Caroso Festival

Thirty years of guitar in the village of Sermoneta

The Caroso Festival is an international classical guitar and flamenco event that has enlivened the summer in Sermoneta—a stunning medieval village in the province of Latina, Lazio—since 1995. The festival is named after Fabritio Caroso da Sermoneta, a renowned Renaissance dance master and theorist born in the village, and honors his legacy by bringing music to the town's most beautiful locations every year. Conceived and directed from the outset by Maestro Stefano Raponi, who performed at the very first edition, the event celebrates its thirty-first anniversary in 2026.

Festival venues

The heart of the festival beats in the historic center of Sermoneta: the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, the traditional home of the concerts, and the evocative Loggia dei Mercanti offer intimate acoustics and a charming backdrop. Over the years, the festival has also reached the Caetani Castle, the village's landmark, and expanded beyond municipal borders with evenings in Lanuvio, set in the grounds of Villa Sforza Cesarini, as well as in Formia and even on the island of Ponza, where the Santa Maria Beach hosts sunset summer previews.

A program between classical and flamenco

Over three decades, the Caroso Festival has hosted some of the greatest names in international guitar, from masters like Eduardo Fernández and Roland Dyens to virtuosos of the new generation. The program alternates between classical guitar recitals, projects that blend the ancient roots of flamenco with contemporary languages, and forays into world music, occasionally enriched by lutherie exhibitions showcasing the art of instrument making.

The 2026 edition

The 31st edition takes place from August 7 to 10, 2026, between Lanuvio and Sermoneta, preceded by a preview in Ponza on July 25 and 26. The lineup features recitals by Leo Andersen and Valentina Ranalli at Villa Sforza Cesarini in Lanuvio, a concert by guitarist Eleonora Perretta at the Church of San Michele Arcangelo, and a quartet featuring Daniele Bonaviri, Monica De Luca, Gabriele Gagliarini, and Stefano Raponi himself at the Loggia dei Mercanti.

Sermoneta, an exceptional stage

Supported by the patronage of the Municipalities of Sermoneta and Lanuvio, the festival is a highlight of the cultural summer in the Pontine area. Sermoneta, dominated by the Caetani Castle and located just a few kilometers from the famous Garden of Ninfa, is one of the most fascinating villages in Lazio: attending a concert among its medieval alleys means combining great music and cultural tourism in a single evening.