, and costumes

The iconic masked characters come from the traditional “zanni” or set of archetypal characters of the Commedia dell’Arte – a form of theatre born in 16^th century Italy. Instead of focusing on the written work of academics and philosophers, as in Commedia Erudita, Commedia dell’Arte is performed by professional actors portraying certain stock characters. These stock characters became iconic “masks,” beginning as satires of Italian stereotypes and developing into the archetypes of Italian theatre. Each mask is specific to a certain city and is emphasized there during the Carnevale; Bergamo’s mask is Arlecchino, the Harlequin, the mischievous servant of the iconic multicolored diamond costume. Venice’s mask is Pantalone, the miserly merchant.

postcards of the various "mascchere"