Venice Up Close – Interview with Manu Miedl: „This Is How I Experience Carnival“

Venice, February 2, 2026

Venice is full of stories, but the most beautiful ones are those told by people who carry this city in their hearts. Today, I’m especially excited to present a real highlight on venedig.com: I met with Manu Miedl met for a personal conversation. An interview about passion, the real Venice, and positive inspiration for our favorite city.

Manuela Miedl – Venice Carnival 2026

Question: Ms. Miedl, how long have you been participating in the Venice Carnival as a masked performer?

Starting as early as 2020, and then again after the pandemic: 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Question: How long does it take to prepare/make a costume?

Since I'm taking several costumes with me to Venice, throughout the year.

Question: How much does it cost to make a Carnival costume or mask?

Image copyright: Photographer Roberto der Pr’a.
Depending on the fabric and the amount of work involved, between €400 and €1,000

Question: How many hours a day do you spend in public in Venice as a mask?

Depending on the weather or how you feel, between 5 and 10 hours.

Question: Is it tiring for the many photographers to strike the desired pose or stance each time?

Just because it's fun? Not really.
But you get to know the muscles in your body,
that you didn't even know existed.

Question: How does it feel to be admired and photographed by thousands of visitors in Venice?

Image copyright: Photographer Heike Schmidt.
It's wonderful—it boosts your self-esteem and makes you feel proud.
It's nice when a year's worth of work is so well received.

Question: Do you have any connections to other costume and mask groups?

Image copyright: Beate Fischer – 2025.
Yeah, sure. That's bound to happen.
But it's always up to you to establish and maintain contact.

Question: Would you describe your relationship with the other costumes/masks as more of a competition or a partnership?

We're happy to see each other again.
It all comes down to the people (competition).
New friendships are forming.
A costume designer is painting my masks for my new costume.

Question: Is there a private Facebook group where the masked performers coordinate their appearances? For example, on Tuesdays in Burano, on Thursdays in front of the Church of La Salute, etc.

Meeting places are mentioned in various groups.

Question: Which do you prefer: photographers who snap a photo of you as they walk by, or photographers who ask you to pose a certain way or take a photo at a specific location in Venice?

It doesn't really matter—everyone should get the photos they want. But I'm also happy to go along with the photographers' suggestions, since they're the ones seeing the result through their camera. With the limited view caused by the mask, it's hard to tell if, for example, the candle in your hand is straight.

Question: Perhaps you have any additional comments?

It would be nice to receive a few photos from the photographers to whom you gave a business card. You work on the costumes all year long, travel to Venice, and spend many hours posing for the photographers.

Then, of course, you want to see pictures, too. I think that's just the right thing to do—as a sign of respect for the masks and costumes. Unfortunately, that's not always the case. Often, you have to search for the pictures yourself on Facebook.

Thank you, Sister Manuela Miedl—thank you very much for this interview.

A heartfelt thank you to Manu Miedl for these inspiring insights! It’s moments like these that show why we love Venice so much. I hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did conducting it. See you next time on venedig.com!

Manuela Miedl

email: M-*****@*eb.de

On Facebook: Manu Miedl

This interview with Manu Miedl was just the beginning.
Starting now, I'd like to regularly share this kind of positive news and exclusive insights with you on venedig.com.
Stay tuned—the next story is already waiting just beyond the next bridge!
If you enjoyed the interview, feel free to share the link with other Venice enthusiasts.

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