23rd February 2009

The second Carnival Sensation is, with no doubts, a record Carnival: 200.000 guests at the main weekend of the celebrations. And totally with 800.000 arrivals since the beginning of the kermesse Marco Balich can heave a deserved sigh of relief: he had even staked his job on the success of the Venetian festival. The great soirée of celebrations was the one of Saturday. Many young people gathered together at the Pescheria in order to drink and dance till late at night: just at 7.00 in the morning the crowd dispersed. For the lovers of glamour the society appointments weren’t missing. In fact, two Parties took place till late at night: the Dance of Cavalchina, organized on Saturday night by La Fenice Theatre and the Dance of the Doge at Palazzo Pisani Moretta.
For the party at the Theatre which, for that occasion, after eliminating the seats in the front stalls, became a huge Dance Hall, there was a return to the first edition, with the surprising entrance of a white horse, among

In the end, notwithstanding a hard choice by the panel of judges, given the incredible quantity of wonderful masks, more then 70, the judges, directed by the Oscar award Gabriella Pescucci, have decided to give the Prize for the best mask to a group of eight Germans disguised on the theme ‘China in Marco Polo’s days’.
Among fancy dresses representing hot-air balloons, paintings by De Chirico, packs of cards, Inca, traditional Russian dresses, a mask related to La Fenice Theatre and the unfailing Cinderella, in the end the extraordinary fancy dresses and hairstyles with Chinese temples and red lanterns have won.
Two special mentions have been awarded also to a woman disguised as a painting by De Chirico as well

The flight of the Angel
One of the best-loved Carnival events, with a new, surprising star-guest: Margherita Missoni. This event will be accompanied, according to tradition, by the Doge and Dogaressa’s historical parade.
Sunday 15th February h. 12.00 a.m. St. Mark’s Square

The Festa delle Marie
Like in the 2008 edition, the not-to-be-missed Festa delle Marie will be held on Sunday, on the day dedicated to traditional Carnival celebrations. As usual the parade will leave from San Pietro di Castello until it reaches St.Mark’s Square. The prize for the winning Maria will be given on Tuesday 24th February.
Sunday 15th February, h. 3.00 p.m., arrival at St. Mark’s Square.

DRAG QUEEN BEAUTY PAGEANT
The real Carnival spirit and all the fun and irony of fancy dress is once again among the main attractions of Sensation 2009 by means of the Beauty Pageant  for Drag Queens that passes over the Italian borders becoming a European-reaching celebration.
Friday 20th February h.9.00 p.m. St.Mark’s Square

14th – 24th February 2009
Campo St. Stefano

Also this year on the occasion of Carnival Sensation 2009, in Campo St. Stefano there will be the ‘Market of masks and Venetian fancy dresses’ , which has now achieved its 25th edition. The masks on display will be all handmade without the aid of machines. Anybody will have the opportunity to buy a beautiful handmade mask, in order to wear it at once for Carnival or at some parties in some Palaces or to take it home and use it as ornaments to be admired by their own friends. The ancient craft of the Venetian mask makers was rediscovered at the end of the Seventies by some people fond of such form of art, who have resumed and proposed again the ancient techniques for producing papier-mâché masks.

As far the origin of masks is concerned you have to know that Venetian

14-24 february, 2009

Beside the most well-known events Carnival Sensation 2009 is waiting for you also with lots of artists scattered all over the town and on the islands too.

NASODORARMONICO.
In the Smell District, during the whole Carnival period, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the performance of a strange nose dancing and making fun of everybody while going around the district. It is a homage to Futurism, in the centenary of the birth of such Movement and it is offered by the Futurist humorist Maurizio Linetti with his Nasodorarmonico – pantomime. The Nose, instead of smelling let people smell lots of greedy and charming fragrances offered by OIKOS.

SAURUS, FANFARE LE SNOB, SENSATION TANGO, HELIOSPHERE
In St.Mark’s Square beside the Saurus, namely huge dinosaurs that will walk among the masks to entertain adults and children, there will be, starting from the opening, the show offered by the French group Fanfare le Snob which reminds us of the famous rotating dervisci.
On the 16th, 17th and 18th February: Sensation Tango. The most renowned and sensual dance in the

15th- 22nd February 2009
St. Mark’s Square

Also at Carnival Sensation 2009 the Consortium for Historical Commemorations will be present: it has been devoting itself to preserve the historical memories and tradition of one of the most important events in Venice. As far as edition 2009 is concerned, the Consortium has fully accepted the invitation by the artistic director Marco Balich, to emphasize more the historical/traditional component of the general programme, trying to supply the public with a sort of backwards in time journey.
The date is for the two Sundays of Carnival, on 15th and 22nd February, during which the Serenissima Republic and its entertainment will be recalled in a sumptuous and spectacular atmosphere.

Jesters, minstrels, acrobats, art players, artists on stilts and musicians will be the main protagonists, beside the Doge and his Court, of the parades as well as the vivacious performances proposed on the occasion of ‘The Flight of the Angel’ and the ‘Feast of the Marie’ on Sunday 15th February, during which the public will be literally wrapped in colours, sounds and evocations between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

On Sunday 22nd February the laces and brocades of the noblest tradition of the Eighteenth Century will be

14th – 24th February 2009
Corderie of The Arsenal, Castello

Regarding Sensation 2009, after the exceptional success of last year, ‘Carnival in the dark’ is back; it is realized in collaboration with the Milan Institute for the Blind. Also this year an exciting sensorial circuit will be arranged, during which visitors do not use their eyes to see, but all the other senses. Visitors, who will be accompanied by sightless guides, will explore, thus, different places based on the Carnival theme. Naturally in the most total darkness. For the year 2009 an unknown itinerary will be proposed, along which the public of every age can learn a new way of seeing based on the senses of touch,  hearing, smell and taste. The emotions enjoyed during such experience will be a lot and unforgettable.

The initiative wants also to be an invitation to a dialogue between two worlds which often have difficulty in