Organum Multiplum

A sonic pilgrimage in the heart of Rome

Organum Multiplum is a contemporary organ music festival designed as a sonic and spiritual journey through Rome. Promoted by Villa Lontana and curated by Vittoria Bonifati, the event transforms some of the capital's most evocative churches into concert halls, inviting composers and musicians to engage with historic organs and the architectural spaces that house them. Each event is a site-specific experience, built on the dialogue between the instrument's sound, the acoustics of the sacred building, and the research of the participating artists.

The featured churches

The musical journey traverses four iconic landmarks of Rome's religious and artistic heritage, located within the territory of Rome and the Lazio region:

• Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri, a Michelangelo masterpiece overlooking Piazza della Repubblica;
• Basilica of Santo Stefano Rotondo al Celio, one of the oldest circular-plan churches in the West;
• Church of San Luigi dei Francesi, famous for its Caravaggio paintings;
• Church of Nostra Signora del Santissimo Sacramento e dei Santi Martiri Canadesi.

Music, space, and spirituality

The title pays homage to the 1967 film of the same name by Alfredo Leonardi and reflects the festival's intent to explore the dialogue between historic instruments and contemporary sound practices. The program brings together artists whose work weaves the contemplative dimension of listening with timbral and spatial experimentation: from drone minimalism to electroacoustic textures, the organ becomes a living organism that breathes alongside the architecture that hosts it.

A project for the city

Conceived for the Jubilee, the festival offers an opportunity to rediscover Rome's sacred heritage through a unique listening experience, opening the doors of the basilicas to a curious and diverse audience. The initiative is supported by Fondazione Roma, in collaboration with the Special Superintendency for Archaeology, Fine Arts and Landscape of Rome, and under the patronage of Roma Capitale, involving the city's international network of academies (Villa Medici, American Academy in Rome, Villa Massimo).

Admission and participation

All concerts are free of charge, with mandatory booking subject to availability. The format, spread across several "chapters" throughout the month of November, allows visitors to create their own personal itinerary among the various churches and evenings.