Aria Aperta Theatre Festival

An open-air contemporary theatre festival

When summer arrives, the garden of Villa Segrè, in the hamlet of Salvaterra in Casalgrande (Province of Reggio Emilia, Emilia-Romagna), transforms into an open-air theatre. This is where Aria Aperta Teatro Festival comes to life, the contemporary theatre review born in 2021 and curated by the Quinta Parete APS Association with the artistic direction of Enrico Lombardi. The idea is simple and powerful: to bring theatre out of traditional venues, into the parks and courtyards of historic villas, returning spaces of shared beauty to the community.

Three sections for all ages

The festival is structured around three sections that accompany the audience through the various evenings:

• KIDS — shows designed for the little ones and families, often accompanied by workshops, exhibitions, and outdoor activities.
• YOUNG — productions with content and languages particularly close to teenagers and young adults.
• BIG — the core of the programming for adult audiences, featuring artists from the national and international contemporary theatre scene alongside emerging young talents.

Over the years, the festival has showcased new stage languages, hosting national premieres and previews, and pairing established names with younger companies capable of telling the present through entertainment, emotion, and reflection.

A festival spread across the ceramic district

Aria Aperta is not tied to a single location: it is a distributed festival that spans the territory between Emilia and Romagna and the nearby Modenese ceramic district. In addition to the garden of Villa Segrè in Salvaterra di Casalgrande, the evenings usually take place at the Vistarino Park in Sassuolo, Villa Pace in Fiorano Modenese, and Ferrari Park in Maranello. In case of rain, the shows in Salvaterra move indoors to the De André Theatre in Casalgrande.

Recognition and support

The festival is recognized by the Ministry of Culture and the Emilia-Romagna Region (Law 13) and is supported by the Municipalities of Casalgrande, Sassuolo, Fiorano Modenese, and Maranello, as well as the Fondazione di Modena. In Casalgrande, the festival is part of the broader summer program Un Mare di Cultura, which brings cinema, theatre, and music to the villas and parks of the Municipality from June to September.

Why it's worth it

With affordable ticket prices and daily passes, Aria Aperta is an accessible way to discover the contemporary theatre scene in a charming natural setting. A summer evening under the stars in the park of Villa Segrè, featuring children's stories, experimentation for young people, and intense performances for adults, is the hallmark of this festival from Reggio Emilia.