Greve Opera Academy

Greve Opera Academy: opera among the Chianti vineyards

Every summer, the village of Greve in Chianti, in the Province of Florence, transforms into an open-air stage for the great operatic and chamber music tradition. The Greve Opera Academy is much more than a concert series: it is an advanced training academy that, since 2015, has welcomed young opera talents from the United States, Italy, Canada, China, Austria, Poland, Romania, Cyprus, and Australia for an intensive month of residency across Greve, Figline Valdarno, Empoli, and Florence.

A musical bridge between Chianti and Connecticut

The project was born from the partnership between the Municipality of Greve in Chianti and the Connecticut Lyric Opera–Connecticut Virtuosi, under the general direction of Adrian Sylveen. Singers selected through international auditions have the opportunity to study and perform in full operatic productions accompanied by a professional orchestra, the Greve in Chianti Chamber Orchestra, and the Teatro Garibaldi Choir of Figline Valdarno. It is a rare educational experience that combines academic study with stage practice.

Three evenings open to the public

The public heart of the academy is a series of free events that bring the most evocative locations of the village to life: the Church of Santa Croce, the Terrace of the Museum of San Francesco, and the Santa Croce square. The repertoire ranges from sacred Baroque music to chamber music, culminating in comic opera in a staged format, in a crescendo that accompanies the spectator throughout the Greve summer.

A unique atmosphere in the Florentine Chianti

Attending a Greve Opera Academy concert means listening to world-class music in an intimate and authentic setting, far from large auditoriums but close to the audience. The backdrop of Chianti, with its hills, vineyards, and the medieval architecture of Greve, gives the evenings a charm that few opera festivals can offer. Free admission makes the festival a beloved event for both residents and tourists choosing Tuscany for their summer.

Useful information

• Where: Greve in Chianti (FI), Tuscany
• When: from June 18 to July 3, 2026
• Admission: free for all evenings
• Organization: Municipality of Greve in Chianti with the Connecticut Lyric Opera–Connecticut Virtuosi