May Festival

The May Festival: classical music in the Caudina Valley

The May Festival is the classical music series that brings spring to life in Cervinara, a town in the province of Avellino overlooking the Caudina Valley in Campania. Established in the late 2010s by the La Valle Cultural Association, the festival has grown with each edition to become one of the most anticipated musical events in western Irpinia: a provincial town successfully hosting international orchestras, conductors, and soloists.

The formula is simple and recognizable: a major symphonic concert hosted in a landmark location. This is a festival that needs neither grand stages nor special effects, as its strength lies in the quality of the musical offering and its deep bond with the community that created it.

A project born in partnership with schools

The May Festival has grown in synergy with the Francesco De Sanctis Comprehensive Institute of Cervinara and its music high school, with support from the Municipality of Cervinara and the Province of Avellino. This collaboration has sparked experiences that have far exceeded the boundaries of the Caudina Valley: in 2022, the festival launched a cultural exchange with the Sierra University of Los Angeles, with scholarship students from the music high school flying to California and American university students later welcomed in Cervinara. This detail perfectly captures the spirit of the event: music is not just a performance to be heard, but a tool for growth for the local youth.

The Benedetto Croce Orchestra and artistic direction

The musical heart of the festival is the Benedetto Croce Orchestra, the ensemble that has accompanied the event for years. Artistic direction is entrusted to cellist Giuliano De Angelis, who combines his role as organizer with that of a solo performer. Each year, different guest conductors and soloists join him, with a repertoire that alternates between great symphonic classics and the most beloved pages of Italian opera.

• 2024 — the festival presented a Concert for Peace, dedicated to the theme of coexistence.
• 2025 — the eighth edition featured Beethoven: the Triple Concerto Op. 56 and Symphony No. 7 Op. 92, conducted by Reginaldo Nascimento.
• 2026 — the ninth edition, titled 'Italian Sound', marking the 20th anniversary of the La Valle Association.

Italian Sound: the ninth edition

The 9th edition of the May Festival coincides with twenty years of activity for the La Valle Cultural Association and is titled Italian Sound: a clear tribute to the country's musical heritage. Taking the podium is the Brazilian-American conductor Linus Lerner, joined by Korean bass Seunghwan Song and Giuliano De Angelis as cello soloist, accompanied by the Benedetto Croce Orchestra.

The program is divided into three sections — instrumental music, operatic repertoire, and film music — spanning three centuries of Italian sonic identity, from the Baroque era to the soundtracks that have made Italian cinema famous worldwide.

Festival venues

The May Festival has no permanent home: it chooses the most evocative spaces in Cervinara each time. The Church of San Marciano, in the Trescine area, hosted the eighth edition's concert; in the past, the festival has also been held in the Palazzo Marchesale in the town's historic center. The acoustics of the naves and the intimate atmosphere of the interiors give the concerts a unique character, quite different from a traditional concert hall.

Cervinara and the Caudina Valley

Cervinara rises at the foot of the Partenio massif, along the natural corridor connecting Irpinia to Sannio and the Campanian plain. This is an area of ancient passage, the same Caudina Valley that gives its name to the famous Caudine Forks, now appreciated for its mountain trails, historic villages, and a rustic cuisine featuring chestnuts, cheeses, and local produce.

Nearby are San Martino Valle Caudina, Rotondi, and, just across the provincial border, Montesarchio: natural stops for those wishing to extend their day trip.

Why it is worth attending

• A professional-level symphonic concert in an intimate setting.
• International soloists and conductors hosted in a small Irpinian town.
• A strong connection with the local music high school and youth.