Burattinarte d'Inverno
Puppet theatre to warm up the winter in the Barolo hills
About Burattinarte d'Inverno
A travelling festival across the Langhe and Roero
Burattinarte d'Inverno is the winter edition of one of Piedmont's longest-running puppet theatre festivals. Organised by the Associazione Culturale Burattinarte under the artistic direction of Claudio Giri and Consuelo Conterno, the event enlivens a network of towns in the Langhe and Roero areas every winter—including Alba, Corneliano d'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, Piobesi d'Alba, Novello, Guarene, and Murazzano—with puppet, marionette, shadow, and storytelling performances that showcase ancient folk art with a contemporary twist. Companies arrive from all over Italy, with guest performances from Bari, Parma, Rome, Milan, Bergamo, and Tuscany.
Performances in Novello
In Novello, a small village in the Langa del Barolo in the province of Cuneo, perched at an altitude of 471 metres with a panorama stretching from the vine-covered hills to the Alps, the event finds its home in the Teatro Comunale on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Admission is free, a choice that keeps the festival's popular and inclusive spirit alive, making it perfect for a family Sunday afternoon, perhaps combined with a stroll through the village and a visit to the charming neo-Gothic castle.
Theatre for young and old
Burattinarte d'Inverno is not just entertainment for children: the programme alternates between great traditional classics—from Pulcinella to Gioppino, from 'guarattelle' to traditional puppet booths—and more poetic, experimental original creations capable of moving adult audiences as well. The shows are designed for families and children aged 3 and up, confirming the festival as a reference point for puppet theatre in the Cuneo area, in a programme that blends storytelling, theatrical craftsmanship, tradition, poetry, and contemporary flair.
Why it's worth it
Attending a Burattinarte d'Inverno show in Novello means rediscovering the magic of an art form made of gestures, voices, and hands, in one of the most beautiful villages in the Langa del Barolo. It is the perfect opportunity to combine theatre, food and wine traditions, and local exploration, far from screens and immersed in the warmth of an art form that continues to speak to all generations, in the heart of a region, Piedmont, where puppet theatre has deep roots.
Burattinarte d'Inverno — edition 2026
The 27th edition of Burattinarte d'Inverno enlivened the winter of 2026 with eight afternoon events distributed between Alba and the villages of the Langhe and Roero — Corneliano d'Alba, Piobesi d'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, Novello, Guarene, and Murazzano — involving puppet theatre companies from all over Italy. The festival, organised by the Associazione Culturale Burattinarte under the artistic direction of Claudio Giri and Consuelo Conterno, offered an edition that combined tradition and contemporary art, always with free admission (except in Alba). In Novello, the Bergamo puppet tradition was showcased on Sunday, 15 March with "Gioppino a Venezia in cerca di fortuna".
Programme Burattinarte d'Inverno 2026
Programme 27th edition (18 January – 29 March 2026)
- 18 January — Il Notturno…con brio!, Laura Landi (Tuscany) — Corneliano d'Alba, Cinema Vekkio, 4:30 PM
- 1 February — Codamozza il Gatto, Habanera Teatro (Pisa) — Piobesi d'Alba, Salone Polifunzionale, 4:30 PM
- 8 February — Area 52, La Compagnia della Settimana Dopo (Rome) — Alba, Teatro Sociale, 4:30 PM
- 15 February — Un po' di Pulcinella, Teatro del Secchio (Milan) — Grinzane Cavour, Salone Parrocchiale, 4:30 PM
- 1 March — Alla Fiera dei Racconti, Sasa Guadalupe and ClaudioeConsuelo — Corneliano d'Alba, Cinema Vekkio
- 15 March — Gioppino a Venezia in cerca di fortuna, Baraca & Böratì (Bergamo) — Novello, Teatro Comunale, 4:30 PM
- 22 March — Il Cane Infernale, Teatro Medico Ipnotico (Parma) — Murazzano, Salone Polifunzionale, 4:30 PM
- 29 March — Fragile, Valentina Vecchio (Bari) — Guarene, Chiesa della Confraternita, 4:30 PM
In Novello
The only event in Novello: "Gioppino a Venezia in cerca di fortuna" by the Baraca & Böratì company from Bergamo, on Sunday, 15 March 2026 at 4:30 PM at the Teatro Comunale in Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. The show brings to the stage the great tradition of Bergamo puppet theatre with Gioppino, the famous folk mask with a red nose and quick hands: a journey to Venice in search of fortune, filled with misunderstandings, daring escapes, tests of courage, battles, and even a memorable feast in the cellars of a Venetian nobleman. It is performed by Gabriele Codognola, heir to a family tradition in puppet theatre. A free-admission show designed for families and children, featuring the classic direct interaction between the puppets and the audience.
Highlights Burattinarte d'Inverno 2026
Prices Burattinarte d'Inverno 2026
Practical information — Burattinarte d'Inverno
Location
Teatro Comunale, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, Novello (CN), in the Langa del Barolo.
Times
Performances take place on Sunday afternoons, generally starting at 4:30 PM.
Admission
Free entry.
Information
Associazione Culturale Burattinarte — tel. +39 338 7154844 — e-mail [email protected] — website burattinarte.it
How to get there
Novello is easily reached by car from Alba and Dogliani, along the scenic roads of the Langa del Barolo. The nearest train station is in Alba, from where you can continue by car or local transport connections.
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Where does it take place — Burattinarte d'Inverno
Teatro Comunale
Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II, 12060 Novello