Monteverdi Festival
The baroque festival in the birthplace of Claudio Monteverdi
About Monteverdi Festival
Cremona, homeland of melodrama
The Monteverdi Festival celebrates the inseparable bond between Cremona and Claudio Monteverdi, the composer born in the city in 1567 and considered the father of modern melodrama. Promoted by the Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli, the festival has been a key event in Europe for baroque music and the rediscovery of 17th-century repertoire since 1983, attracting an audience of enthusiasts and specialists from across the continent to Lombardy.
Operas, madrigals, and sacred music
The program combines various forms: major baroque operas staged at the Teatro Ponchielli, sacred music masterpieces performed in the city's historic churches, madrigals presented in courtyards and palace halls, and recitals and concerts entrusted to internationally renowned ensembles and soloists. Alongside Monteverdi, his contemporaries and successors like Cavalli and Purcell are featured, in a constant dialogue between philology and new productions.
A festival spread throughout the city
The event showcases Cremona's monumental heritage, bringing music to the city's symbolic locations: from the Teatro Ponchielli to the Church of Sant'Agostino, and the courtyards of noble palaces. Each edition is built around a theme that provides coherence to the program, with over thirty events including operas, concerts, conferences, and workshops, confirming Cremona as one of Europe's leading centers for early musical theatre.
A legacy spanning centuries
Visiting Cremona during the Monteverdi Festival means immersing oneself in the tradition that has made the city famous, from its UNESCO heritage violin-making to its great music. The festival is the moment when this legacy comes alive again, uniting the historical dimension with a contemporary and international artistic offering, in the heart of the Province of Cremona.
Monteverdi Festival — edition 2026
The 43rd edition of the Monteverdi Festival has the theme "Cantami, o Diva!", a tribute to female figures and their strength in the baroque repertoire. The event opens with an exceptional preview on May 28 at the Teatro Ponchielli, while the heart of the festival takes place from June 7 to 21, 2026 in Cremona.
The program features four opera titles: Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea, Francesco Cavalli's Le nozze di Teti e Peleo (proposed in modern times for the 350th anniversary of the composer's death), Henry Purcell's Dido and Æneas, and Mauro Montalbetti's Teodora Imperatrice, a new commission. Alongside the operas, there are over thirty events including sacred music, madrigals in historic courtyards, recitals, and concerts with international performers.
Programme Monteverdi Festival 2026
Preview — Thursday, May 28
- 9:00 PM — Teatro Ponchielli: Cecilia Bartoli Gala with Les Musiciens du Prince – Monaco, conducted by Gianluca Capuano
Opening — Sunday, June 7
- Church of Sant'Agostino: Claudio Monteverdi's Vespers of the Blessed Virgin
Concerts and Operas (June 7-21)
- June 11 — Auditorium Arvedi: Ian Bostridge (homage to Dowland 400)
- June 12-14 — historic courtyards and palaces: Madrigali Diffusi (Madrigals in the Courtyards)
- June 13 and 20 — Teatro Ponchielli: Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea
- June 14 — Church of Sant'Agostino: Teodora Imperatrice (Mauro Montalbetti, new commission)
- June 18 — Teatro Bibiena, Mantua: Purcell's Dido and Æneas
- June 19 and 21 — Teatro Ponchielli: Cavalli's Le nozze di Teti e Peleo
- June 21 — Teatro Ponchielli: Closing Gala with Carlo Vistoli
Over thirty events in total, including operas, sacred music, madrigals, conferences, and workshops. Detailed program and times on the official website.
Highlights Monteverdi Festival 2026
Prices Monteverdi Festival 2026
Practical information — Monteverdi Festival
Where
The festival primarily takes place at the Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 52) and in various historic churches and palaces in the center of Cremona (CR), as well as some venues in the surrounding area.
How to get there
By train: Cremona station, a few minutes' walk from the historic center. By car: ring road and parking near the center, then reachable on foot.
Tickets
Tickets and season tickets are available through the Teatro Ponchielli box office and the festival's official channels. Full program and prices on the website monteverdifestivalcremona.it.
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Where does it take place — Monteverdi Festival
Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli
Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 52, 26100 Cremona