Chigiana International Festival & Summer Academy

The Chigiana International Festival in Siena

The Chigiana International Festival & Summer Academy is the premier summer music event organized by the Fondazione Accademia Musicale Chigiana, a prestigious institution for advanced musical studies housed in the Renaissance Palazzo Chigi Saracini, in the heart of Siena's historic center. Every summer, the festival turns the city and numerous locations across the Sienese territory and Tuscany into an international capital of live music, blending concerts by great masters with performances by the young students of the Summer Academy.

The 2026 Edition: "Islands"

The twelfth edition, scheduled from July 7th to September 1st, 2026, is titled "Islands": a musical archipelago that, according to artistic director Nicola Sani, traverses the history of sound from Renaissance music to the great classical repertoire, and from historical avant-gardes to electronic music. The program features over 100 performances with more than 800 artists from around the world, organized into seven thematic paths (Special Events, Opera, Legends, Today, Off the wall, Factor, and Lounge).

The Hans Werner Henze Centenary

The heart of the 2026 edition is a major focus on composer Hans Werner Henze on the centenary of his birth: the program includes 41 of his compositions, in what is described as one of the most extensive tributes ever dedicated to the musician. The festival opens on July 7th at the Church of Sant'Agostino with Henze's Requiem, performed by the Orchestra della Toscana under the baton of conductor Kai Röhrig, featuring trumpeter Jeroen Berwaerts and pianist Emanuele Arciuli.

World Premieres and Major Events

The program includes numerous operatic and theatrical productions, chamber and electronic music, as well as 40 new compositions, including 13 world premieres. Among the most anticipated events is the Concert for Italy on July 18th in Piazza del Campo, featuring the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia conducted by Daniel Harding, with pianist Stefano Bollani as the soloist for Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, broadcast live on television. Also not to be missed are Chigiana Meets Siena Jazz (August 2nd) and the Chianti Classico Experience, a series of concerts hosted in local wine estates.

A Festival Spanning the Sienese Lands

Beyond Palazzo Chigi Saracini, concerts are held in some of the most evocative locations in Siena and Tuscany: the Church of Sant'Agostino, the Teatro dei Rinnovati, the Palazzo delle Papesse, and Piazza del Campo itself, as well as churches, abbeys, and historic residences across the Sienese countryside. The Province of Siena and all of Tuscany thus provide the backdrop for an experience that unites world-class music, architectural heritage, and stunning landscapes.