Carnival in Campania Between Culture and Tradition

Carnival 2024 in Campania promises to be wonderfully varied and engaging, offering a range of activities for all ages and needs.

Napoli's most emblematic mask is certainly Pulcinella, one of the city's most recognised symbols. As mentioned earlier, Pulcinella is also one of the most important characters of the Commedia dell'Arte, alongside Arlecchino (Harlequin), among the most famous in the world. His distinctive costume is white, with a loose shirt and trousers, and a dark half-mask that accentuates his hooked nose, giving the character his unmistakable grotesque look. Pulcinella embodies many, often contrasting, facets of Neapolitan culture: exuberance and vitality, a leaning towards instinct and carnal pleasure, captivating and theatrical gestures, but also irony and generosity, cunning and a melancholy disenchantment.

His origins were initially attributed to classical theatre, and the name Pulcinella, derived from the Neapolitan term "Pulleceniello" (little chick), was often linked to the Oscan term "Cicirrus" (rooster). However, the creation of the character is credited to the celebrated actor Silvio Fiorillo in the early seventeenth century, when Pulcinella made his first artistic appearances. From that moment to the present day, Pulcinella has been portrayed, studied and reinterpreted by artists, writers, costume designers and actors from all over the world, even finding his way into the interpretations of the great Eduardo de Filippo and Lello Esposito, both illustrious sons of Napoli.

Pulcinella is linked to many typically Neapolitan proverbs and sayings, such as the famous "Segreto di Pulcinella" (Pulcinella's secret), referring to a truth known to everyone but kept hidden all the same. In fact, the spirit of Pulcinella can be traced through all the great examples of Neapolitan character, from the captivating performances of Troisi to the melancholy ballads of the early songs of Pino Daniele, to name just a few examples. It is a mask in constant evolution, which for centuries has embodied and represented the moods and spirit of the Neapolitan people.

The Tartaglia mask is one of the most interesting and distinctive masks of Neapolitan Carnival. According to the historian Riccoboni, the mask was introduced in the mid-seventeenth century and made famous by the comic actor Cioppo. What makes Tartaglia so particular is his origin as a caricature of servants who preferred to rely on their own make-up rather than wearing a mask. This gives the figure of Tartaglia a touch more realism, keeping him anchored in everyday life.

At first, the character of Tartaglia had several peculiar traits: baldness, a grey hat, a clean-shaven face, light blue glasses, green trousers with yellow stripes, and yellow leather shoes. But what characterised Tartaglia above all was his stutter, which gave him his name, a byword for stammering.
It was the actor Fiorelli who, around 1750, brought Tartaglia to the height of his success, introducing a few changes. The reformed Tartaglia wore short trousers, a cap and silver braid trimmings. And, above all, he was no longer just a simple servant, but often played the role of policeman, lawyer, doctor or judge. Always ambivalent, his actions ranged from helping the innocent to swindling others. In this sense, Tartaglia is seen as a kind of Robin Hood.

The story of Scaramuccia, a character steeped in comedy and theatricality, has deep roots in Neapolitan culture. This mask, brought to success by the actor Tiberio Fiorilli in the seventeenth century, portrayed a man forever caught up in quarrels and conflicts, the so-called "scaramucce" (skirmishes). His figure draws inspiration from ancient theatrical traditions, such as Plautus's character of the Miles gloriosus, a boastful soldier who bragged about great deeds but who, in reality, was always destined for defeat. Scaramuccia, with his vainglorious, lying character, presented himself as a hero of impressive feats, yet in reality he constantly failed in his exploits. This type of theatrical character enjoyed enormous success even beyond Italy's borders, to the point of being adopted by French theatre under the name Scaramouche and masterfully performed by the celebrated Molière. Scaramuccia's original costume consisted of an all-black outfit, set off by a large hat and a sword.

However, Fiorilli made changes to the character, heightening the caricature element by introducing a cap and a guitar. This latter addition further underlined Scaramuccia's fondness for "cantar balle" (literally "singing tall tales"), that is, telling fanciful and often baseless stories. The Scaramuccia mask delighted audiences with its liveliness and grotesque spirit, becoming one of the best-loved and most recognisable characters of Neapolitan theatrical tradition.

Despite the passing of the centuries, his memory has endured, and his name is still associated with a love of theatre and the vivacity typical of Neapolitan culture.

Carnival in Campania: the most beautiful floats

• The Carnival of Palma Campania (Na)
• The Neapolitan Carnival (Na)
• The Carnival of Saviano (Na)
• The Carnival of Striano (Na)
• The Carnival of Scampia (Na)
• The Grand Carnival of Maiori (Sa)
• The Carnival of Agropoli (Sa)
• The Carnival of Montemarano (AV)
• The Carnival of Casteltevere sul Calore (AV)
• The Carnival of Capua (Ce)
• The Carnival of Caserta (Ce)