Jenne New Year's Concert

A New Year of music in the heart of the Simbruini Mountains

In Jenne, a village of a few hundred inhabitants perched in the upper Aniene Valley, in the province of Rome, the first day of the year doesn't start with fireworks, but with a symphonic concert. The New Year's Concert is held in the parish church of Sant'Andrea Apostolo and has become a well-established tradition: an event that, in a Lazio municipality far from the major circuits, brings a high-level professional ensemble just steps away from the houses of the historic center.

The Melos Ensemble: Choir and Orchestra

The star of the evening is the Melos Ensemble, a musical association that brings together a polyphonic choir and a symphonic orchestra, conducted by maestro Filippo Manci, the group's artistic and musical director. The ensemble performing in the church consists of about forty members: professionals from some of Italy's most important musical institutions, including the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. The quality of the performance is what has made this appointment a small phenomenon in the landscape of Christmas events in the Roman province.

A brilliant program, from waltzes to opera

The musical selection follows the classic spirit of European New Year's concerts, with a repertoire designed to be elegant yet accessible. The program spans four great names:

• Johann Strauss — waltzes and polkas, the rhythmic heart of the evening;
• Giuseppe Verdi — symphonic and choral pages from the operatic repertoire;
• Jacques Offenbach — the brilliant and theatrical side;
• Gioachino Rossini — overtures and show-stopping pieces.

A journey built on contrasts, alternating moments of orchestral momentum with more intimate passages entrusted to the solo voice and choir. The church's acoustics, intimate and reverberant, add a unique dimension to the listening experience: the audience sits just a few meters from the musicians, with no barriers.

The solo voice

Alongside the orchestra, there is room for a solo voice: for the January 1, 2026 edition, it was the young Spanish soprano Ariadna Vilardaga Gómez, who placed fourth in an international competition in 2025. The presence of a high-level soloist is a constant feature of the event and helps give the concert a profile that goes beyond the local dimension.

A community celebration

Beyond its artistic value, the Jenne New Year's Concert is above all a collective moment. The church fills to capacity: residents, families returning for the holidays, and visitors from the nearby towns of the Aniene Valley and the Simbruini area. At the end of the performance, Mayor Giorgio Pacchiarotti addresses the citizens on behalf of the municipal administration, highlighting the value of art and music as tools for growth and sharing for a small mountain community.

The initiative is promoted by the Municipality of Jenne with the support of the Lazio Regional Council and the collaboration of the Jenne Pro Loco, which enlivens the village with markets and Christmas events during the same period.

Jenne: The village and its territory

Jenne is worth the detour even beyond the concert. The village stands at over 800 meters above sea level, within the Simbruini Mountains Regional Natural Park, the largest in Lazio. From here, you can easily reach the Monastery of Saint Benedict and the Holy Cave (Sacro Speco) of Subiaco, some of the founding sites of Benedictine monasticism, as well as the trails and springs that characterize the upper valley. A January 1st in Jenne therefore means combining a symphonic concert open to all with a winter walk in one of the most pristine landscapes in the region.