Ferento Theater Festival
Theater, music, and dance under the stars at the Roman Theater of Ferento, in the heart of the Viterbo Tuscia region
About Ferento Festival
A festival among the ruins of a Roman city
The Ferento Theater Festival is the historic summer event that brings the Roman Theater of Ferento to life. Located at the archaeological site of ancient Ferentium, about nine kilometers north of Viterbo along the Teverina road, the festival's summer seasons date back to the early 1960s and today represent one of the most awaited cultural appointments in the Tuscia region. Watching a performance on the millennial stone tiers at sunset, with Roman ruins as a natural backdrop, is an experience that blends performance, history, and landscape like few others in Italy.
The Consorzio Teatro Tuscia and artistic direction
Since 2003, the Ferento season has been organized by the Consorzio Teatro Tuscia, a cultural entity established in 1992 that long managed the Teatro dell'Unione in Viterbo. The artistic direction is entrusted to Patrizia Natale, who for over twenty years has curated lineups that weave classical repertoire with contemporary theater, singer-songwriter music, dance, and in-depth cultural analysis. The festival is recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a nationally significant event and is supported by the Municipality of Viterbo, the Lazio Region, the Fondazione Carivit, and ANCE Viterbo.
Two stages: the Roman Theater and the Ancient Baths
The program unfolds across two complementary spaces within the archaeological site. The Roman Theater hosts major evening events—concerts, plays featuring prominent actors, dance, and comedy—starting at 9:15 PM. The Ancient Baths area hosts a more intimate and experimental series, with shows at 7:30 PM preceded by guided tours of the archaeological site at 6:30 PM, organized by ArcheoTuscia: a format that turns every evening into a small journey into antiquity.
A lineup of big names
Over the years, the Ferento stage has welcomed leading figures from the Italian and international scene. The 2026 edition, scheduled from July 11 to August 19, opens with a concert by the Gipsy Kings and continues with Alessandro Bergonzoni, Ambra Angiolini, Sigfrido Ranucci, Marco Travaglio, Massimo Ranieri, Massimiliano Gallo, and Paola Minaccioni, spanning drama, opera, ballet, and musical tributes, with six national premieres. The 2025 edition brought artists such as Stefano Bollani, Moni Ovadia, Amanda Sandrelli, and Marisa Laurito to Ferento.
Ferento and the Tuscia region: performance, history, and territory
The festival is also an invitation to discover the Viterbo Tuscia region: the city of Viterbo with its medieval San Pellegrino district and the Papal Palace, the villages of the Teverina, the thermal springs, and the countryside dotted with Etruscan and Roman sites. During the evenings at the Roman Theater, a refreshment area and free parking are available, and the audience travels from across the province of Viterbo, Rome, and Umbria, confirming the festival's role as a bridge between live performance and the enhancement of Lazio's archaeological heritage.
Ferento Festival — edition 2026
From July 11 to August 19, 2026, the Ferento Theater Festival returns to animate the archaeological site of Ferento, a few kilometers from Viterbo, with over forty days of programming: 15 events at the Roman Theater, 8 at the Ancient Baths area, and 6 national premieres, spanning music, drama, dance, and cultural analysis.
The inauguration, on Saturday, July 11 at 9:15 PM, is entrusted to the Gipsy Kings with the Bamboleo World Tour led by founder Pablo Reyes, an evening linked to the Tuscia in Jazz for SLA fundraising campaign. The Roman Theater lineup alternates between authorial comedy, great acting performances, theatrical journalism, opera, ballet, and musical tributes, while the Ancient Baths host the more experimental series, with shows at 7:30 PM preceded by ArcheoTuscia guided tours at 6:30 PM.
The season is curated by the Consorzio Teatro Tuscia under the artistic direction of Patrizia Natale, with recognition from the Ministry of Culture and support from the Municipality of Viterbo, the Lazio Region, the Fondazione Carivit, and ANCE Viterbo.
Programme Ferento Festival 2026
Roman Theater (9:15 PM)
- July 11 — Gipsy Kings, Bamboleo World Tour (opening, with Tuscia in Jazz for SLA fundraiser)
- July 13 — Accademia degli S. Vitati, Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi
- July 15 — Alessandro Bergonzoni, Arrivano i Dunque
- July 17 — Ambra Angiolini, La misteriosa scomparsa di W
- July 20 — Sigfrido Ranucci, Diario di un trapezista
- July 23 — Edoardo Siravo and Francesca Bianco, Il malato immaginario
- July 25 — Marco Travaglio, Cornuti e contenti
- July 29 — Silvia Siravo, Medea
- July 30 — Massimo Ranieri, Tutti i sogni ancora in volo
- August 1 — Pink Floyd Legend, The Dark Side of the Moon
- August 5 — Massimiliano Gallo, Lettera ad Eduardo
- August 8 — Paola Minaccioni, La vita è bella
- August 11 — Almatanz Company, Swan Lake
- August 14 — Roberta Bonanno, Tina Turner - The Queen of Rock
- August 19 — La sera dei miracoli, tribute to Lucio Dalla
Ancient Baths (7:30 PM, guided tour at 6:30 PM)
- Eight events starting July 14 (July 14, 16, 22, 28, 31; August 4, 7, 12), including Pulcinella alla corte di Augusto with Mario Brancaccio and Gianluca Enria, Rossini vs Bach by the Una Urban Dance Company, a Hamlet with Michele Sinisi, readings dedicated to Fabrizio De André, and Odysseus Superstar by the Collettivo Van
Highlights Ferento Festival 2026
- Inaugural concert by the Gipsy Kings on July 11 at the Roman Theater
- 23 events in two spaces of the archaeological site, with 6 national premieres
- Massimo Ranieri, Marco Travaglio, Ambra Angiolini, and Alessandro Bergonzoni among the protagonists
- Guided tours of the archaeological site before the shows at the Ancient Baths
- Opera and ballet under the stars: Suor Angelica, Gianni Schicchi, and Swan Lake
Prices Ferento Festival 2026
Practical information — Ferento Festival
How to get there
The Roman Theater of Ferento is located in the Ferento area, along the Teverina road, about 9 km north of Viterbo (direction Grotte Santo Stefano). It is easily reached by car; during performances, free unmonitored parking is available near the site. The reference railway station is Viterbo, which is connected to Rome.
Tickets
Advance tickets are available at the Underground ticket office on Via della Palazzina in Viterbo (tel. +39 0761 342987) and online via the TicketItalia, TicketOne, and Ciaotickets circuits. Prices vary depending on the show.
Times and tips
Shows at the Roman Theater start at 9:15 PM; at the Ancient Baths at 7:30 PM, with a guided tour of the archaeological site at 6:30 PM. A refreshment point is active during the evenings. Comfortable clothing is recommended: the site is outdoors and summer evenings in the Tuscia region can be cool.
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Where does it take place — Ferento Festival
Teatro Romano di Ferento
Località Ferento, Strada Teverina, 01100 Viterbo