Il Nigra Cantato – National Folk Music Festival

A festival born from the roots of the Canavese

Il Nigra Cantato is the National Folk Music Festival of Castellamonte, a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Turin in the heart of the Canavese, Piedmont. The event was created to celebrate the figure of Costantino Nigra, a diplomat, poet, and above all, a pioneer in the study of folk songs, author of the collection Canti popolari del Piemonte. Building on this legacy, the festival aims to keep traditional music alive and enhance the deep bond between folk singing and Canavese roots.

Traditional music and great guests

Conceived by Giuseppe Calabrese and Ambrogio Sparagna, the festival has successfully attracted some of the most authoritative protagonists of Italian folk music in just a few years. The second edition, in 2025, featured a concert by Eugenio Bennato on the stage of the Ex Caricatore Ferroviario, offering an intense journey through tammurriate, the sounds of the South, and stories of struggle and hope. Alongside national guests, local groups such as the Coro Bajolese and the Cantori Salesi—guardians of the Canavese polyphonic repertoire—perform alongside Ambrogio Sparagna's Italian Folk Orchestra.

An event spread across town and hamlets

Il Nigra Cantato is not just a concert lineup: it is a widespread event that brings Castellamonte and its surrounding areas to life. The program alternates between cultural insights, with conferences dedicated to Costantino Nigra, workshops on traditional musical instruments, and itinerant music through the streets and squares of the center. There is also a convivial dimension, with gastronomic walks that combine the pleasure of listening with the local cuisine of the Canavese.

Within the framework of the Ceramics Exhibition

The festival is part of the grand Ceramics Exhibition of Castellamonte, one of the most important events dedicated to ceramic art in Italy, which transforms the town into an open-air museum every year between August and September. The synergy between folk music and ceramic tradition authentically tells the story of the identity of the Canavese and the Piedmont Region, offering residents and visitors a weekend of culture, art, and conviviality.

Why attend

• Folk music concerts with nationally renowned artists
• Traditional choirs and groups from the Canavese area
• Conferences and workshops on the musical roots of Piedmont
• Gastronomic walks and itinerant music in the center of Castellamonte
• An event integrated into the historic Ceramics Exhibition