Music and Art in Cento

A Series that Intertwines Music, Art, and the City

Music and Art in Cento is the concert series promoted by the Fondazione Teatro G. Borgatti which, from February until late spring, enlivens the most evocative locations in Cento, in the Province of Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna. The idea behind the event is simple and fascinating: to bring great music into the spaces of the city's artistic and religious heritage, transforming historic churches and courtyards into open-air concert halls and under ancient vaults.

The Venues: Historic Churches and the Rocca

Each concert is designed in close dialogue with the space that hosts it. The series unfolds among some of Cento's most beloved monuments:

• the Church of San Lorenzo, along Corso del Guercino;
• the Collegiata di San Biagio, the heart of the city's religious life;
• the Church of Madonna Addolorata dei Servi, a treasure trove of artworks;
• the courtyard of the Rocca di Cento, a late-medieval fortress that dominates the historic center.

At some events, the concert is accompanied by guided tours of the works housed in the buildings, so that music becomes an opportunity to rediscover the history of local art, which has always been linked to the figure of the painter Guercino, whose birthplace Cento is.

A Program Featuring Sacred, Lyrical, and Chamber Music

The series alternates sacred music, operatic repertoire, chamber music pieces, and musicological rediscoveries, often with first modern performances of scores preserved in Cento's archives. Each edition chooses a thematic thread that guides the selection of programs and performers, highlighting ensembles and soloists from the Emilia region alongside nationally and internationally renowned groups.

A Collaboration Between the Municipality and the Foundation

The event is the result of a collaboration between the Fondazione Teatro G. Borgatti, the Municipality of Cento, and the Civic Art Gallery "Il Guercino," and is part of a broader cultural enhancement project for the city. Several concerts are scheduled with free admission, a choice intended to bring the widest possible audience closer to classical music and local artistic heritage.

Why It's Worth Attending

Attending a Music and Art in Cento concert means experiencing the city in a different way: listening to great music in spaces steeped in history, discovering paintings and architectures that are often little accessible, and breathing in the cultural identity of an Emilian town that has made art an essential part of its history.