Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival
Italy's oldest music festival, featuring opera, symphonic concerts, and ballet in Florence
About Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: A Musical Institution
Established in 1933, the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino is the oldest music festival in Italy and ranks among the most significant on the international stage. The event takes place in Florence, the capital of Tuscany, at the modern Teatro del Maggio in Piazza Vittorio Gui, inaugurated in 2011 on the edge of Parco delle Cascine. The Teatro del Maggio Foundation is one of Italy's twelve lyric-symphonic foundations and is home to one of the country's most renowned orchestras and choirs.
A Rich and Ambitious Program
The Festival is the beating heart of the Florentine season: over several months, it offers a dense sequence of opera titles, symphonic and symphonic-choral concerts, ballet evenings, family events, and site-specific productions. The festival alternates great masterpieces of the repertoire—from Verdi to Strauss, from Puccini to Rossini—with 20th-century and contemporary works, in a constant dialogue between myth and modernity.
World-Class Conductors and Voices
The podium at the Maggio has seen the greatest conductors: Zubin Mehta, honorary conductor for life, remains a central figure of the event, alongside masters such as Riccardo Muti, Antonio Pappano, Daniele Gatti, Myung-Whun Chung, and many others. The Florentine stage also welcomes prominent theatre and film directors, as well as the most acclaimed voices of the international opera scene.
Florence: A City of Music and Art
Experiencing the Maggio means combining great music with one of the world's most beloved cities of art. An evening at the opera at the Teatro del Maggio fits naturally into a stay discovering the Renaissance heritage of Florence, from the Uffizi Gallery to the Duomo and the Oltrarno district. The Festival represents one of Tuscany's primary cultural excellences and a magnet for enthusiasts from all over Italy and abroad.
- Venue: Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Piazza Vittorio Gui 1, Florence
- Genres: opera, symphonic and symphonic-choral music, ballet, contemporary music
- Founded: 1933, Italy's oldest music festival
Maggio Musicale Fiorentino — edition 2026
The 88th edition of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Festival marks the official start, from April 2026, of Daniele Gatti's tenure as music director. The chosen theme is "Opera viva. A journey between myth and reality." The edition features twelve opera titles spread throughout the year, dozens of symphonic and symphonic-choral concerts, ballet evenings, and a program dedicated to families.
Among the most anticipated moments are the complete cycle of Beethoven's nine symphonies conducted by Daniele Gatti (June 18 – July 1) and the concerts by Zubin Mehta, honorary conductor for life, also celebrated for his 90th birthday. Thus, in the heart of Florence, the appointment with great classical music is renewed in Italy's oldest opera house.
Programme Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2026
Festival Opening — Sunday, April 19
The Death of Klinghoffer by John Adams, directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Opera Titles in the Program
- The Death of Klinghoffer (J. Adams) — from April 19, directed by Luca Guadagnino
- Un ballo in maschera (G. Verdi) — from May 12, directed by Valentina Carrasco
- Giulio Cesare (G.F. Händel) — from June 14, directed by Davide Livermore
The entire 2026 season also includes Tosca, Pagliacci and Cavalleria Rusticana (directed by Robert Carsen), Bluebeard's Castle and La voix humaine (directed by Claus Guth), Wozzeck (directed by Deborah Warner), Simon Boccanegra (directed by Àlex Ollé), and The Tales of Hoffmann (directed by Laurent Pelly).
Symphonic Cycles
- Complete cycle of Beethoven's 9 symphonies — Daniele Gatti (June 18 – July 1)
- Mendelssohn's symphonies and the oratorio Elias — in the autumn months
Conductors and Guests
On the podium, in addition to Daniele Gatti and Zubin Mehta (five concerts, 90th birthday celebration on April 29), we look forward to Michele Gamba, Riccardo Frizza, Lawrence Renes, Gianluca Capuano, Thomas Guggeis, James Conlon, Kent Nagano, Myung-Whun Chung, Philippe Jordan, Gianandrea Noseda, Teodor Currentzis, Michele Mariotti, and Daniele Rustioni. Among the main voices: Jessica Pratt, Asmik Grigorian, Francesco Meli, Luca Salsi, Chiara Isotton, and Anna Caterina Antonacci.
Ballet and Families
- January 20-21 — Svetlana Zakharova and Vadim Repin
- December 10-12 — Roberto Bolle and Friends
- Family series "C'è Musica e Musica 3.0", six events between February and November (including Carmina Burana, February 8)
Highlights Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2026
Prices Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2026
Practical information — Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Getting There
The Teatro del Maggio is located at Piazza Vittorio Gui 1, near Parco delle Cascine. By train, the Firenze Santa Maria Novella station is about a 15-minute walk or a few minutes by tram. The T1 tram line stops at the Cascine/Strozzi-Fabbroni stop, close to the theatre.
Tickets and Subscriptions
Individual tickets and subscriptions (including the "Tutto Maggio" package) are on sale on the official website www.maggiofiorentino.com and at the theatre box office. Box office: tel. +39 055 2779309, [email protected]. Typical hours: Mon-Fri 10:00–13:00 and 15:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–13:00.
Tips
For the most popular operas and concerts, it is advisable to book well in advance. Florence offers a wide range of hotels and accommodations; the historic center is easily reachable on foot or by public transport.
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Where does it take place — Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino
Piazza Vittorio Gui 1, 50144 Firenze