About
The Macerata Opera Festival 2026 returns to the magnificent Arena Sferisterio from 17 July to 9 August 2026, inviting audiences to experience Italian opera in one of the world's most remarkable open-air theatres. With its monumental neoclassical architecture and exceptional acoustics, the historic Sferisterio provides an unforgettable setting where timeless masterpieces come to life beneath the summer sky.
The 62nd edition presents three iconic operas alongside a special symphonic event, offering a programme that celebrates the richness of the Italian operatic tradition. The festival opens with Giuseppe Verdi's Nabucco, returning to Macerata after more than a decade in a new production directed by Paul-Émile Fourny and conducted by Fabrizio Maria Carminati. The cast features Ariun Ganbataar in the title role, Anastasia Bartoli as the formidable Abigaille, Alberto Comes as Zaccaria, Laura Verrecchia as Fenena, and Alessandro Scotto Di Luzio as Ismaele.
Rossini's sparkling comedy Il Barbiere di Siviglia returns in the acclaimed staging by Daniele Menghini, led by conductor Gianluca Martinenghi. The production stars Grisha Martirosyan as Figaro, Ruzil Gatin as Count Almaviva, Raffaella Lupinacci as Rosina, Marco Filippo Romano as Dr. Bartolo, and Riccardo Fassi as Don Basilio, bringing together an outstanding cast for one of opera's most beloved masterpieces.
Verdi's passionate Il Trovatore completes the operatic programme in Francisco Negrin's celebrated production, conducted by Dmitri Jurowski. Audiences will hear an exceptional cast featuring Piero Pretti as Manrico, Franco Vassallo as Count di Luna, Marta Torbidoni as Leonora, and Sofia Petrovich as Azucena.
A special highlight of the festival is Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, conducted by Ramón Tebar. The performance brings together soprano Sara Blanch, tenor Ruzil Gatin, baritone Grisha Martirosyan, the FORM – Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, and the Coro Lirico Marchigiano "Vincenzo Bellini", creating a powerful conclusion to the 2026 season.
The Macerata Opera Festival has long been recognised for discovering emerging voices while welcoming internationally acclaimed artists. The 2026 edition continues this tradition by bringing together established performers and rising stars in productions that combine musical excellence with the spectacular atmosphere of the Arena Sferisterio.
About the Macerata Opera Festival (Sferisterio Festival)
Macerata Opera Festival Sferisterio started in 1992 and since it is held continually from late July to mid-August (various dates). The festival takes place in the city of Macerata which is located in central Italy. Most of the events take place in the “Sferisterio Arena” but some are held in “Teatro Lauro Rossi” in the city. This marvelous opera festival hosts yearly thousands of spectators in the Sferisterio open air 2,500 seat neoclassical arena.
In 1967, a permanent local theatre troupe was organized in Macerata, and soon Giuseppe Verdi's Othello, Giacomo Puccini's Madame butterfly were staged on the stage of the Spheristeria, the main roles in which famous Italian Opera singers performed. That Opera season, which began on August 3, soon turned into a Summer Opera festival.
During the existence of the festival Sferisterio was placed the most famous operas of different eras, sounded the most prominent voices of Bel Canto: Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, Montserrat caballé, Marilyn Horne, Ruggero Raimondi, Mariella of Devia, Jose Carreras and many others.
The Sferisterio in Macerata was inaugurated in 1829 as the arena for the ball with bracelet game, that was very famous in the 1800’s. It hosted also public shows and feasts, jousts, horse parades, political and sports events, bull hunting and circus.
In 1921, for the initiative of Count Pier Alberto Conti, the first opera debuts at Sferisterio. It was Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, and it has been played for 17 evenings and seen by 70000 opera lovers.
Thanks to its 2500 seats and 104 stages, excellent visibility, a great natural acoustic and a very big stage, Sferisterio is nowadays one of the most prestigious and appreciated open-air theatres in Italy.
Many artists performed on its stage such as Mario Del Monaco, Luciano Pavarotti, Katia Ricciarelli, Renato Bruson, Montserrat Caballé, Placido Domingo. Also, some settings entered in the history like the famous Traviata degli Specchi by Maestro Josef Svoboda in 1992 and the unforgettable Bohème by Ken Russel in 1984.
