Macerata Opera Festival
The grand open-air opera festival at the Sferisterio Arena
About Macerata Opera Festival
An Opera Festival Among Italy's Most Beloved
The Macerata Opera Festival is the major summer opera event that animates the capital of the Province of Macerata, in the Marche region, every year. Its venue, the Sferisterio Arena, is a neoclassical monument unique in the world: built between 1819 and 1829 for the game of 'pallone col bracciale' (a type of handball), it is now famous for its extraordinary acoustics and its very long back wall that frames the stage. Since 1921, the year of the historic first performance of 'Aida', the Sferisterio has become one of Italy's temples of open-air opera, second only in fame to the Arena di Verona.
Great Operas Under the Stars
Each summer, the festival presents several titles from the grand operatic repertoire, staged with productions curated by prominent directors and performed by international voices. Alongside masterpieces by Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, and the great composers of the 19th century, the programme is enriched by symphonic concerts, ballets, opera galas, and more contemporary productions. The strength of the Macerata Opera Festival lies precisely in this balance between tradition and innovation, between established bel canto stars and emerging young talents.
Much More Than Just a Programme
The festival is not just about opera. A rich programme of collateral events flourishes around the evening performances: 'Cultural Aperitifs', meetings with artists, guided tours of the Sferisterio, inclusion projects like 'InclusivOpera' dedicated to audiences with disabilities, and educational activities that involve thousands of students each year. Macerata lives its summer to the rhythm of opera, and the entire historic city becomes part of the experience.
An International Draw
With an average of over two thousand paying spectators per evening and numerous tourist groups from all over Europe, the Macerata Opera Festival is now an event of international appeal, capable of drawing a cultured and curious audience to the Marche region. For those visiting the region in summer, an evening at the Sferisterio is the most intense way to discover the musical soul and elegance of this land.
How to Experience the Festival
- Where: Sferisterio Arena, in the historic centre of Macerata (MC), Marche.
- When: during the central weeks of summer, between July and August.
- Tickets: on sale through the official Vivaticket circuit and the Sferisterio ticket office, with prices divided by seating section and numerous discounts.
Macerata Opera Festival — edition 2026
The 62nd edition of the Macerata Opera Festival runs at the Sferisterio Arena in Macerata from July 17 to August 9, 2026. The programme features four highly anticipated productions, entrusted to directors and conductors of international calibre, with the FORM-Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana and the Coro Lirico Marchigiano "Vincenzo Bellini" on the podium. The balance, now a hallmark of the festival, between highly popular repertoire titles and emerging performers alongside established voices is confirmed.
The edition celebrates the charm of open-air opera in the evocative setting of the Sferisterio, a neoclassical monument in the heart of the Marche capital. Tickets are on sale through the official Vivaticket circuit and at the Sferisterio ticket office.
Programme Macerata Opera Festival 2026
Nabucco — Giuseppe Verdi
Dates: July 17 & 26, August 1 & 9. Directed by Paul-Émile Fourny, conducted by Fabrizio Maria Carminati. Cast includes Ariun Ganbataar (Nabucco), Anastasia Bartoli (Abigaille), Alberto Comes (Zaccaria). New production.
The Barber of Seville — Gioachino Rossini
Dates: July 18 & 24, August 2 & 8. Directed by Daniele Menghini, conducted by Gianluca Martinenghi. Cast includes Grisha Martirosyan (Figaro), Ruzil Gatin (Count Almaviva), Raffaella Lupinacci (Rosina).
Il Trovatore — Giuseppe Verdi
Dates: July 19, 25 & 31. Directed by Francisco Negrin, conducted by Dmitri Jurowski. Cast includes Piero Pretti (Manrico), Franco Vassallo (Count di Luna), Marta Torbidoni (Leonora).
Carmina Burana — Carl Orff
Date: August 7. Conducted by Ramón Tebar, making his Sferisterio debut. Soloists: Sara Blanch (soprano), Ruzil Gatin (tenor), Grisha Martirosyan (baritone).
Resident Companies: FORM-Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana and Coro Lirico Marchigiano "Vincenzo Bellini".
Highlights Macerata Opera Festival 2026
The new production of Verdi's Nabucco (with the renowned Anastasia Bartoli as Abigaille) opens and closes the festival. Don't miss Il Trovatore conducted by Dmitri Jurowski with Piero Pretti, and for a grand symphonic-choral event, Carl Orff's Carmina Burana on August 7, marking the Macerata debut of conductor Ramón Tebar.
Prices Macerata Opera Festival 2026
Practical information — Macerata Opera Festival
Getting There
The Sferisterio Arena is located in the historic centre of Macerata. By car: A14 motorway, exit Civitanova Marche, then take the SS77 dual carriageway towards Macerata. By train: Macerata station, connected to the regional network; from the station, the centre is reachable on foot or by city bus. Nearest airport: Ancona-Falconara, about 50 km away.
Tickets
Sales are managed by the official Vivaticket circuit and the Sferisterio ticket office. Prices vary depending on the seating section and type of performance; discounts are available for Over 65s, Under 30s, and Under 14s, as well as season tickets for multiple shows. Advance online purchase is recommended.
Practical Tips
Performances are held outdoors in the evening: bring a light layer for the evening. Arrive early to find parking in the city centre and to enjoy the city's atmosphere before the show.
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Where does it take place — Macerata Opera Festival
Arena Sferisterio
Piazza Mazzini 10, 62100 Macerata