Montecatini Opera Festival
Grand opera in the Art Nouveau setting of Terme Tettuccio
About Montecatini Opera Festival
An opera festival in the Tuscan spa town
The Montecatini Opera Festival is the annual opera season of Montecatini Terme, an elegant spa town in the Valdinievole area of the province of Pistoia, in Tuscany. Established in 1999 and organized by the Associazione Culturale Il Parnaso ETS, the festival offers a long series of gala evenings from April to October, making the city a landmark for lovers of bel canto and great vocal music.
Terme Tettuccio, a unique Art Nouveau setting
The heart of the festival is the Terme Tettuccio, an architectural jewel in the Art Nouveau (Liberty) style and one of Europe's most famous spa complexes, recently recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site as part of the Great Spa Towns of Europe. In this setting of colonnades, fountains, and period decor, the distance between artist and audience vanishes: listening to an aria by Verdi or Puccini under the thermal porticos is an experience that blends music, architecture, and the atmosphere of the Belle Époque.
The program: galas, tributes, and international voices
The schedule alternates between recurring shows and special event nights. Highlights returning season after season include the Tribute to the Three Tenors, honoring the famous Pavarotti-Domingo-Carreras trio, Callas Forever dedicated to the legend of Maria Callas, Queens of the Night, Emoción Ópera y Tango, and the grand The Best of Opera & More galas. The repertoire spans Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Mozart, Bizet, Offenbach, and Lehár, with forays into the great American songbook from Gershwin to Mancini.
- Gala evenings with internationally renowned opera singers
- Showcase for emerging young talents, supported by the Il Parnaso Prize
- Piano accompaniment and, on select dates, full orchestra
- Performances start at 9:15 PM
Why it’s worth it
The Montecatini Opera Festival is the perfect excuse to discover one of Italy's most charming spa towns, combining a high-quality opera evening with a stroll through the parks and thermal establishments. An event that, edition after edition, confirms Montecatini Terme as the Tuscan capital of summer bel canto.
Montecatini Opera Festival — edition 2026
The 28th edition of the Montecatini Opera Festival brings the Terme Tettuccio of Montecatini Terme to life from April to October 2026. All performances start at 9:15 PM. The season alternates between special event nights and recurring titles, with a repertoire ranging from Verdi, Mozart, and Puccini to Bizet, Offenbach, Gershwin, and Mancini.
Announced protagonists include sopranos Patrizia Cigna, Noemi Umani, Antonella Biondo, Marianna Mappa, Laura Alì, and Scilla Cristiano; tenors Max Jota, Gustavo Porta, Alberto Profeta, Ragaa Eldin, Tiziano Barontini, Alessandro Fantoni, and Haruo Kawakami; baritones Gabriele Nani and Paolo Ruggiero; as well as pianists Beatrice Bartoli, Massimo Salotti, and Marcos Madrigal.
Programme Montecatini Opera Festival 2026
Tribute to the Three Tenors
Multiple dates: April 24, May 15, June 5 and 19, August 28, September 18, and October 16, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring tenors Tiziano Barontini, Alessandro Fantoni, and Haruo Kawakami; pianists Massimo Salotti and Mirco Roverelli.
Queens of the Night
May 8 and October 9, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring sopranos Antonella Biondo and Noemi Umani, mezzo-soprano Eleonora Filipponi, and pianist Massimo Salotti.
The Best of Opera & More
June 26, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring Patrizia Cigna (soprano), Max Jota (tenor), Gabriele Nani (baritone), and Beatrice Bartoli (piano). Music by Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Bizet, Lehár, and Di Capua.
Callas Forever
September 4, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring sopranos Marianna Mappa and Elena Schirru, tenor Francesco Congiu, and pianist Beatrice Bartoli.
Emoción Ópera y Tango
September 11, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring Noemi Umani (soprano), Gustavo Porta (tenor), Paolo Ruggiero (baritone), and Marcos Madrigal (piano).
Flowers from the Steppes
September 25, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring Laura Alì (soprano), Alberto Profeta (tenor), and the Montecatini Opera Festival Orchestra conducted by Stefano Seghedoni.
A Night at the Opera — Il Parnaso Prize
October 2, 2026, at 9:15 PM. Featuring Ragaa Eldin (tenor), Scilla Cristiano (soprano), Paolo Ruggiero (baritone), and Chiara Mariani (piano).
Closing Gala — The Best of Opera & More
October 23, 2026, at 9:15 PM, at Terme Tettuccio.
Additional evenings are scheduled throughout the season (including May 1, 22, and 29, and June 12). All events take place at Terme Tettuccio.
Highlights Montecatini Opera Festival 2026
- Tribute to the Three Tenors, honoring the famous opera trio
- Callas Forever, an evening dedicated to the legend of Maria Callas
- The Best of Opera & More, a grand gala with international voices
- Flowers from the Steppes with the Montecatini Opera Festival Orchestra
Prices Montecatini Opera Festival 2026
Practical information — Montecatini Opera Festival
How to get there
Montecatini Terme is easily accessible by train (Montecatini Terme-Monsummano station on the Florence-Lucca-Viareggio line) and by car via the A11 Firenze-Mare motorway, taking the Montecatini Terme exit. The Terme Tettuccio is located in Piazza Domenico Giusti, in the city center.
Tickets
Numbered seat tickets cost €40.00. Purchase online via PayPal (with a €3.00 fee, up to 48 hours before the show) or via bank transfer to the Associazione Culturale Il Parnaso ETS. Tickets are also available at the IAT Information Point (Viale G. Verdi, 68) and Terme Tettuccio (Piazza D. Giusti, 41) in the days leading up to the concert, subject to availability. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
Schedule
Performances start at 9:15 PM.
Contact
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Where does it take place — Montecatini Opera Festival
Terme Tettuccio
Piazza Domenico Giusti, 41, 51016 Montecatini-Terme