Barbuti Festival
The historic open-air theatre festival in the old town of Salerno
About Teatro dei Barbuti
Forty-one summers of theatre in the heart of Salerno
The Barbuti Festival, which locals still simply call Teatro dei Barbuti, is the city's longest-running open-air theatre festival. Established in 1986 by the Bottega San Lazzaro, it reaches its 41st edition in 2026 with the slogan «The enchantment continues». Over more than forty years of uninterrupted programming, the small stage at Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti has hosted over 2,100 performances and nearly 6,300 artists: few festivals in Campania can boast such continuity.
A stage within the old town
Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti is an intimate square, just a few steps from the Salerno Cathedral, tucked away in the maze of alleys in the historic centre. Chairs are arranged among the ancient walls and house facades: the audience is just a few metres from the actors, and the city itself becomes the set. Performances begin at 9:15 PM, when the August heat has faded and the neighbourhood fills with voices. It is popular theatre in the noblest sense of the word, which has never compromised on the quality of its offerings.
What to expect on stage
The programme is deliberately diverse, spanning very different genres over the course of two months:
- Classical and contemporary drama, with the section curated by Andrea Carraro, which brings a Greek or 20th-century classic to the stage every year.
- Neapolitan comedy and theatre, the genre most loved by the local audience, featuring dialect, humour, and family portraits.
- Live music, with concerts and jazz-infused tributes to Italian songs.
- Contemporary dance, in the «Incontri» (Encounters) festival curated by Antonella Iannone, which hosts regional and national companies in early September.
- New dramaturgy, entrusted to the autumn section «La notte dei Barbuti» directed by Brunella Caputo.
The Peppe Natella Award
Each edition presents the Peppe Natella Award, named after the festival's founder, to an actor or actress who has distinguished themselves in theatre, cinema, or television. It is the most moving moment of the Salerno theatrical summer and always coincides with a performance dedicated to the award recipient.
La notte dei Barbuti at the Apollonia Hub
When the evenings grow shorter and the open-air stage closes, the festival does not stop: the programme moves to the Apollonia Hub, an indoor space in the city centre, featuring a selection of experimental performances, monologues, and social theatre. Events begin at 9:00 PM and extend the festival until the end of September.
Salerno around the festival
The Barbuti Festival is promoted by the Municipality of Salerno with the support of the Campania Region, the Ministry of Culture, the Salerno Chamber of Commerce, the CNA, and the Carisal Foundation; the organisational direction is by Chiara Natella. The provincial capital of Salerno, overlooking the gulf and serving as the gateway to the Amalfi Coast and the temples of Paestum, offers spectators an ideal backdrop: before the show, you can stroll along the Lungomare Trieste or dine in the trattorias of the alleys, where Campanian cuisine shines with pizza, buffalo mozzarella, and seafood dishes. On the Thursdays indicated in the programme, the Erchemperto association also offers guided walks through the old town starting at 8:30 PM, a clever way to combine theatre with the discovery of the city's heritage.
Why it's worth visiting
The Barbuti Festival is not a showcase for big names: it is a place where theatre remains human-scale, with accessible tickets and an audience that returns every year. For those visiting Salerno in summer, it is the most authentic way to connect with the city's cultural life, far from the tourist circuits of the coast.
Teatro dei Barbuti — edition 2026
The enchantment continues
Presented at the Palazzo di Città on July 15th, 2026, the 41st edition of the Barbuti Festival confirms the formula that made the event famous: two months of almost daily performances just a few metres from the audience, in the square that opens up among the alleys of the old town of Salerno. The stage at Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti hosts events from August 2nd to September 9th, starting at 9:15 PM; from September 11th to 26th, the programme moves to the Apollonia Hub for the evening section «La notte dei Barbuti», curated by Brunella Caputo, starting at 9:00 PM.
The programme alternates classical theatre — directed by Andrea Carraro — dialect comedy, music, and new dramaturgy. There is also the «Incontri» dance festival curated by Antonella Iannone and the traditional Salerno Day, which on September 9th commemorates the Allied landings of 1943. The organisational direction is by Chiara Natella for the Bottega San Lazzaro, with the support of the Municipality of Salerno, the Campania Region, the Ministry of Culture, the Chamber of Commerce, the CNA, and the Carisal Foundation.
Programme Teatro dei Barbuti 2026
Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti — 9:15 PM
- August 1st — «Shakespeare è nato a Napoli», with Francesco Ronga
- August 6th — «Ma che aspettate a batterci le mani», from Dario Fo's Mistero Buffo, with Gaetano Stella (national premiere)
- August 7th — «Di voce e di vento», with Cristina Mazzaccaro
- August 8th — «Amori, vizi e sfizi», with Raffaele Milite
- August 13th — «La regola dei terzi», with Marco De Simone
- August 14th — «Vurria addeventare», concert by Peppe Barra
- August 20th — «Oedipus Rex» by Sophocles, directed by Andrea Carraro
- August 21st — «6 in Jazz», tribute to Lucio Battisti
- August 22nd — «C'era due volte un piede», with Veronica Gonzales
- August 27th — «Tre di fiori», from Pirandello, with Anna Nisivoccia and Brunella Caputo
- August 28th — «Femmene», with Nunzia Schiano, Peppe Natella Award ceremony
- August 29th — «Una milf di troppo», with Maria Bolignano
«Incontri» Dance Festival — September 5th-7th
- September 5th — Akerusia Danza, «Stirpe di Sirene»
- September 6th — Mandala Dance Company and Nziria
- September 7th — Uda Company, «La manipolazione»
Salerno Day — September 9th
- «I miei occhi mi lasciano partire» by Corradino Pellecchia, with Gaetano Fasanaro, curated by Eduardo Scotti
La notte dei Barbuti — Apollonia Hub, 9:00 PM
- September 11th — «Guernica Bombing», Tram — Teatro dell'Osso
- September 12th — «MITO — La casa bianca», Teatro Grimaldello
- September 18th — «La sposa del vento», by and with Brunella Caputo
- September 19th — «Il culo del mondo», by Davide Speranza
- September 25th — «Io è… lei», by Maria Rosaria Selo
- September 26th — «Malamuri», Le Ombre company
The programme is subject to change: it is advisable to check the updated calendar on the Municipality of Salerno's culture portal.
Highlights Teatro dei Barbuti 2026
- The concert by Peppe Barra on August 14th, one of the historic names of Neapolitan song and theatre.
- The Peppe Natella Award on August 28th to actress Nunzia Schiano, a familiar face from «Gomorrah» and «My Brilliant Friend».
- The national premiere on August 6th dedicated to Dario Fo's Mistero Buffo, with Gaetano Stella.
- Sophocles' Oedipus Rex on August 20th, a date with the great classical repertoire.
- The three evenings of contemporary dance from September 5th to 7th with regional and national companies.
- The guided walks in the old town on the indicated Thursdays, starting at 8:30 PM, organised by the Erchemperto association.
Prices Teatro dei Barbuti 2026
Practical information — Teatro dei Barbuti
Where it takes place
Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti, in the historic centre of Salerno (84121), a short distance from the Salerno Cathedral. The «La notte dei Barbuti» section is held at the Apollonia Hub.
How to get there
- By train: Salerno station, served by high-speed trains; from the station, the old town can be reached on foot in about 15-20 minutes along Corso Vittorio Emanuele.
- By car: Take the Salerno Centro exit from the A2 del Mediterraneo motorway or the ring road. The old town has restricted traffic: it is advisable to leave your car in the parking lots at Piazza della Concordia or the Lungomare and continue on foot.
- By plane: Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi airport or Naples-Capodichino, which is connected by direct buses.
Times
Performances at Largo Barbuti begin at 9:15 PM; those at the Apollonia Hub at 9:00 PM.
Tickets
Available at the festival box office and online at www.postoriservato.it. Teacher bonuses and youth culture cards are accepted via the appropriate apps.
Tips
Seating is limited and some evenings sell out: it is advisable to arrive early or book in advance. The seating is outdoors, so a light sweater is useful for September evenings.
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Where does it take place — Teatro dei Barbuti
Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti
Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti, 84121 Salerno