Emilia Romagna Festival — Concerts in Cesena
Great music spanning classical, jazz, and new languages in the Cloister of San Francesco
About ERF in Cesena
The Emilia Romagna Festival in Cesena
The Emilia Romagna Festival (ERF) is one of the most important classical and contemporary music festivals in Central-Northern Italy. Founded in 2001 and directed by flutist Massimo Mercelli, it hosts dozens of concerts every summer in over twenty locations across the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna, Bologna, and Ferrara. Among the historic venues for the event is the Municipality of Cesena, in Emilia-Romagna, where concerts take place in the picturesque Cloister of San Francesco.
The Cloister of San Francesco, an Open-Air Stage
The Cesena evenings of ERF are held in the Cloister of San Francesco, an ancient convent complex in the historic center of the city. With its arcades and silent portico, the cloister offers intimate acoustics and an intimate atmosphere, ideal for chamber music as well as jazz and crossover projects. Concerts usually begin at 9:00 PM, when the cool evening air makes listening outdoors even more pleasant.
A Program Between Classical and Contemporary
ERF's hallmark is the dialogue between classical repertoire and new languages, and the Cesena program is a perfect synthesis of this. Over a few weeks, string quartets and quintets from the great repertoire, tributes to singer-songwriters and jazz, musical readings, and original projects alternate, featuring international-level soloists and ensembles. Among the events that have enlivened the cloister are the Cameristi della Scala, jazz and pop voices, piano trios, and musical narratives.
- Genre: classical, chamber, jazz, and contemporary music
- Location: Cloister of San Francesco, historic center of Cesena
- Period: summer, from July to August/September
- Time: evening concerts, generally at 9:00 PM
Cesena and the Territory
Overlooking the first hills of Romagna, Cesena is a city of art rich in history, from the Rocca Malatestiana to the UNESCO World Heritage Malatestiana Library. The evenings of the Emilia Romagna Festival are the perfect opportunity to discover Cesena's historic center, amidst culture, Romagna's food and wine, and hospitality, in a vibrant and visitor-friendly urban setting.
Why Participate
Thanks to the artistic quality of the program and the affordable ticket prices, the ERF concerts in the Cloister of San Francesco are among the most recommended cultural events of the Romagna summer: great performers, a historic venue in the heart of Cesena, and an atmosphere rarely found in large concert halls.
ERF in Cesena — edition 2026
ERF 2026 in Cesena
The 26th edition of the Emilia Romagna Festival brings to Cesena, in the province of Forlì-Cesena, four evenings in the Cloister of San Francesco, all starting at 9:00 PM.
- July 16 — the Cameristi della Scala in quintet, with Massimo Mercelli on flute, in a program of classical music featuring works by Durante, Tartini, and Dvořák.
- August 3 — Due, a recital by vocalist Karima with pianist Dado Moroni, exploring Gershwin, soul and pop atmospheres, and contemporary jazz.
- August 22 — The Little Prince, a musical narration of the fairy tale by Saint-Exupéry with the voice of Vanessa Gravina and the piano of Corrado De Bernart, set to music by Bacalov, Penderecki, Glass, and Satie.
- August 31 — the Francesca Tandoi Trio (piano and vocals, double bass, drums) with the project SongBook Vol. 1.
The concerts are part of the ERF's summer program (July 1 – September 12, 2026), featuring about sixty events directed by Massimo Mercelli, spanning classical and contemporary music, in collaboration with the Municipality of Cesena and the Emilia-Romagna Region.
Programme ERF in Cesena 2026
2026 Program at the Cloister of San Francesco
- July 16, 9:00 PM — Cameristi della Scala — quintet. Roberto Nigro and Olga Zakharova (violins), Sabina Bakholdina (viola), Simone Groppo (cello), Giorgio Magistroni (double bass), with Massimo Mercelli on flute. Program: Francesco Durante, Concerto per archi n. 2 in G minor; Giuseppe Tartini, Concerto per flauto e archi in G major G. 291; Antonín Dvořák, String Quintet op. 77 in G major.
- August 3, 9:00 PM — Due: Karima (vocals) and Dado Moroni (piano), from George Gershwin to the soul and pop atmospheres of Whitney Houston, up to contemporary jazz.
- August 22, 9:00 PM — The Little Prince: Vanessa Gravina (narrator) and Corrado De Bernart (piano), with music by Bacalov, Penderecki, Glass, and Satie.
- August 31, 9:00 PM — Francesca Tandoi Trio with SongBook Vol. 1: Francesca Tandoi (piano and vocals), double bass, and drums, performing standards and original compositions.
Highlights ERF in Cesena 2026
- Four evening concerts in the Cloister of San Francesco, always at 9:00 PM
- The Cameristi della Scala with Massimo Mercelli on flute (Durante, Tartini, Dvořák)
- Vocal jazz by Karima with Dado Moroni and the musical narration of The Little Prince with Vanessa Gravina
- Part of the 26th edition of the Emilia Romagna Festival directed by Massimo Mercelli
Prices ERF in Cesena 2026
Practical information — ERF in Cesena
Where
Cloister of San Francesco, historic center of Cesena (FC), Emilia-Romagna. Concerts are held outdoors under the cloister's arcades.
How to get there
By car: take the Cesena exit from the A14 highway, then the bypass and follow signs for the city center. By train: Cesena station on the Bologna–Rimini line, a short distance from the historic center. Nearest airport: Federico Fellini Airport in Rimini (approx. 35 km), or Bologna Marconi Airport (approx. 90 km).
Tickets
Paid admission with affordable rates: in recent years, around 12 euros for full price, 5 euros for under 27s, and 1 euro for under 10s. Tickets and information are available on the official Emilia Romagna Festival website.
Tips
Concerts start at 9:00 PM: it is advisable to arrive early for seating. In case of bad weather, events may be moved indoors.
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Where does it take place — ERF in Cesena
Chiostro di San Francesco
Via Don Giovanni Minzoni, 47521 Cesena