Ad Libitum Festival
The chamber music and theatre festival on the Adriatic coast of Polignano a Mare
About Ad Libitum
Ad Libitum Festival: Great chamber music in Polignano a Mare
The Ad Libitum Festival is one of the most elegant live performance series of the summer in Apulia. Every year, from June to September, the event transforms Polignano a Mare—the pearl of the Adriatic in the province of Bari—into a widespread stage where chamber music, theatre, dance, and literature intertwine. Conceived and directed by Maestro Maurizio Pellegrini and organized by the Epos Teatro association, the festival is officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture through the National Fund for Live Performance.
Festival venues
The heart of the festival beats in two iconic locations within the historic centre of Polignano: the Atrium of the Pino Pascali Museum, suspended over the sea, and the intimate Cloister of Sant'Antonio. These are complemented by in-depth discussions held at the "Raffaele Chiantera" Municipal Library. For several editions now, the festival has expanded beyond Polignano with the "Tra Campi e Corti" section, hosted in Rutigliano between the Castle Courtyard and the Cloister of San Domenico.
Metamorphosis: The three-year theme
Starting in 2025, the Ad Libitum Festival launched a three-year journey (2025-2027) dedicated to the theme of Metamorphosis: transformation, the courage to change, and the journey of those who discover themselves and embrace an opportunity for growth. This common thread runs through concerts, theatrical performances, and literary readings, blending different languages and styles, from classical music to tango, and from chamber opera to singer-songwriter music.
A programme of music and theatre
The programme alternates between soloists, string quartets, and ensembles, alongside highly acclaimed theatrical productions. Over the years, the festival has hosted well-known names from the Italian scene alongside young talents from the "Niccolò Piccinni" Conservatory of Bari. The festival also features collateral sections: the free "oìda – Manual for the Critical Spectator" meetings with musicologists and scholars, and the "Tra Campi e Corti Kids" activities for families.
A cultural summer on the Adriatic shore
Attending an Ad Libitum concert means combining the beauty of the Apulian landscape with the pleasure of great music: summer evenings, the Adriatic breeze, and the architecture of Polignano's old town provide the backdrop for a high-quality programme designed for an attentive and curious audience. The Municipality of Polignano a Mare and the Apulia Region have long supported a festival that has become a benchmark for the region's summer cultural programming.
Ad Libitum — edition 2026
Ad Libitum 2026: The 12th edition
From June 21 to September 13, 2026, the twelfth edition of the Ad Libitum Festival returns to Polignano a Mare, marking the second chapter of the three-year cycle dedicated to Metamorphosis. The festival, directed by Maurizio Pellegrini for Epos Teatro, offers fourteen events between the Atrium of the Pino Pascali Museum and the Cloister of Sant'Antonio, with the "Tra Campi e Corti" section hosted in Rutigliano.
Main events
The festival opens on June 21 with the Tableaux Vivants by Teatri 35, inspired by Caravaggio. Highlights include: the Verdi Gala (July 12), the concert by Novafonic Trio featuring Fabio Furia on the bandoneon (July 18), Tullio Solenghi with "Una serata pazzesca" (July 25), Oblivion with "Oblivion Collection" (August 2), and the tribute to Ornella Vanoni and Gino Paoli, "Senza Fine" (August 13). The festival closes with "Per troppo amore" by L'Escargot Ensemble on September 13.
Collateral sections
Alongside the main programme, free meetings titled "oìda – Manual for the Critical Spectator" will be held at the "Raffaele Chiantera" Municipal Library, as well as family activities under the "Tra Campi e Corti Kids" banner.
Programme Ad Libitum 2026
Polignano a Mare
- June 21 – Tableaux Vivants (Teatri 35, inspired by Caravaggio), Museo Pascali Atrium, 9:00 PM
- June 24 – MEDI-TERRAE, Confini Labili (Paolo Pace, Giuseppe De Trizio), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- June 28 – Posilecheata (with Valerio Fusillo, Nicola Nesta), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- July 5 – Duo Ulisse Mazzon (violin) and Maria Mafalda Mazzon (cello), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- July 12 – Verdi Gala, Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- July 18 – Novafonic Trio with Fabio Furia (bandoneon), Museo Pascali Atrium, 9:30 PM
- July 25 – Tullio Solenghi, "Una serata pazzesca" (directed by Sergio Maifredi), Museo Pascali Atrium, 9:30 PM
- August 2 – Oblivion, "Oblivion Collection", Museo Pascali Atrium, 9:30 PM
- August 7 – Variazioni sul Novecento (Francesco D'Orazio, Ludovica Rana, Liubov Gromoglasova), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- August 13 – Senza Fine, tribute to Ornella Vanoni and Gino Paoli (Modern New Orchestra, Luciana Negroponte), Museo Pascali Atrium, 9:30 PM
- August 23 – Maria Moramarco, "Stella Ariénte", Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- August 29 – Alkemia Quartet, Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- September 2 – Viola Suite (Anima Viola Ensemble, "Niccolò Piccinni" Conservatory), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
- September 13 – Per troppo amore (L'Escargot Ensemble), Sant'Antonio Cloister, 9:00 PM
Rutigliano – Tra Campi e Corti
- July 21 – Il santo sforzo di capire cosa sia l'amore, Castle Courtyard, 9:00 PM
- August 4 – Cenerentole (Radicanto), San Domenico Cloister, 7:30 PM
- August 11 – C'era una volta un pezzo di legno, San Domenico Cloister, 7:30 PM
- August 18 – Il volto eterno dell'amore, Castle Courtyard, 8:00 PM
Highlights Ad Libitum 2026
Prices Ad Libitum 2026
Practical information — Ad Libitum
Getting there
Polignano a Mare is served by the railway station on the Adriatic line (Bari-Lecce), just a few minutes from the historic centre. By car, it can be reached via the SS16 Adriatica; Bari-Palese Airport is approximately 50 km away.
Tickets
Tickets and season passes are available online via Vivaticket and at authorized sales points. Info: [email protected], tel. +39 392 964 2809 / +39 338 229 5966. Official website: adlibitumfestival.it.
Tips
Performances are held outdoors: comfortable clothing is recommended. For concerts in the Cloister of Sant'Antonio and the Atrium of the Museo Pascali, booking is advised due to limited capacity.
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Where does it take place — Ad Libitum
Atrio del Museo Pino Pascali e Chiostro di Sant'Antonio
Museo Pino Pascali, Via Parco del Lauro 119, 70044 Polignano a Mare