Cross Festival – Contemplating the Invisible
Ten days of performing arts and spirituality in Verbania, on Lake Maggiore
About Cross Festival
The performing arts festival on Lake Maggiore
Cross Festival is the leading performing arts event on Lake Maggiore, organized by Fondazione CROSS ETS under the artistic direction of Antonella Cirigliano. Every June, it weaves together contemporary dance, theater, music, installations, and wellness practices in a widespread program centered in Verbania, in the Province of Verbano-Cusio-Ossola, extending to the nearby towns of Bee and Nebbiuno. The 2026 edition, titled "Contemplating the Invisible – Performing Arts and Spirituality," invites audiences to find their rhythm from within, focusing on listening, contemplation, and the relationship between art and the spiritual dimension.
Verbania, the heart of the festival
Verbania hosts the most significant events of the program. Villa Simonetta is transformed into a contemporary temple for ritual performances, while Teatro Il Maggiore, the city's modern event center, hosts the headline evenings with major international guests. Piazza Mercato in Intra welcomes outdoor shows, and Casa Ceretti becomes the nightly headquarters for the new Notturno section. An itinerary that crosses the city, connecting indoor spaces, urban vistas, and locations overlooking the lake.
National premieres and international guests
The 2026 program alternates national premieres with renowned names in global dance and performance: the Danish company Art of Listening with Sacred Movements, French choreographer Marie Bruel with Transhumance – 1, the Italian-Korean collaboration with the Ahn Aesoon company, and, for the finale, Alessandro Sciarroni, winner of the Golden Lion at the Biennale Danza. Alongside the performances, sunrise meditation and yoga workshops, book presentations, and shared practice sessions complete the experience.
The new feature: Notturno at Casa Ceretti
The big news for 2026 is Notturno, the after-festival series that brings Casa Ceretti to life every night from June 12th to 20th with concerts, DJ sets, and audiovisual performances featuring electronic and ambient sounds, curated by Alberto Ricca. It is a way to extend the festival day into a more nocturnal and immersive experience.
A deeply rooted local event
Now in its fourteenth edition in 2026, Cross Festival is one of the most recognized cultural entities in Piedmont and the entire Lake Maggiore basin. Supported by the Piedmont Region, the Fondazione Compagnia di San Paolo, and local municipalities, it brings Italian and international artists, creative residencies, and projects dedicated to contemporary spirituality to Verbania every year. For those visiting the city and the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola area in June, it is the ideal opportunity to discover an unexpected and profound side of Upper Piedmont.
Cross Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition of the Cross Festival brings ten days of performing arts dedicated to the theme "Contemplating the Invisible" to Verbania and Lake Maggiore. The program, spread across Verbania, Bee, and Nebbiuno, alternates national premieres of dance, theater, music, and wellness practices. The most important events are concentrated in Verbania: ritual performances at Villa Simonetta, headline evenings at Teatro Il Maggiore, outdoor shows in Piazza Mercato in Intra, and the Notturno after-festival at Casa Ceretti.
Programme Cross Festival 2026
Friday, June 12 — Verbania, Casa Ceretti
- Evening — Inauguration of Notturno: DJ set by Bienoise and concert by Mombao
Saturday, June 13 and Sunday, June 14 — Verbania, Villa Simonetta
- National premiere of "Sacred Movements" by the Danish company Art of Listening: Villa Simonetta is transformed into a contemporary temple for a ritual performance
From Saturday, June 13 to Sunday, June 21 — Sunrise Workshops
- 07:00-08:30 (June 13-14 and 19-21) — Meditation and yoga practices open to the public
From Thursday, June 18 to Saturday, June 20 — Verbania, Bee and Nebbiuno
- National premiere of "Transhumance – 1" by French choreographer Marie Bruel: a work weaving together contemporary dance, ecology, and memory. Performances in Bee (Piazza Barozzi, June 18), Piazza Mercato in Intra (June 20), and at the M.G. Taglietti Retirement Home Park in Nebbiuno
Friday, June 19 — Verbania, Teatro Il Maggiore
- World premiere of "La prima danza. The Butterfly Dream" by Damiano Bigi and Alessandra Paoletti with the Korean company Ahn Aesoon (Italy-South Korea co-production)
Sunday, June 21 — Verbania, Teatro Il Maggiore
- Closing evening with Alessandro Sciarroni (Golden Lion at the Biennale Danza) and "Don't Be Frightened of Turning the Page"
- Followed by the concert "Lema" by Paolo Angeli
From June 12 to 20 — Verbania, Casa Ceretti
- Every evening Notturno, the after-festival curated by Alberto Ricca: concerts, DJ sets, and audiovisual performances with electronic and ambient sounds
The program is completed by the shows "Premonition" by Giorgia Ohanesian Nardin, the show dedicated to Saint Francis by Antonio Catalano, and a performance by Elisa Sbaragli.
Highlights Cross Festival 2026
Prices Cross Festival 2026
Practical information — Cross Festival
Location
The main events take place in Verbania (VB): Villa Simonetta, Teatro Il Maggiore (Via Vittorio Veneto 2), Piazza Mercato in the Intra district, and Casa Ceretti. Other festival events are held in Bee and Nebbiuno, also on Lake Maggiore.
Getting there
By car: Verbania can be reached via the A26 motorway (Verbania or Gravellona Toce exits). By train: Verbania-Pallanza station on the Domodossola–Milan line, connected to the city center by local buses. By plane: Milan Malpensa Airport, about an hour away.
Tickets
Tickets are available online at ticket.it (search for "Contemplare-invisibile"). For season passes, workshop registration, and discounts: [email protected] – tel. +39 351 8081786. Some events are free, others require a ticket.
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Where does it take place — Cross Festival
Teatro Il Maggiore
Via Vittorio Veneto 2, 28921 Verbania