I Cantieri dell'Immaginario – Capitignano Stage

I Cantieri dell'Immaginario in Capitignano

I Cantieri dell'Immaginario is a summer live performance festival that brings music, theater, dance, storytelling, and experimental art to L'Aquila and its surrounding territory every year. Coordinated by the Teatro Stabile d'Abruzzo and promoted by the Municipality of L'Aquila, the event has become one of the most anticipated cultural highlights of the Abruzzo summer. The 2026 edition—the ninth—holds special significance as it accompanies L'Aquila's journey as the 2026 Italian Capital of Culture.

The village of Capitignano in the program

One of the most beautiful aspects of I Cantieri dell'Immaginario is the decision not to remain confined to the capital's historic center. Alongside iconic L'Aquila venues—such as the San Bernardino Staircase, the San Filippo Theater, and the Castle Park—the program extends to the smaller towns in the province. Capitignano, a mountain village in the Alto Aterno region nestled in the greenery at the foot of the Gran Sasso and the Monti della Laga, joins the lineup with a high-profile evening designed to bring live performance into an intimate and evocative setting, far from large theaters but no less exciting.

Live music under the stars

The Capitignano stage is dedicated to singer-songwriter music: during the evening dedicated to the village, the audience can enjoy a concert under the stars, with the stage set up among the town's streets and squares. It is an opportunity to rediscover a part of the L'Aquila hinterland that has suffered greatly over the years but, thanks to initiatives like this, is returning to being a place of encounter, community, and culture.

A widespread and accessible festival

I Cantieri dell'Immaginario focuses on the idea of culture as a shared asset open to everyone. The 2026 program features dozens of events between July 4 and August 6, including major national guests and original productions. The festival places great emphasis on accessibility, with shows interpreted in LIS (Italian Sign Language) for the deaf community and affordable ticket prices. The stop in the village of Capitignano, in the province of L'Aquila and in the heart of the Abruzzo mountains, is an invitation to discover another side of the festival: that of small towns coming back to life through art.