Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa Festival – Concerts at the Fortezza Pisana in Marciana
The great international classical and jazz music festival of Elba Island stops at the historic Fortezza Pisana in Marciana
About Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana
An international festival among the rocks of Marciana
The Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa Festival is one of the most important classical and jazz music events in all of Tuscany. Born in 1997 from the meeting between artistic director George Edelman and Russian violist Yuri Bashmet, the festival transforms the Island of Elba every summer into a large, widespread stage, where dozens of world-class soloists and chamber ensembles perform in places that combine landscape beauty with high-quality listening.
Among the most fascinating venues of the festival is the Fortezza Pisana in Marciana, in the medieval village perched on the slopes of Monte Capanne, in the Municipality of Marciana (province of Livorno). Here, at over three hundred meters above sea level, the ancient stone of the fortress and the view over the sea create a rare atmosphere, where chamber music finds a natural resonance chamber between sky and sea.
The Marciana stop on the Elban calendar
The festival takes place in many municipalities on the island — Portoferraio, Capoliveri, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Marina di Campo, Rio — with the Teatro dei Vigilanti in Portoferraio as its main venue. The concerts in Marciana represent some of the most intimate and refined evenings of the entire program: the audience reaches the Fortezza Pisana at sunset to listen to original programs, often dedicated to the dialogue between classical repertoire and the languages of jazz and tango.
World-renowned artists
The overall program brings together over seventy musicians from dozens of different nations every year. Recurring guests include names such as Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, and Mario Brunello, joined by young emerging talents awarded with the Elba Festival Prize. The presence in Marciana of chamber groups and solo duos allows you to witness top-level performances up close in an intimate space.
A unique experience on the Island of Elba
- Concerts in a historic fortress with views of the Tyrrhenian Sea
- Programs ranging from classical music to jazz and tango
- Internationally renowned soloists and chamber ensembles
- Intimate atmosphere in the village of Marciana, a jewel of the Elban hinterland
The festival is organized by the Associazione Opus 110 with the support of the Ministry of Culture, the Tuscany Region, and the Elban municipalities, and for nearly thirty years, it has been a reference point for lovers of great music vacationing on Elba.
Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana — edition 2026
30th edition — the Marciana concerts
The 2026 edition celebrates the festival's thirtieth anniversary with a program spread across the entire Island of Elba from August 28 to September 13. The Fortezza Pisana in Marciana hosts two exceptional evenings, included in a program that brings together stars of the international classical scene such as Martha Argerich, Gidon Kremer, and Mario Brunello.
Monday, September 7 — 6:30 PM, Fortezza Pisana
Violinist Gidon Kremer offers a tribute to Astor Piazzolla together with the Festival Soloists, featuring Chiara Sannicandro (violin), Katrīna Pelnēna (viola), Giedrė Dirvanauskaitė (cello), Iurii Gavryliuk (double bass), and Andrei Pushkarev (vibraphone): a journey into tango nuevo and the most famous pages of the Argentine composer.
Wednesday, September 10 — Fortezza Pisana
The duo formed by saxophonist Jacopo Taddei and accordionist Samuele Telari proposes a program ranging from Gershwin to the Brazilian Hermeto Pascoal and Chick Corea, in a brilliant dialogue between classical and jazz.
Highlights and tickets
Concerts in Marciana cost approximately 25 euros; tickets are available on Vivaticket starting June 21 and at the Portoferraio box office. The festival also includes free evenings at other island locations.
Programme Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana 2026
Monday, September 7 — 6:30 PM · Fortezza Pisana in Marciana
- Gidon Kremer (violin) and the Festival Soloists — Tribute to Astor Piazzolla
- With Chiara Sannicandro (violin), Katrīna Pelnēna (viola), Giedrė Dirvanauskaitė (cello), Iurii Gavryliuk (double bass), Andrei Pushkarev (vibraphone)
Wednesday, September 10 · Fortezza Pisana in Marciana
- Jacopo Taddei (saxophone) and Samuele Telari (accordion) — from Gershwin to Hermeto Pascoal and Chick Corea
The two Marciana events are part of the overall program of the 30th edition (August 28 – September 13, 2026), spread across Portoferraio, Capoliveri, Marciana Marina, Porto Azzurro, Marina di Campo, and Rio, featuring artists such as Martha Argerich (closing concert, September 13), Mario Brunello, Danilo Rea, and the Peter Bernstein quartet. Complete chronological program at www.elba-music.it.
Highlights Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana 2026
Prices Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana 2026
Practical information — Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana
How to get there
Marciana is located in the western part of the Island of Elba, in the province of Livorno. You can reach Elba by ferry from Piombino to Portoferraio (about an hour's sailing); from Portoferraio, continue by car towards Marciana along the western coastal road. The Fortezza Pisana is located in the upper village of Marciana: it is recommended to arrive early for parking and access on foot.
Tickets
Tickets can be purchased online on Vivaticket and at the festival box office at Via Vittorio Emanuele II, 1 in Portoferraio. For concerts in Marciana, the ticket price is approximately 25 euros. Information and presales: tel. +39 392 3815400 / +39 353 4121974, [email protected].
Tip
Bring a light jacket: evening concerts in the fortress, outdoors and at altitude, can be cool even in the middle of summer.
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Where does it take place — Elba Isola Musicale d'Europa in Marciana
Fortezza Pisana di Marciana