FestivaLiszt

A festival born in the footsteps of Franz Liszt

FestivaLiszt is the classical music festival that enlivens Grottammare every summer. Grottammare is an elegant seaside resort in the province of Ascoli Piceno, in the Marche region. The festival owes its name and identity to Franz Liszt, the renowned Hungarian composer and pianist who stayed in Grottammare in the summer of 1868. During that period, he used to visit the Church of Santa Lucia to pray with his spiritual guide, Don Antonio Solfanelli. It was in this church, with its perfect acoustics and significant historical value, that the first edition of the event was born in 2003.

The Church of Santa Lucia, the heart of the festival

After several seasons hosted in other city venues, FestivaLiszt has returned to the Church of Santa Lucia, a symbolic place of the connection between Grottammare and the great musician. The intimate naves and the acoustic quality of the building offer the audience an intimate and enveloping listening experience, ideal for the piano and chamber music repertoire that characterizes the festival. Alongside the evening concerts, one of the most beloved events is the dawn concert on the beach, in front of the Kursaal: a evocative appointment that opens the festival with music meeting the sunrise over the Adriatic Sea.

Great performers and young talents

Promoted by the Gioventù Musicale d'Italia (Italian Youth Music Association) and directed by the young musician Giuseppe Federico Paci, FestivaLiszt has built a high-profile program over the years, capable of alternating established pianists with new promises of international concert performance. Past seasons have seen performers such as Pierre Réach, Lorenzo Di Bella, Arsenii Moon, and numerous winners of piano competitions on stage, with a particular focus on emerging talents.

Music and territory

The festival extends beyond the borders of Grottammare, also involving the nearby Mercantini Theatre in Ripatransone, creating a dialogue between the coast and the Piceno hinterland. As part of the extensive summer program of the Municipality of Grottammare, which spans over four months of culture, music, and traditions, FestivaLiszt represents a key event for lovers of classical music spending their summer on the Marche Riviera.