Festa dell'Opera
Brescia becomes an open-air opera theatre, from dawn till midnight
About Festa dell'Opera
A City That Sings
For a day and a night, Brescia transforms into an immense operatic stage thanks to the Festa dell'Opera, conceived and organised by the Fondazione Teatro Grande. From dawn till midnight, famous arias and opera excerpts fill the city with dozens of free events, bringing the great repertoire out of the theatre and among the people.
Widespread Performance
The hallmark of the event is its widespread format: concerts and performances are held in unexpected locations—squares, churches, historic palaces, private residences, theatres, auditoriums, but also healthcare facilities and community centres. Arias are even broadcast in the metro stations, so that opera reaches every corner of the Lombard city and every type of audience.
Opera Meets All Genres
Festa dell'Opera is not a festival for aficionados only: the programme creates a dialogue between opera and jazz, electronic, pop, and swing, in a play of cross-pollination that makes melodrama lively and contemporary. Each edition revolves around a theme that serves as a common thread for musical and dramaturgical choices.
A National Recognition
For its ability to make opera a shared heritage, the Festa dell'Opera in Brescia has been awarded the Medal of the President of the Republic. It is now one of the most recognisable cultural events in the provincial capital and the entire region, a symbol of a new and inclusive way of experiencing Italian operatic tradition.
Festa dell'Opera — edition 2026
The 15th edition of Festa dell'Opera takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, with a preview on Friday, June 5, revolving around the theme "Conflicts": from social and geographical tensions to generational, psychological, and romantic ones.
Brescia transforms into an open-air opera theatre with over 50 free events in more than 40 locations: streets, squares, historic palaces, churches, theatres, metro stations, and community centres. Opera dialogues with jazz, electronic, pop, and swing.
Programme Festa dell'Opera 2026
Saturday, June 6, 2026 (preview Friday, June 5)
- Over 50 free events, from dawn till midnight, in more than 40 city locations
- Famous arias performed by Italian and international artists in squares, churches, and historic palaces
- Final scenes of an opera by Christoph Willibald Gluck at Palazzo Tosio
- A one-act farce by Francesco Gnecco with young singers and musicians from the Conservatorio Luca Marenzio
- Broadcast of opera arias in metro stations on June 5 and 6
- Cross-pollination between opera and jazz, electronic, pop, and swing
The complete programme with times and venues is available on the official website festadellopera.it.
Highlights Festa dell'Opera 2026
The Gluck scenes at Palazzo Tosio, the farce by the Conservatorio Marenzio, and the arias broadcast in the metro stations.
Prices Festa dell'Opera 2026
Practical information — Festa dell'Opera
Where
Teatro Grande and over 40 venues spread throughout Brescia: squares, churches, historic palaces, theatres, metro stations.
When
Early June, with a preview the day before. Events from dawn till midnight.
Admission
All events and concerts are free.
How to get there
Brescia is served by the high-speed Milan-Venice line and the A4 motorway. It is recommended to use the metro and bicycles to get around the festival venues.
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Where does it take place — Festa dell'Opera
Teatro Grande e luoghi diffusi in città
Corso Zanardelli 9a, 25121 Brescia