Ampurius Festival

A season of high culture among the Vercelli rice fields

The Ampurius Festival is a classical music concert series held in the parish church of Lamporo, a small town in the rice-growing plains of the Vercelli province, Piedmont. Named after the ancient designation of the territory, the festival features a schedule running from October to June, transforming the village church into an intimate and welcoming concert hall. It is a testament to how even a small community can offer high-quality cultural programming, attracting listeners from neighboring towns and the wider Vercelli area.

Repertoire and performers

The festival's program embraces diverse genres and centuries: string quartets, organ, piano, and vocal soloists alternate in evenings dedicated to Baroque music, sacred works, and the precious compositions of 19th-century Piedmontese musicians. Alongside great names of the international repertoire—from Bach to Frescobaldi, from Scarlatti to transalpine composers—the program also includes sacred meditations, dances from Turin salons, and curiosities rediscovered in archives.

The Ramasco organ, the protagonist

One of the elements that makes the festival special is the exquisite Ramasco organ housed in the parish church: a historical instrument that gives voice to the organ programs and becomes the true sonic heart of many events, from Baroque pages to the compositions of Padre Davide da Bergamo.

Who makes the festival possible

Artistic direction is entrusted to pianist and organist Federico Villani, while hospitality is provided by the parish of Lamporo. The event is supported by the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Vercelli, local Rotary Clubs (Vercelli, Sant'Andrea Vercelli-Santhià-Crescentino, and Viverone Lago), and local rice-growing companies like Pizzo&Foresto and Valserpe, confirming the deep bond between culture and the agricultural world of the plains.

Why it is worth attending

The Ampurius Festival is the ideal opportunity to listen to high-level music in an intimate and evocative setting, far from large concert halls but close to the authenticity of a Piedmontese village. Free admission makes every concert accessible to everyone and has made it a beloved event for classical music enthusiasts in the Vercelli province and throughout Piedmont.