Apuliantiqua – Early Music Festival (Fasano leg)

Apuliantiqua, early music traveling through Puglia

Apuliantiqua – Early Music Festival is one of the most refined early music series in Southern Italy. Founded in Monopoli and directed by Maestro Giovanni Rota, the festival has a distinctly itinerant vocation: every year, it traverses the villages, Baroque churches, and archaeological sites of Puglia to revive the repertoire of past centuries, performed on historical instruments with philological precision. The province of Brindisi and the town of Fasano have long been among the most anticipated stops on this musical journey that unites research, spirituality, and landscape.

The Fasano leg

In Fasano, the festival consistently selects venues with strong identities: from the Church of Sant'Antonio Abate, in the heart of the historic center along Corso Vittorio Emanuele, to the nearby Egnazia Archaeological Park, where sunset concerts engage in a dialogue with the ruins of the ancient Messapian and Roman city. Admission is generally free for concerts held in churches, subject to availability, while a nominal fee is charged for museum venues, which includes a visit to the site.

«Organ Counterpoints»: the festival's formula

Alongside the historic summer program, featuring sunrise and sunset concerts, Apuliantiqua has expanded its scope with a new spring series titled «Organ Counterpoints». This cycle is dedicated to the great historical organs in the churches of Monopoli, Fasano, and Conversano, where the organ repertoire engages with the European vocal tradition and rare instruments like the viola da gamba. The program often centers on the complete works of Bach, entrusted to specialist organists capable of combining stylistic rigor with expressive communication.

A festival directed by Giovanni Rota

The artistic direction of Giovanni Rota and the work of the Sentieri Armonici Association have made Apuliantiqua a benchmark for the rediscovery of early music in Puglia. The festival is supported by the Fondazione Puglia and is recognized by the FUS – Ministry of Culture, with the patronage of the municipalities of Monopoli, Fasano, and Conversano. The quality of the guests, both Italian and international, and the choice of historically rich venues make every concert an experience that transcends mere listening.

Historical churches and archaeological sites as concert halls

• Concerts featuring organ, viola da gamba, choirs, and Baroque ensembles
• Repertoire from the Middle Ages to the European Baroque, with a special focus on J. S. Bach
• Exceptional venues in Fasano: Church of Sant'Antonio Abate and Egnazia Archaeological Park
• Itinerant vocation across Monopoli, Fasano, Conversano, and other centers in Puglia
• Free admission for church concerts, nominal fee for museum venues

For those visiting the Itria Valley and the Puglian Adriatic coast, a stop at Apuliantiqua in Fasano is the perfect opportunity to combine cultural tourism with great music, in a setting that enhances the region's historical and artistic heritage.