L'ingegnere di Babele – Gesualdo Bufalino Festival
The cultural festival in Comiso celebrating Gesualdo Bufalino through theatre, music, art, and literature
About L'ingegnere di Babele
A festival in honor of Gesualdo Bufalino
"L'ingegnere di Babele" is the cultural festival that brings Comiso, in the heart of the Ragusa Province, Sicily, to life every year between June and July. Promoted by the Gesualdo Bufalino Foundation, the event pays homage to the great writer (1920-1996), author of masterpieces like Diceria dell'untore, and takes its name from one of the images most dear to his poetics: language as a Tower of Babel, an infinite workshop of words and expressions.
A month of theatre, music, art, and literature
The festival stands out for its multidisciplinary nature: for about a month, the loggia and the Foundation Gallery, overlooking Piazza delle Erbe, host theatrical performances, concerts, literary readings, and art exhibitions. The program constantly intertwines Bufalino’s writing with live music, visual arts, and cinema, offering the public a fresh dialogue between the written page and other forms of expression.
A showcase for Sicilian culture
Over the years, the festival has brought nationally renowned actors, musicians, and artists to Comiso, transforming the small Iblean town into a landmark for Sicilian culture. The exhibitions set up in the Foundation Gallery have paid tribute to masters of Sicilian painting, while the concerts and shows have ranged from jazz to singer-songwriter music, and from spoken-word theatre to documentaries.
Comiso and Bufalino's legacy
The city of Comiso maintains a deep bond with its most famous writer: Bufalino lived here and set many of his pages in this town, and the Foundation that bears his name preserves his memory and heritage. The festival represents the pinnacle of this work, an opportunity to rediscover Bufalino’s language and imagery, and through them, the cultural identity of the Iblean province.
Access and atmosphere
Most events are free to attend, with the Foundation's loggia serving as the natural stage for summer evenings. The intimate and cozy atmosphere of the historic spaces in Piazza delle Erbe makes the festival a particularly evocative experience, where culture is lived in direct contact with artists and performers.
L'ingegnere di Babele — edition 2026
Sixth edition: thirty years without Bufalino
The 2026 edition of L'ingegnere di Babele takes place from June 5 to July 5 in Comiso and the surrounding Iblean area, marking the thirtieth anniversary of Gesualdo Bufalino's death. The festival, promoted by the Gesualdo Bufalino Foundation, offers a program rich in theatrical performances, concerts, exhibitions, and literary meetings, mostly free of charge.
Main events
The opening on June 5 features the theatrical-musical show R4cconti by Giovanni Arezzo and Giorgia Faraone, a reading-concert of four short stories by Bufalino with original live music. On June 6, the exhibition Quadri per un'esposizione… Qualcuno, per favore, me li dipinge? by Giampiero Nanni opens in the Foundation Gallery. Other highlights include: the solo piano concert by Ruben Micieli (June 14), the concert by Giovanni Caccamo (June 19, the only ticketed event), the monologue Il Dio bambino with Fabio Troiano (June 21), and the concert by the Giovanni Digiacomo Quartet featuring trumpeter Fabrizio Bosso (June 28).
Towards the closing
On July 4, Gaetano Aronica performs Il miracolo del bis. Frammenti di un dialogo immaginario with Gesualdo Bufalino. The festival concludes on July 5 at the Cinema Golden in Vittoria with the preview of the documentary Sulle soglie della notte. Gesualdo Bufalino, fotogrammi di una vita immaginaria.
Programme L'ingegnere di Babele 2026
- June 5, 9 PM – "R4cconti", theatrical-musical show by Giovanni Arezzo and Giorgia Faraone
- June 6, 7 PM – Exhibition opening "Quadri per un'esposizione…" by Giampiero Nanni (Foundation Gallery)
- June 13 – "30 years without Bufalino", event in Ragusa as part of "A Tutto Volume"
- June 14 – Solo piano concert by Ruben Micieli (Foundation loggia)
- June 19 – Concert by Giovanni Caccamo (ticketed event)
- June 21 – "Il Dio bambino", monologue with Fabio Troiano, directed by Giorgio Gallione
- June 28, 9 PM – Giovanni Digiacomo Quartet featuring Fabrizio Bosso (trumpet)
- July 4 – "Il miracolo del bis" with Gaetano Aronica
- July 5, 9 PM – Documentary preview "Sulle soglie della notte" (Cinema Golden, Vittoria)
Highlights L'ingegnere di Babele 2026
Prices L'ingegnere di Babele 2026
Practical information — L'ingegnere di Babele
Getting there
Comiso is located in the Province of Ragusa, in south-eastern Sicily. By car, it can be reached via the SS115; the reference airport is Comiso Airport (Pio La Torre), while Catania-Fontanarossa serves long-haul connections. The Comiso train station is on the Syracuse-Gela line.
Venue
Events mainly take place at the Gesualdo Bufalino Foundation, at Piazza delle Erbe 13 in Comiso (loggia and Foundation Gallery). Some events are held at other locations in the Iblean area, such as the Cinema Golden in Vittoria.
Admission
Most events are free to attend. For ticketed events, pre-sale is available online. Full program and updates are available on the Foundation's website and social media channels.
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Where does it take place — L'ingegnere di Babele
Fondazione Gesualdo Bufalino
Piazza delle Erbe 13, 97013 Comiso