Lyric Festival of the Stone Theatres
Opera, symphonic music, and civil memory amidst the ancient temples and theatres of Sicily, with a stop in the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento
About Stone Theatres Agrigento
A festival that makes Sicily's stones sing
The Lyric Festival of the Stone Theatres is one of the island's most ambitious summer festivals: an itinerary that, from July to September, lights up Sicily's most fascinating archaeological sites—from Greek theatres to temple areas—with music and theatre. Promoted by the Coro Lirico Siciliano and artistically directed by Francesco Costa, the festival has built a programme over the years that creates a dialogue between opera, symphonic film scores, singer-songwriter music, and civil memory. The 2025 edition surpassed 70,000 attendees, and for 2026, the Sicilian Region has recognized it as an event of major tourist appeal.
The Agrigento stop, in the heart of the Valley of the Temples
In Agrigento, in the province of Agrigento, Sicily, the festival chooses the Teatro dell'Efebo as its stage, overlooking the Valley of the Temples archaeological site: a setting unique in the world, where music resonates beside Doric temples illuminated at night. Here, the festival presents some of its most anticipated productions, choosing Agrigento as one of the project's symbolic cities alongside Syracuse, Taormina, Tindari, Monte Jato, and Selinunte.
The 2026 edition: "Caressing Eternity"
The eighth edition, titled "Caressing Eternity", runs from July 12th to September 18th, 2026, with over forty events across the island. Among the productions visiting Agrigento, the "Mozart Requiem - The Opera of Fire" stands out; this is its absolute premiere in Sicily, a show that intertwines music, dance, and live flames on stage at the Teatro dell'Efebo. On August 27th, Agrigento will also host "The Dawn within the Eternal", a tribute to Franco Battiato conceived for the eightieth anniversary of the maestro's birth.
Music, myth, and civil commitment
The festival's common thread is not just the beauty of the locations: each edition pairs great operatic titles and symphonic tributes with a journey of memory and civil commitment. The festival thus unites expert audiences and curious visitors, opera lovers and tourists, in an experience that makes Sicily's stone theatres and temples an unrepeatable backdrop for great live music.
- Where: Teatro dell'Efebo, Valley of the Temples, Agrigento
- When: July-September (Agrigento stop in August)
- Organizer: Coro Lirico Siciliano
- Artistic Direction: Francesco Costa
Stone Theatres Agrigento — edition 2026
The 2026 edition, titled "Caressing Eternity", is the festival's eighth and offers over forty events distributed throughout Sicily between July 12th and September 18th. In Agrigento, the programme brings two of the festival's flagship productions to the setting of the Valley of the Temples, confirming the city as one of the event's symbolic venues.
Programme Stone Theatres Agrigento 2026
Agrigento Stop - Teatro dell'Efebo, Valley of the Temples
- Mozart Requiem - The Opera of Fire — absolute premiere in Sicily, a production combining music, dance, and live flames (also performed in Catania, at the Teatro Andromeda in Santo Stefano Quisquina, and at the Temple of Hera in Selinunte).
- August 27 — "The Dawn within the Eternal": tribute to Franco Battiato for the eightieth anniversary of the maestro's birth.
Other festival events in Sicily
- Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi, directed by Salvo Dolce, featuring Elena Mosuc and Badral Chuluumbaatar (Syracuse, Tindari, Taormina).
- Homage to Ennio Morricone and symphonic tributes to cinema (Hans Zimmer, Ludovico Einaudi).
- Inaugural show "Lu scrusciu di l'Anima" on July 12th at the Greek Theatre of Monte Jato, dedicated to the memory of Giuseppe Di Matteo.
The detailed programme with exact dates for all shows in Agrigento is updated on the official Coro Lirico Siciliano channels in the weeks leading up to the festival.
Highlights Stone Theatres Agrigento 2026
Prices Stone Theatres Agrigento 2026
Practical information — Stone Theatres Agrigento
How to get there
The Teatro dell'Efebo is located within the Valley of the Temples area in Agrigento. By car, it can be reached from Palermo or Catania via the SS189 / SS640; by train, Agrigento Centrale station is connected to the main Sicilian cities, from which you can continue by local bus towards the Valley of the Temples.
Tickets
Tickets for individual shows are on sale online through pre-sale circuits (TicketOne) and, when scheduled, at the evening box office at the performance venues. Early booking is recommended for the most popular events.
Tips
Performances are held outdoors in the evening: bring a light jacket for the night and arrive early to enjoy your arrival at the illuminated archaeological site.
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Where does it take place — Stone Theatres Agrigento
Teatro dell'Efebo, Valle dei Templi