Music fills the air all over Italy during this summer, music that can be enjoyed in the open air, on mountain tops, in iconic arenas and medieval town centres, balmy nights and vibrant entertainment for all tastes. Here is a selection of the main music and opera events.
RAVELLO CONCERTS, in Ravello, Amalfi Coast
Villa Rufolo, Ravello 1 Apr – 1 Nov 2019
Spanning from Spring to Autumn, far from the tourist crowds, Ravello becomes the favourite destination for those who love the silence of its Villas and its medieval churches. In that time, an audience of music lovers meet every year to listen to the concerts held in the gardens and the rooms of Villa Rufolo, famous for having inspired Wagner for the setting of his Parsifal.
RAVENNA FESTIVAL
Ravenna, 5 June – 16 July 2019
The city of Ravenna, once the capital of the Western Roman Empire, hosts a summer music festival each year in its many theatres and churches. The Byzantine basilicas, cloisters and piazzas provide a superb backdrop combining art and music. The Ravenna Festival attracts the finest artists and opera companies in the world and this edition will include apart from opera and classical music also dance, jazz, films and exhibitions.
ANDREA BOCELLI RECITAL – TEATRO DEL SILENZIO
Lajatico in Tuscany, 27 July 2019
Andrea Bocelli will sing at this annual appointment for lovers of good music and opera at the magic open air Teatro del Silenzio (Theatre of Silence) in Lajatico, Tuscany.
MAGGIO MUSICALE FIORENTINO FESTIVAL Summer season
Teatro Comunale of Florence, 2 May – 26 June 2019
This is one of the oldest traditional cultural events in Florence. The Stabile Orchestrale Fiorentina was born in 1928 and in 1933 it organized the first edition of the Festival, which, over the years grew to international fame. The Festival has its own Ballet Company called Maggio Dance.
CARACALLA – ROME OPERA SUMMER FESTIVAL
Caracalla’s Thermal Baths in Rome, 11 June – 8 Aug 2019
The open air setting of the majestic Caracalla’s Thermal Baths offer a unique backdrop to one of the best loved summer opera festivals in Italy. This year’s programme includes: Verdi’s La Traviata and Aida, Profok’ev’s Romeo and Juliet, a gala by Placido Domingo a ballet gala by acclaimed dancer Roberto Bolle.
COMO FESTIVAL – CITY OF MUSIC
Como, Lake Como, 11 – 14 July 2019
Since 2008, Festival Como Città della Musica takes place on Lake Como, the water being the symbol of a vital culture that flows, connects and grows. It involves the whole town: from the Arena of Teatro Sociale of Como to the wonderful neoclassical Villas by the lake, passing by cloisters and courts, medieval towers (such as the famous Torre del Baradello) and hidden Gardens – like the beautiful park of Villa del Grumello from sunrise to night-time. All art genres, from dance to musicals, opera to jazz concert are represented.
ARENA DI VERONA
Verona, 21 June – 7 September 2019
The International Opera Festival presents a rich calendar of events. The operas to be performed this year are: Il Trovatore, Aida, Carmen, La Traviata, Tosca, Carmina Burana and a Gala with acclaimed ballet star Roberto Bolle and one with Placido Domingo. Arena di Verona welcomes once again artists and public in its magnificent setting.
FESTIVAL DEI DUE MONDI
Spoleto, 28 June- 14 July 2019
This international art, culture and music festival is regarded as one of the most important cultural events in Italy. Its program distinguishes itself for outstanding original, innovative and, at times, exclusive performances.
SUED-TIROL JAZZ FESTIVAL ALTO ADIGE
South-Tyrol, 28 June – 7 July 2019
One of the most important music festivals Europe-wide is taking place over eight days with the finest jazz music performed by internationally acclaimed musicians in various venues in four of South Tyrol major towns. The most varied concerts comprising a mixture of the traditional and the modern will take place in the refined atmosphere of South Tyrol’s castles and manor houses, and also in towns and squares in the balmy summer air.
SOUNDS OF THE DOLOMITES
Trentino Region, from 30 June to 31 August 2019
Sounds of the Dolomites is a trek along the paths of nature and art towards a horizon that opens to the vibrations and echoes of all the music in the world.
Everyone sets off together, music and mountain lovers, musicians and the public. The walk continues step by step towards the summit. The concert, at the end of the walk, is an encounter with art and nature. The musician carries his instrument on his shoulder, sits on the grass or rock and plays in the centre of the public, in a natural environment.
MUSICA RIVA FESTIVAL
Riva del Garda, 21 Jul – 5 Aug 2019
This is a music festival of the highest level entertaining the audience with performances and events and which represent a fundamental meeting point for young musicians from around the world. The event puts in the spotlight artists of diverse origins from classical music to dance and includes a competition dedicated to the musician Riccardo Zandonai.
UMBRIA JAZZ
Perugia, 18 Apr – 22 apr 2019
From the moment of its birth in 1973, Umbria Jazz was clearly different from the other Italian jazz festivals. While jazz was usually to be heard in small clubs and occasionally in theatres and concert halls, Umbria Jazz took the music into the historic town squares of Umbria to audiences of up to twenty thousand young people, and every concert was free. The music of the New World was performed in the setting of Umbria’s medieval towns and spectacular scenery, and it was this unusual combination which gave the Festival its special appeal.
STRESA FESTIVAL
Stresa, 13 July- 8 September 2019
Stresa Festival opens its doors to the public continuing its tradition of excellent music, art and culure, held in a number of venues around Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta on various dates.
CLAZZ, INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF CLASSICAL MUSIC AND JAZZ
Arcidosso, Mount Amiata in Tuscany, 19 July – 5 August 2019
The beautiful medieval village of Arcidosso on Mount Amiata in Tuscany hosts this unique festival which combines classical music and jazz in its unique natural background. Concerts will take place in the village framed by its castle and old quarter alongside with master classes with internationally renowned music professors and students from all over the world.
PUCCINI FESTIVAL
Torre del Lago, 12 July – 24 August 2019
Puccini Festival was created by Giacomo Puccini himself in 1930 and, since then, it has been continually held from mid July to mid August. The festival takes place in the open air theatre of Torre Del Lago (Tuscany), located a few steps from “Villa Mausoleum”, the house where Puccini lived and worked; an amazing venue to enjoy the masterpieces of one of the most outstanding and esteemed Italian artists worldwide. Operas on show this year are: La Fanciulla del West, Madame Butterfly, Turandot, La Boheme, Madama Butterfly, Aida, Manon Lescaut,
SFERISTERIO OPERA FESTIVAL
Macerata, 19 July – 11 August 2019
The success of the Macerata Opera Festival has been largely due to the uniqueness of the Sferisterio’s stage space. Designed in 1823 by architect Ireneo Aleandri, the theatre earned its name and its half-circumference shaped plan from the game that was played within its walls: the “armband ball” or “Pallone col bracciale”. This year this beautiful open-air theatre will once again host performances of timeless stories. Red as desire (#rossodesiderio) is the theme for the 2019 Macerata Opera Festival, expressed by jealousy, power and possession in Carmen, Macbeth and Rigoletto respectively.
SUMMER JAMBOREE
Senigallia, Marche, 31 July – 11 August 2019
This music Festival is dedicated to the music and culture in America in the ’40s and ’50s with live concerts of dj set swing, rock’n’roll, jive, doo-wop, rhythm’n’blues, hill-billy e western swing .Stands will sell: juke box, hats, gadgets, guitars, vynils, CDs and other objects of that era. There will also be a ’40s and ’50s classic cars show.
ROSSINI OPERA FESTIVAL
Pesaro, 2 July – 23 August 2019
Known as one of the most important operas’ events in Italy and in the world,Rossini Opera festival is dedicated to Goacchino Rossini, the famous Italian artist who was born in the city of Pesaro. This year’s edition of the festival will put on show: Semiramide, L’equivoco stravagante and Demetrio e Polibio.
LA NOTTE DELLA TARANTA
Salento, Puglia, Month of August and 24 August 2019 in Melpignano
La Notte della Taranta is the most important music festival in Europe dedicated to traditional music, and it collects every summer over 200.000 spectators from all over the world. Born in 1998, as an initiative promoted by Grecìa Salentina (Union composed by 11 Municipalities close to Lecce where Greek origins still strongly exist), in order to the tradition of “tarantati”, the Festival has grown a lot these past years. Every year the Festival arranges a set of itinerant concerts around the Municipalities of Grecìa Salentina (one per village) ending at Melpignano, the village where everything started 15 years ago, with the famous ”Concertone”.
NEW GENERATION FESTIVAL- music, opera and theatre festival
Corsini Gardens in Florence, 28 – 31 August 2019
An international event in the private Gardens of the Palazzo Corsini – a renaissance masterpiece belonging to one of the oldest families in Florence.A platform for The Stars of Tomorrow giving young music talents from every corner of the world the chance to shine in a stunning Italian setting presenting the highest standard of opera, music and theatre in an annual festival. A programme of opera, theatre and music played live and streamed. The New Generation Festival is an annual event that breaks down barriers between generations and brings together all genres of music in one place; from opera to jazz and pop.
MITO SETTEMBRE MUSICA
Turin and Milan, 4 – 19 September 2019 – various locations
This is a major festival developed from the thirty years experience of Settembre Musica which connects Turin and Milan, in a programme of refined and stirring concerts: the world’s best orchestras, baroque opera, medieval music, the great maestros of contemporary music and the music from the most distant places; jazz, open-air shows, night-time concerts…
