Musicalia
Opera, classical, jazz, and folk in the courtyard of the Rocca Albornoz in Viterbo
About Musicalia
A summer festival in the Etruscan heart of Viterbo
Musicalia is a series of concerts and musical performances promoted by the Accademia degli S.Vitati, led by maestro Federico Amendola. It takes place every summer in the inner courtyard of the National Etruscan Museum of Rocca Albornoz in Viterbo, Lazio. Since its inception in 2023, the event has grown rapidly to become one of the most anticipated musical highlights of the Viterbo summer, featuring a program that spans from opera to classical music, jazz to folk, and tango to the great Italian songbook.
Music meets historic architecture
What makes Musicalia unique in the landscape of Lazio's summer festivals is the artistic choice to perform concerts without amplification. Voices and instruments resonate within the natural acoustics of the Renaissance courtyard of the Rocca, the fortress commissioned by Cardinal Albornoz in the 14th century, which now houses the museum's Etruscan collections. The project was born from a desire to enhance the dialogue between music and historic architecture, offering the audience an intimate and authentic listening experience, just as it was in centuries past.
The program: eight evenings of opera, jazz, and folk
The 2026 edition, the fourth, offers eight events from July 2nd to August 11th. The program ranges from the instrumental concert by the Ensemble Ottoni d'Autore, featuring works by Monteverdi, Bach, Gershwin, Morricone, and Piovani, to opera evenings with young artists from the Oslo Opera Academy—a regular fixture of the festival—and staged opera performances with the Viterbium orchestra conducted by maestro Amendola. The lineup also includes folk music from Duo Concuerda, tango nuevo with dancers, musical theater, and jazz from the Marco Guidolotti Quartet, closing with a tribute to the unforgettable legends of Italian music.
A local cultural network
The festival is organized in collaboration with the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lazio, the Municipality of Viterbo, the Fondazione Carivit, and Archeoares. This synergy between cultural institutions, local authorities, and regional entities has allowed Musicalia to become deeply rooted in the cultural life of the City of Popes. In the 2025 edition, the event also extended to the Roman Theater of Ferento, the ancient Roman city on the outskirts of Viterbo, with a production of Mozart's Don Giovanni.
Why attend
- Concerts with natural acoustics, without microphones, in a Renaissance courtyard
- Eclectic program: opera, classical, jazz, folk, tango, and singer-songwriter music
- International young talents alongside established musicians
- Affordable tickets (10 euros) with no booking required
- A perfect opportunity to discover the National Etruscan Museum and the medieval historic center of Viterbo
For those visiting the Tuscia region in summer, Musicalia is an invitation to experience the heritage of the Viterbo province in a different light: in the evening, under the stars, when music gives a new voice to the stones of the Rocca.
Musicalia — edition 2026
Musicalia 2026: the fourth edition at Rocca Albornoz
From July 2 to August 11, 2026, Musicalia returns, the summer festival of the Accademia degli S.Vitati directed by maestro Federico Amendola, with eight concerts and musical performances in the courtyard of the National Etruscan Museum of Rocca Albornoz in Viterbo. The program confirms the formula that led to the event's success: diverse genres — opera, classical, jazz, folk, tango, theater, and singer-songwriter music — performed without microphones, within the natural acoustics of the Rocca's historic spaces.
Among the most anticipated moments are the return of young artists from the Oslo Opera Academy, starring in an evening of opera arias and a staged Puccini diptych with the Viterbium orchestra, and the jazz concert by the Marco Guidolotti Quartet inspired by the colors of Van Gogh. The festival is realized with the Regional Directorate of National Museums of Lazio, the Municipality of Viterbo, the Fondazione Carivit, and Archeoares. Admission is 10 euros, with tickets sold on-site until seats are filled.
Programme Musicalia 2026
Musicalia 2026 Program — Courtyard of the National Etruscan Museum of Rocca Albornoz, 9:00 PM
- Thursday, July 2 — "5 x 8ni", instrumental concert by the Ensemble Ottoni d'Autore: music by Monteverdi, Bach, Gershwin, Morricone, Piovani, and other great composers
- Wednesday, July 8 — Choral and operatic pieces from the Italian tradition with young artists from the Oslo Opera Academy; at the piano, Matteo Biscetti (music by Mozart, Donizetti, Verdi)
- Tuesday, July 14 — "L'Opera alla Rocca": Puccini diptych with young artists from the Oslo Opera Academy and the Viterbium orchestra, conducted by maestro Federico Amendola, directed by Angela Dettori
- Tuesday, July 21 — "Cubana ma non solo", folk concert by Duo Concuerda
- Friday, July 24 — "Il Tango Nuevo" with Cuartetango and dancers Leonardo and Cristina Elias
- Saturday, August 1 — "La Maschera sul Grugno", musical theater show with E. Fresi, S. Messina, C. David, and S. Valletti
- Saturday, August 8 — "Van Gogh, la Musica dei Colori", jazz concert by the Marco Guidolotti Quartet
- Tuesday, August 11 — "Gli Indimenticabili", concert dedicated to the great Italian songbook with E. Fresi and T. Fornari (vocals) and M. Sessa (piano)
Highlights Musicalia 2026
- Eight evenings in natural acoustics, without microphones, in the Renaissance courtyard of the Rocca
- The Puccini diptych "L'Opera alla Rocca" with the Oslo Opera Academy and the Viterbium orchestra
- The pictorial jazz of "Van Gogh, la Musica dei Colori" with the Marco Guidolotti Quartet
- Live tango nuevo with dancers and Cuban folk by Duo Concuerda
- Grand finale with the unforgettable legends of Italian song
Prices Musicalia 2026
Practical information — Musicalia
Location
Courtyard of the National Etruscan Museum of Rocca Albornoz, Piazza della Rocca 21/b, Viterbo. The museum is located at the northern entrance of the historic center, just a short walk from Porta Fiorentina.
Tickets
Admission is 10 euros, sold directly on-site until seats are filled; no reservation required. Performances start in the evening (around 9:00 PM).
How to get there
By train: Viterbo Porta Fiorentina station, about a 5-minute walk from the Rocca. By car: take the Viterbo exit from the Orte-Civitavecchia highway (SS675); parking is available near Piazza della Rocca and along the city walls. From Rome, it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes by car or regional train.
Tips
Arrive early to secure a seat; bring a light jacket for the evening. It is the perfect occasion to combine your visit with the Etruscan museum and the medieval San Pellegrino district.
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Where does it take place — Musicalia
Museo Nazionale Etrusco Rocca Albornoz
Piazza della Rocca 21/b, 01100 Viterbo