MAI Festival (Music Academy International)

An American academy at the foot of the Dolomites

The MAI Festival is the public performance series of the Music Academy International (MAI) in New York, which has chosen Primiero as the home of its summer academy, the Trentino Music Festival, since 2016. Every year, over 160 young artists and around 40 international faculty and staff members relocate to the municipality of Primiero San Martino di Castrozza and surrounding areas in the province of Trento for an intense season of training and performance, which the festival describes as one of the largest of its kind in Europe.

Opera, musicals, and Broadway in the mountains

The program ranges from grand opera to American-style musical theater, including symphonic concerts, guest faculty recitals, and dance evenings. The Intercommunal Auditorium of Fiera di Primiero serves as the scenic heart for opera and musical productions, while the more intimate atmosphere of chamber concerts finds a home in the valley's churches, such as the Church of Imèr. The famous Broadway Galas are held outdoors in Piazza Brolo in Mezzano, one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.

A widespread and free festival

The MAI Festival follows a widespread festival model: performances are distributed across Fiera di Primiero, Mezzano, Imèr, Transacqua, and San Martino di Castrozza, transforming the entire district into an open-air stage. With over thirty events, almost all free of charge, the festival introduces both residents and tourists to great music in an exceptional natural setting. The festival is directed by Mitchell Piper (Executive Director) and Robin Blauers Piper (Artistic Director) of the Music Academy International, in collaboration with the Mezzano Romantica festival directed by Francesco Schweizer.

Dolomites, culture, and territory

The MAI Festival has become a defining event of the Primiero summer, successfully blending international musical tradition with the promotion of the Dolomite landscape. Attending a Mozart opera or a Broadway musical just steps away from the Pale di San Martino, in a small mountain town in Trentino-Alto Adige, is an experience that has made this festival a recognized model for high-altitude cultural tourism.