Aventine Early Music Festival
Eight free Renaissance and Baroque music concerts at the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio
About Aventine Early Music
An early music festival in the heart of the Aventine
The Aventine Early Music Festival is one of the longest-running and most acclaimed events dedicated to early music in Rome, Lazio. Established to promote historical performance practice—the art of playing 16th to 18th-century music on original instruments or faithful replicas, following period-appropriate interpretive criteria—the festival has cultivated a loyal audience of local enthusiasts and travelers who discover the event by chance while exploring the hill.
The venue is the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio, located at Piazza di Sant'Alessio 23, just steps from the famous Orange Garden and the Knights of Malta Keyhole. The setting profoundly enhances the listening experience: the intimate acoustics of the nave, the light filtering through the high windows, and the silence of the Aventine—a residential district that feels suspended above the city's bustle—create a rare atmosphere of focus for a concert in the capital.
Artistic direction and performers
The festival is directed by maestro Giorgio Sasso, a Baroque violinist and founder of the Insieme Strumentale di Roma, the ensemble that serves as the festival's resident group. Each year, they are joined by guest soloists and ensembles, including harpsichordists, cellists, baroque flutists, and singers specializing in early repertoire. A highly appreciated tradition is the musicological introduction preceding many concerts: before the performance, the artistic director explains the historical context and structure of the works, making even complex repertoire accessible to non-experts.
The repertoire
The program spans four centuries of musical history. It ranges from Italian Renaissance villanellas and frottolas to the grand architectural structures of the European Baroque, from the sonatas of Arcangelo Corelli and Giovanni Legrenzi to the cantatas and suites of Johann Sebastian Bach, and from the Neapolitan sacred music of Pergolesi and Alessandro Scarlatti to the early chamber works of Franz Joseph Haydn. The festival also ventures beyond its usual boundaries, with programs dedicated to Spanish music for voice and guitar.
- Baroque instrumental music: sonatas, suites, concertos for strings and basso continuo
- Sacred music: Salve Regina, Stabat Mater, liturgical cantatas
- Secular Renaissance: villanellas, frottolas, dances
- Early Classicism: Haydn quartets and divertimentos
Free admission: a cultural commitment
All festival concerts offer free admission until capacity is reached. This is a deliberate choice by the organizers—Progetto Sonora Impresa Sociale and the Associazione Insieme Strumentale di Roma, supported by the Ministry of Culture—aimed at introducing early music to a wider audience than traditional concert seasons. As the basilica has limited seating, booking or arriving well in advance is highly recommended.
What to see nearby
Those arriving early can enjoy the surroundings: the Orange Garden (Parco Savello) offers one of the most beautiful views over Rome and the dome of St. Peter's, while just a few meters away are the Basilica of Santa Sabina, a 5th-century early Christian masterpiece, and the Piazza dei Cavalieri di Malta designed by Giovanni Battista Piranesi. For evening concerts, the sunset on the Aventine is well worth the climb.
Aventine Early Music — edition 2026
18th edition, from June 7 to October 25, 2026
The 2026 edition of the Aventine Early Music Festival features eight events spread between the beginning of summer and mid-autumn, with a break during the height of the hot season. The common thread, as always, is historical performance practice applied to a repertoire ranging from the Italian Renaissance to early Viennese Classicism.
Two anniversaries mark the program: the 400th anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Legrenzi, celebrated on September 27 with his Op. 2 sonatas, and a particularly rich presence of Johann Sebastian Bach, featured in three different programs. The closing concert on October 25, dedicated to 19th and 20th-century Spanish music for voice and guitar, represents a deliberate opening beyond the festival's usual boundaries.
The festival is produced by Progetto Sonora Impresa Sociale with the Associazione Insieme Strumentale di Roma and the collaboration of the ACMT — Associazione Culturale Marco Taschler, with the support of the Ministry of Culture.
Programme Aventine Early Music 2026
2026 Full Program
- Sunday, June 7, 12:15 PM — «Quartets? Haydn Hob. I»: The Insieme Strumentale di Roma performs three of the six works contained in Franz Joseph Haydn's first printed opus, with a musicological introduction by artistic director Giorgio Sasso.
- Sunday, June 14, 7:30 PM — «Bach and Telemann in Paris»: A program imagining a Parisian stay for Bach and Telemann, including music by Rameau. Manuel Granatiero (transverse flute), Giorgio Sasso (violin), Amalia Ottone (viola da gamba), Salvatore Carchiolo (harpsichord).
- Sunday, June 21, 7:30 PM — «Monologue in Two Suites»: Luca Peverini on cello, performing works from Johann Sebastian Bach's Suites and Domenico Galli's sonatas.
- Sunday, June 28, 7:30 PM — «Scaramella Goes to War»: A concert-show by the Acqua Felix ensemble dedicated to Renaissance villanellas, frottolas, and dances. Minni Diodati (voice), Maria de Martini (flutes and direction).
- Sunday, September 20, 7:30 PM — «Bachian Aspects»: The Insieme Strumentale di Roma with Minni Diodati (solo voice) in Cantata BWV 51, Simone Pierini on harpsichord, and Manuel Granatiero on transverse flute.
- Sunday, September 27, 12:00 PM — «Happy Birthday Maestro Legrenzi!»: Celebrating the 400th anniversary of Giovanni Legrenzi's birth with his Op. 2 sonatas. Giorgio and Daniele Sasso (violins), Valeria Brunelli (cello).
- Sunday, October 18, 7:30 PM — «Salve Regina»: Mezzo-soprano Lucia Napoli performs the three Salve Regina settings by Alessandro and Domenico Scarlatti and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, alongside works by Arcangelo Corelli.
- Sunday, October 25, 7:30 PM — «Por los campos de España»: Spanish music from the 19th and 20th centuries with Lucia Napoli (voice) and Francesco Romano (guitar).
All concerts are held at the Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio, Piazza di Sant'Alessio 23, Rome.
Highlights Aventine Early Music 2026
- Eight completely free concerts in the heart of the Aventine
- The 400th anniversary of Giovanni Legrenzi, celebrated on September 27
- Three Bach programs: Cello Suites, Cantata BWV 51, and an imaginary Parisian stay with Telemann
- Musicological introductions by Giorgio Sasso, making the repertoire accessible to all
- «Scaramella Goes to War», a Renaissance concert-show by the Acqua Felix ensemble
- The Spanish finale on October 25 for voice and guitar, venturing beyond the usual repertoire
Prices Aventine Early Music 2026
Practical information — Aventine Early Music
Venue
Basilica of Santi Bonifacio e Alessio, Piazza di Sant'Alessio 23, 00153 Rome.
How to get there
Metro: Line B, Circo Massimo stop, then a 10-minute walk uphill along Via di Valle Murcia. Bus: Lines serving Viale Aventino and Lungotevere Aventino. Car: The area is residential and parking is difficult; public transport is recommended.
Tickets
Admission is free for all concerts, subject to availability. Booking is recommended via WhatsApp at +39 329 4939834 or by emailing [email protected].
Tips
Arrive at least 20-30 minutes before the start: the basilica has limited capacity. As this is a place of worship, modest attire is requested. In winter and autumn evenings, the interior can be cool: bringing a light jacket is advisable.
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Where does it take place — Aventine Early Music
Basilica dei Santi Bonifacio e Alessio all'Aventino
Piazza di Sant'Alessio 23, 00153 Roma