Formello Chigi Festival
The Princes of Music: opera, baroque, and grand concert repertoire in the Chigi village
About Chigi Festival
A festival born from the Chigi patronage
The Formello Chigi Festival is the premier musical event in the Municipality of Formello, located in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, in the heart of Lazio. The title of the event, 'The Princes of Music', is no coincidence: it evokes both the great composers of the past and the Chigi family, princes of Formello, who in the 17th century turned the village and its palaces into a first-rate center for artistic and musical patronage. The festival was born from the desire to restore that vocation to the present, bringing classical music back into the spaces that hosted it four centuries ago.
A program that spans the centuries
The programming is intentionally broad and not confined to a single genre. The journey begins with musicological research into the 17th-century repertoire—with particular attention to Bernardo Pasquini, an organist and composer linked to the Chigi circle—and extends to 20th-century music and film scores. In between, there is room for opera, operetta, chamber music, singing, and dance, with forays into the Commedia dell'Arte.
- Baroque music: Corelli, Vivaldi, Geminiani, Händel, Broschi, Pasquini
- Classicism and Romanticism: Mozart, Haydn, Rossini, Strauss
- 20th Century and Contemporary: Nino Rota, Astor Piazzolla, Gershwin
- Opera and operetta in staged or semi-staged form
The venues: the village as a stage
One of the festival's most recognizable features is the choice of locations. Concerts are not held in an auditorium but within the historic fabric of the town, and each venue carries its own unique acoustics and atmosphere:
- Piazza San Lorenzo, the heart of the historic center, host to open-air summer evening concerts
- Church of San Lorenzo Martire, ideal for sacred and baroque repertoire
- Palazzo Chigi, with its courtyard, the historic residence of the family that gives the festival its name
- Villa Versaglia, an 18th-century historic home reopened to the public specifically for the festival
Artists and collaborations
Over the years, the lineup has hosted prominent names on the Italian scene, including violinist Uto Ughi, and specialized ensembles such as the Accademia Bernardo Pasquini. From 2026, the festival benefits from the collaboration of CIDIM — Comitato Nazionale Italiano Musica as part of the 'Musical Circulation in Italy' project supported by the Ministry of Culture, which brings the chamber orchestra I Filarmonici di Roma to Formello. The event is organized by the Municipality of Formello with the support of the Lazio Region and the Ministry of Culture.
Why it's worth the trip
Formello is just over twenty kilometers from Rome, on the edge of the Veio Park, and preserves a compact and well-maintained historic center. Attending a baroque concert in a village square in summer, with free admission and without the crowds of major festivals, is an experience that restores a rare sense of intimacy to classical music. For those visiting northern Lazio, the festival is also an excellent opportunity to discover an Etruscan-medieval village often overlooked by more beaten tourist paths.
A festival with free admission
All events in the festival are free of charge until capacity is reached. This is a deliberate choice by the municipal administration, which views the festival as a tool for musical outreach aimed at both residents and visitors from Rome and the surrounding area.
Chigi Festival — edition 2026
Formello Chigi Festival 2026
The 2026 lineup combined the festival's baroque vocation with an opening towards the grand concert repertoire. The inaugural evening on April 11, in the Church of San Lorenzo Martire, featured 'The Countertenor between Broschi and Händel' with countertenor Stefano Guadagnini, a journey into the gallant Europe of the 18th century.
In July, the festival moved outdoors to Piazza San Lorenzo for two concerts by the chamber orchestra I Filarmonici di Roma, held in collaboration with CIDIM — Comitato Nazionale Italiano Musica as part of the 'Musical Circulation in Italy' project supported by the Ministry of Culture. On July 4, the 'Melody and Virtuosity' program brought together Corelli, Vivaldi, Geminiani, and Haydn; on July 18, the orchestra shared the stage with Alessandro Quarta, violinist and composer, accompanied on piano by Giuseppe Magagnino, for a journey from Mozart and Tartini to Nino Rota and Astor Piazzolla.
Programme Chigi Festival 2026
Saturday, April 11, 2026 — 9:00 PM, Church of San Lorenzo Martire
'The Countertenor between Broschi and Händel' — inaugural concert with countertenor Stefano Guadagnini. An evening dedicated to the harmonies of the Baroque period and the musical tale of gallant Europe, featuring pages by Riccardo Broschi and Georg Friedrich Händel.
Saturday, July 4, 2026 — 9:00 PM, Piazza San Lorenzo
'Melody and Virtuosity' — concert by the chamber orchestra I Filarmonici di Roma. Featuring masterpieces of the classical and baroque repertoire: Arcangelo Corelli, Antonio Vivaldi, Francesco Geminiani, and Franz Joseph Haydn.
Saturday, July 18, 2026 — 9:00 PM, Piazza San Lorenzo
I Filarmonici di Roma with Alessandro Quarta, violinist and composer, and Giuseppe Magagnino on piano. A musical journey through several centuries with music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Giuseppe Tartini, Nino Rota, and Astor Piazzolla.
The two July concerts are part of the 'Musical Circulation in Italy' project by CIDIM, supported by the Ministry of Culture, in collaboration with the Municipality of Formello.
Highlights Chigi Festival 2026
- April 11 — 'The Countertenor between Broschi and Händel': vocal baroque in the Church of San Lorenzo Martire, with Stefano Guadagnini
- July 4 — 'Melody and Virtuosity': I Filarmonici di Roma performing Corelli, Vivaldi, Geminiani, and Haydn under the sky of Piazza San Lorenzo
- July 18 — Alessandro Quarta as a guest of the orchestra: from Mozart and Tartini to Nino Rota and Piazzolla, the most eclectic concert of the edition
- Open-air concerts in the historic village center, a stone's throw from Palazzo Chigi
- Free admission to all events
Prices Chigi Festival 2026
Practical information — Chigi Festival
How to get there
By car from Rome: Via Cassia bis (SS2 bis Veientana) or Grande Raccordo Anulare, exit Formello—about 25 km from the center of Rome, 30 minutes. From the A1, take the Roma Nord exit. By train and bus: FL3 Roma-Viterbo line (La Storta or Cesano stop), then Cotral bus to Formello. Airports: Rome Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino.
Where the concerts take place
Piazza San Lorenzo, Church of San Lorenzo Martire, Palazzo Chigi courtyard, and Villa Versaglia, all in the historic center of Formello (00060, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital). Parking is available on the outskirts of the historic center, which is largely pedestrianized.
Tickets
Free admission to all concerts, subject to availability. It is recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes early for evenings in Piazza San Lorenzo.
Tips
Evening concerts usually start at 9:00 PM. For outdoor events, a light jacket is useful. The village offers trattorias and local spots within walking distance of the concert venues; for accommodation, there are farmhouses in the countryside between Formello and the Veio Park.
Information
Culture Office of the Municipality of Formello, tel. +39 06 90194240 — [email protected] — [email protected]
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Where does it take place — Chigi Festival
Piazza San Lorenzo, Chiesa di San Lorenzo Martire, Palazzo Chigi e Villa Versaglia
Piazza San Lorenzo, 00060 Formello