Opera and Ballet Season of the Teatro Massimo Bellini
Grand opera at the Teatro Massimo in Catania
About Teatro Bellini Opera Season
The temple of opera in Catania
The Teatro Massimo Bellini is the beating heart of musical life in the city of Catania and across all of Eastern Sicily. Inaugurated in 1890 and named after the great Catania-born composer Vincenzo Bellini, it is now a Regional Lyric Institution, hosting one of the most significant opera seasons in Southern Italy. Its auditorium, renowned for its acoustics and gilded friezes, welcomes thousands of spectators every year for a program that alternates between major repertoire classics, ballets, and new productions.
The 2026 Opera and Ballet Season
The 2026 edition is titled "Freedom to Choose Beauty" and features seven subscription titles—five operas and two ballets—plus three chamber operas outside the subscription at the Teatro Sangiorgi. The program blends tradition with an international outlook, featuring prominent conductors, directors, and casts from around the world.
Featured productions
- Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, the opening opera conducted by Fabrizio Maria Carminati;
- The Merry Widow (La vedova allegra) by Franz Lehár, a brilliant operetta blending irony and lightness;
- Andrea Chénier by Umberto Giordano, an intense historical drama conducted by Paolo Carignani;
- I Puritani by Vincenzo Bellini, a pinnacle of the bel canto repertoire, directed by Chiara Muti;
- Carmen by Georges Bizet, a tale of seduction and tragic destiny.
These are complemented by the ballets A Midsummer Night's Dream and Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty, alongside the chamber operas staged at the Teatro Sangiorgi.
A Bellinian tradition
For several years, the theatre has chosen to open every season with an opera by Vincenzo Bellini, a hallmark of the Catania Lyric Institution and a tribute to the city's most illustrious son. Attending a performance at the Massimo Bellini means experiencing opera in the very place named after the composer who made it immortal, set within the Baroque historic center of Catania, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
An institution for Sicily
A cultural landmark for Catania and the entire Sicily Region, the Teatro Massimo Bellini complements its opera season with a rich schedule of symphonic concerts and recitals, cementing its status as one of the island's most prestigious musical venues. In 2026, some performances will be held temporarily at the Teatro Metropolitan and the Teatro Sangiorgi due to safety upgrade works in the historic auditorium.
Teatro Bellini Opera Season — edition 2026
2026 Opera and Ballet Season
The 2026 program of the Teatro Massimo Bellini in Catania opens on January 20th with the monumental Aida by Giuseppe Verdi, conducted by Fabrizio Maria Carminati, and concludes in December. Seven subscription titles—five operas and two ballets—bring the season to life, accompanied by three chamber operas at the Teatro Sangiorgi. Some 2026 performances will take place temporarily at the Teatro Metropolitan and the Teatro Sangiorgi due to safety upgrade works on the historic theatre.
Programme Teatro Bellini Opera Season 2026
Operas
- Aida (Verdi) — January 20-28, 2026. Conductor: Fabrizio Maria Carminati; director: Marco Vinco. Cast: Oksana Dyka, Jorge de León, Nino Surguladze, Franco Vassallo.
- The Merry Widow (Lehár) — March 6-13, 2026. Conductor: Roberto Gianola; director: Alessandro Idonea. Cast: Mihaela Marcu, Mario Cassi, Jessica Nuccio.
- Andrea Chénier (Giordano) — April 10-18, 2026. Conductor: Paolo Carignani; director: Giandomenico Vaccari. Cast: Valeria Sepe, Devid Cecconi.
- I Puritani (Bellini) — September 25-October 2, 2026. Conductor: Fabrizio Maria Carminati; director: Chiara Muti. Cast: Jessica Pratt, Dmitry Korchak, Christian Federici.
- Carmen (Bizet) — November 27-December 4, 2026. Conductor: Gianluca Martinenghi; director: Giovanni Anfuso. Cast: Alessandra Di Giorgio, Carlo Ventre.
Ballets
- A Midsummer Night's Dream — May 22-28, 2026, choreography by Yaroslav Ivanenko.
- The Sleeping Beauty (Tchaikovsky) — December 15-20, 2026, artistic direction by Nina Ananiashvili.
Chamber operas at Teatro Sangiorgi (non-subscription)
- Il quinto moschettiere (Musumeci) — March 13-15, 2026.
- The Bear and The Proposal (Schittino) — May 28-30, 2026.
Highlights Teatro Bellini Opera Season 2026
- Opening on January 20th with Verdi's Aida;
- The Bellinian bel canto of I Puritani with Jessica Pratt and directed by Chiara Muti;
- Two international ballets, including Tchaikovsky's The Sleeping Beauty;
- Three chamber operas at the Teatro Sangiorgi.
Prices Teatro Bellini Opera Season 2026
Practical information — Teatro Bellini Opera Season
Getting there
The Teatro Massimo Bellini is located at Via Giuseppe Perrotta 12, in the historic center of Catania, just a short walk from Piazza Stesicoro and Via Etnea. By train: Catania Centrale station is approximately 1.5 km away. By plane: Catania-Fontanarossa Airport is about 7 km away, connected by AMTS buses. By car: parking is available nearby, with limited traffic zones in effect during evening hours.
Tickets and subscriptions
Tickets and subscriptions are available at the theatre box office (Piazza Vincenzo Bellini) and online via official channels. Info: [email protected], tel. +39 095 316150. For the 2026 season, tickets for Aida go on sale in January; the subscription campaign for the remaining titles is open from February 3rd to March 3rd.
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Where does it take place — Teatro Bellini Opera Season
Teatro Massimo Bellini
Via Giuseppe Perrotta 12, 95124 Catania