Caroso Festival (International Classical Guitar Review)

A historic festival dedicated to the guitar

The Caroso Festival is an international classical guitar event founded in 1995, reaching its 31st edition in 2026. The name pays homage to Fabritio Caroso, a Renaissance dance master and theorist with ties to Sermoneta, perfectly capturing the spirit of the event: high-brow music born from these locations and returning to them. The festival is itinerant and has always involved two main hubs: the town of Lanuvio, in the Metropolitan City of Rome, and the village of Sermoneta, in the province of Latina, both located in the Lazio region.

Villa Sforza Cesarini, the Lanuvio stage

In Lanuvio, the festival finds its home at Villa Sforza Cesarini, a historic residence overlooking the Castelli Romani, whose park and halls offer an intimate setting with excellent acoustics for the guitar. The Lanuvio evening is traditionally included in the town's summer calendar, attracting both instrument enthusiasts and vacationers who discover the guitar repertoire almost by chance, thanks to the free admission.

Sermoneta and its historic venues

The Pontine portion of the festival takes place in the historic center of Sermoneta, between the Church of San Michele Arcangelo and the Loggia dei Mercanti. These are small spaces—seating around 40-50 people per concert—which require reservations but offer a close-up, almost chamber-music listening experience that is hard to find elsewhere. Over the years, the festival has added stops in Formia and, for the 2026 edition, the island of Ponza.

A program beyond just classical music

While remaining anchored to the classical and 19th-century repertoire—with forays into period lutherie and historical instruments—the Caroso Festival has progressively broadened its horizons. Alongside solo recitals, there is space for duos and quartets practicing flamenco de fusión, jazz, and music from Andalusian, Arab, and Sephardic traditions. This choice has made the festival more accessible to a younger audience without sacrificing artistic rigor.

• Solo recitals by Italian and international guitarists, often young performers making their debut
• Chamber ensembles: guitar duos, trios, and quartets with percussion
• Flamenco and fusion music, featuring cajón and improvisation
• Lutherie exhibitions and meetings with guitar makers

The Artistic Director

The concept and artistic direction are by Maestro Stefano Raponi, a guitarist who has curated the selection of artists since 1995 and frequently performs on stage alongside his guests. The festival is held under the patronage of the Municipalities of Lanuvio and Sermoneta.

Why it's worth the trip

The Caroso Festival is a rare opportunity: world-class free concerts in locations that would justify the trip on their own. Visitors to Lanuvio can combine the musical evening with a tour of the Castelli Romani and the wines of the Colli Albani; those continuing to Sermoneta will find one of the best-preserved medieval villages in Lazio, dominated by the Caetani Castle. In both cases, the atmosphere is one that is increasingly hard to find: music listened to in silence under the August sky.