Segesta Teatro Festival
Classical theatre, music, and dance at the Ancient Theatre of Segesta
About Segesta Teatro Festival
A festival in the heart of the Segesta Archaeological Park
The Segesta Teatro Festival is a major summer showcase of theatre, music, and dance held at the Segesta Archaeological Park, in the municipality of Calatafimi-Segesta, in the province of Trapani. For about a month, between late July and late August, the Hellenistic-era Ancient Theatre and the majestic Doric Temple become two open-air stages suspended between Mount Barbaro and the valley: a setting that is worth the trip in itself.
Classical theatre, national premieres, and contemporary languages
The core of the programme is grand classical theatre: Greek and Latin tragedies and comedies performed in the very places for which they were ideally created. Alongside the classics, the festival offers national premieres, contemporary dramaturgy, site-specific performances designed for the park's spaces, and a strong international focus, with companies arriving from various continents.
The artistic direction of Claudio Collovà has built a precise identity over the years: the Ancient Theatre, which can accommodate up to 1,200 spectators, hosts prose and dance; the Temple of Aphrodite Urania is reserved for concerts and music, in a scenic context of rare intensity.
Music, dance, and dawn performances
Beyond prose, the programme alternates concerts by Italian and international artists, contemporary dance performances, and one of the festival's most distinctive features: dawn performances, which transform the park into a natural theatre at the first light of day. There are also events dedicated to stargazing and celestial storytelling, combining performance and astronomical outreach among the ruins.
A cultural landmark in Sicily
Promoted by the Segesta Archaeological Park with the support of the Sicilian Region and organized by CoopCulture, the festival is recognized as one of the premier cultural and tourist events of the Sicilian summer. Its strength lies in the encounter between archaeological heritage and live performance: attending an Antigone or a sunset concert in front of the Temple of Segesta is an unforgettable experience.
Workshops and participation
Alongside the performances, the Segesta Teatro Festival offers free workshops and experiential paths, with special attention given to young companies and artists under 35, who find a space here every year for programming and exchange.
Segesta Teatro Festival — edition 2026
The fifth edition of the Segesta Teatro Festival, presented at the Salinas Museum in Palermo, confirms the formula that made the festival famous: great classics, music, and dance in the heart of the Segesta Archaeological Park. The festival, directed by Claudio Collovà, is promoted by the Segesta Archaeological Park with the Sicilian Region and organized by CoopCulture, under the banner of theatre as a "bastion of beauty".
The protagonists of the 2026 edition include Lella Costa, Moni Ovadia and Mario Incudine, Roberto Latini with Manuela Kustermann, Arianna Scommegna with Sergio Maifredi, Gabriele Vacis and PoEM, as well as concerts by Dardust and Avion Travel, and international companies such as U-Theatre (Taiwan), Zoukak Collective (Lebanon), and Kataklò Athletic Dance Theatre.
Programme Segesta Teatro Festival 2026
July 26 (preview)
- 7:30 PM — L'arca di Noè, La Bellacompagnia APS (theatre)
July 29-31
- 7:30 PM — Lysistrata by Aristophanes, with Lella Costa (Ancient Theatre)
- July 31, 9:30 PM — Emozioni, Gianmarco Carroccia (music)
August 1-2
- 7:30 PM — Hecuba, with Arianna Scommegna, directed by Sergio Maifredi (Ancient Theatre)
August 4-7 — dance
- August 4, 9:30 PM — Lullaby, Luciana Di Bella and Massimiliano Pace
- August 5-6, 8:00 PM — Swords of Wisdom, U-Theatre (Taiwan)
- August 7, 9:30 PM — Afro Anatolian Tales, Tarab Dance
August 8-12
- August 8-10, 7:30 PM — Antigone, with Manuela Kustermann and Roberto Latini (Ancient Theatre)
- August 10 and 12, 9:30 PM and 10:30 PM — shows under the stars with Marcello Barrale and Alfredo Giammanco (Our History of the Universe, Stars above the Temple)
- August 11, 8:00 PM — K.I.N.D. of Human, Arcis_Collective
August 14-18
- August 14, 9:30 PM — Opplà Tour, Avion Travel (Temple)
- August 15-16, 7:30 PM — The Suppliants, with Moni Ovadia and Mario Incudine (Ancient Theatre)
- August 16, 5:00 AM (dawn) — Dardust, Urban Impressionism
- August 17-18, 7:30 PM — Trilogy of the Gospels, Gabriele Vacis and PoEM; August 18, 5:00 AM (dawn) — Meditation on Time
August 19-23
- August 19, 9:30 PM — Canzoni Raccontate, Alessio Alessandra Band
- August 20, 7:30 PM — Traces of Rupture, Zoukak Collective (Lebanon)
- August 21, 9:30 PM — Ulysse, Tamuna (music)
- August 22-23 — Orestes, directed by Dario Battaglia (Ancient Theatre)
August 26-30
- August 26, 9:30 PM — Rosa, la voix d'un peuple, New Folk Ensemble
- August 27, 8:00 PM — Seasons beyond the seasons, Kataklò Athletic Dance Theatre
- August 29-30, 7:30 PM — Agamemnon, by Fabrizio Sinisi (Ancient Theatre)
Dates and times may be subject to change: please consult the official programme at segestateatrofestival.com.
Highlights Segesta Teatro Festival 2026
Prices Segesta Teatro Festival 2026
Practical information — Segesta Teatro Festival
Location
Performances are held at the Segesta Archaeological Park, Contrada Barbaro - S.P. 68, Calatafimi-Segesta (TP). Performances are divided between the Ancient Theatre (prose and dance) and the Temple of Aphrodite Urania (concerts).
How to get there
By car: take the Segesta exit on the A29 Palermo-Mazara del Vallo motorway, just a few minutes from the park entrance. By train: Segesta-Tempio station on the Palermo-Trapani line. From the ticket office area, an internal shuttle (included in the ticket) takes spectators up to the Ancient Theatre.
Tickets and times
Advance tickets are available on the official website segestateatrofestival.com, vivaticket.com, and coopculture.it. Performances generally start at 7:30 PM (Ancient Theatre) and 9:30 PM at the Temple; dawn performances start at 5:00 AM. For information and reservations, call +39 0923 1990030.
Tips
We recommend comfortable clothing and shoes suitable for the park's paths, as well as a light sweater for the evenings. Summer nights can be cool at this altitude.
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Where does it take place — Segesta Teatro Festival
Teatro Antico di Segesta, Parco Archeologico di Segesta
Contrada Barbaro, S.P. 68, 91013 Calatafimi-Segesta