Burana Festival

A festival born around a historic organ

The Burana Festival is a review of classical, ancient, and organ music held in the Church of San Giacomo Maggiore in the hamlet of Burana, in the Municipality of Bondeno, province of Ferrara. Now in its fourth edition in 2026, the event is promoted by the Parish of San Giacomo Maggiore and the Lions Club Bondeno, with the support of the Municipality and under the artistic direction of Gabriele Martin. All events have free admission.

The historic Traeri organ

The absolute protagonist of the review is the precious Traeri organ, built in 1726 in the workshop of the renowned organ builder in Modena and brought back to life thanks to a thorough restoration completed in 2021 by organ builder Paolo Tollari. The church of Burana, reopened to the community after the earthquake that struck Emilia, thus houses an instrument that in 2026 celebrated its three hundred years of life, placing itself at the center of a program that enhances the great Italian and European organ repertoire.

The 2026 program

The 2026 edition was divided into six Sunday events from February to June. Among the highlights:

• February 1st – Carnival Concert with German organist Wolfgang Zerer, one of the most important performers in the world, in a dialogue between Italian and German baroque tradition (Frescobaldi, Muffat, Buxtehude, Kerll, Scheidt).
• February 22nd – "The Enchanted Palace", with Benedetta Ceron on cornetto and Alberto Gaspardo on organ.
• March 15th – Lenten concert "Lumini et silentii" with the Urbs Musicae Ensemble from Basel, featuring music by Frescobaldi, Bassani, Corelli, and other Emilian composers.
• April 19th – "Bicycle ride in music" with students from the Conservatories of Mantua and Ferrara and the MusicAscuola school orchestra from the "T. Bonati" comprehensive institute of Bondeno.
• May 17th – Concert commemorating the 2012 earthquake, with the Santo Spirito Polyphonic Choir of Ferrara, between remembrance and rebirth.
• June 8th – Final concert with jazz influences.

Music, memory, and territory

More than just a concert season, the Burana Festival is a cultural project that links cultured music to the memory of a community in the Bassa ferrarese, marked by the 2012 earthquake and capable of being reborn around its artistic and religious heritage. The initiative involves conservatories, international ensembles, polyphonic choirs, and young students, intertwining high performance quality with roots in the territory of Emilia-Romagna.

Why participate

For lovers of ancient and organ music, the Burana Festival offers a rare opportunity to hear international-level performers on a historic instrument, in an intimate setting in the Ferrarese countryside. Free admission and the intimate atmosphere of the Burana church make each concert an authentic experience, far from the major circuits but of undoubted artistic value.