ISA Summer Concert — Abruzzo Symphonic Institution

Symphonic music on the Cinque Miglia Plateau

The ISA Summer Concert is the annual event that brings the Abruzzo Symphonic Institution to Pescocostanzo, one of Italy's most beautiful villages. Nestled at an altitude of over 1,300 meters on the Cinque Miglia Plateau, in the province of L'Aquila and at the gateway to the Majella National Park, the village provides a breathtaking backdrop. Around Ferragosto, the ISA orchestra travels to the Abruzzo mountains to treat the public to a live concert that has become a well-established local summer tradition.

The Abruzzo Symphonic Institution

Founded in 1970 and based in L'Aquila, the ISA is one of the thirteen officially recognized Orchestral Concert Institutions (ICO) in Italy and serves as the region's primary symphonic body. Under the artistic direction of Maestro Ettore Pellegrino, the orchestra performs throughout Abruzzo and beyond, alternating classical repertoire with original productions that bridge the gap between contemporary music, singer-songwriter classics, and cinema. The Pescocostanzo concert is a key stop on the institution's extensive summer tour, which visits dozens of locations across Abruzzo and Central Italy each year.

The 2026 Program: Colossal Time

For the 2026 summer season, the Pescocostanzo concert, scheduled for August 14th, will feature Colossal Time, one of the flagship productions in the ISA repertoire. Conducted by Maestro Roberto Molinelli, the show is a journey through the greatest film music ever written: from the scores of John Williams to the iconic soundtracks of Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota, covering legendary themes from Star Wars to Harry Potter, and from Gladiator to James Bond and Pirates of the Caribbean. This production is part of a ten-date tour across Central Italy.

A Ferragosto Tradition

The symphonic concert in Pescocostanzo has long been one of the most beloved events of the village's summer season. In previous years, the ISA orchestra, led by Roberto Molinelli, has paid tribute to international pop and rock legends, with symphonic reinterpretations of hits by Queen, ABBA, Michael Jackson, and Pink Floyd. While the program changes annually, the spirit remains the same: bringing live orchestral music to the streets and squares of one of the most picturesque historic centers in the Abruzzo mountains.

Pescocostanzo, a jewel of Abruzzo

Recognized as one of the Most Beautiful Villages in Italy, the Municipality of Pescocostanzo preserves a valuable Renaissance and Baroque historic center, famous for its wrought iron, bobbin lace, and goldsmithing traditions. The setting of the Cinque Miglia Plateau, in the heart of Abruzzo and just a stone's throw from the Majella, makes the ISA summer concert the perfect opportunity to combine a high-level musical evening with the discovery of a region rich in history, nature, and tradition.