Sicilian Symphony Orchestra – Symphonic Season at the Politeama
Great symphonic music at the Teatro Politeama Garibaldi in Palermo
About FOSS Symphonic Season
Great symphonic music in the heart of Palermo
The Symphonic Season of the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Foundation (FOSS) is the most anticipated musical event of the year for the audience in the Sicilian capital. From autumn to spring, the historic Teatro Politeama Garibaldi in Palermo transforms into the home of symphonic music, with a program that alternates between great classical repertoire, rare works, and absolute premieres.
A long and structured season
The established format features thirty different programs spread over sixty performances: each concert is performed twice, on Friday evening (8:30 PM) and Saturday afternoon (5:30 PM), to reach a broad and diverse audience. The season traditionally opens in October and concludes at the beginning of summer, accompanying the city for over seven months.
Internationally renowned conductors and soloists
The podium at the Politeama hosts prestigious international guest conductors alongside Italian masters, while the roster of soloists brings together some of the most acclaimed names in the world of classical music, from piano to strings. The repertoire ranges from Viennese classicism to the great Romantic and late-Romantic symphonies, up to 20th-century music and contemporary composers.
Special concerts and traditions
The season is marked by several events that have become a tradition for the people of Palermo: the Christmas Concert, the unmissable New Year's Concert featuring waltzes and famous operetta excerpts, and the Easter Concert, often dedicated to great sacred works.
The Teatro Politeama Garibaldi
Inaugurated in 1874, the Politeama Garibaldi is one of the architectural symbols of Palermo, with its famous neoclassical facade topped by a bronze quadriga. As the permanent home of the FOSS, it represents one of the most important cultural hubs in Sicily and the entire South of Italy.
An institution for Sicily
The Sicilian Symphony Orchestra Foundation, heir to the orchestra founded in the 1950s, is today the only permanent symphony orchestra on the island and performs a fundamental role in spreading musical culture in the Municipality of Palermo and throughout the Sicilian Region, with activities that, alongside the Politeama season, include outdoor summer concerts and music education projects.
FOSS Symphonic Season — edition 2026
66th Symphonic Season 2025/2026
The 66th Symphonic Season of the FOSS at the Politeama Garibaldi in Palermo opened on October 24 and 25, 2025, with Carl Orff's Carmina Burana, conducted by Pinchas Steinberg, and concluded on June 6, 2026. Thirty different programs were presented in 60 performances, on Fridays at 8:30 PM and Saturdays at 5:30 PM.
Conductors and soloists
The podium featured internationally renowned conductors such as Hans Graf, Marcus Bosch, Oksana Lyniv, Diego Matheuz, Donato Renzetti, Lothar Koenigs, and Lü Jia. Among the soloists were pianists Nelson Goerner and Louis Lortie, and cellist Giovanni Sollima.
Repertoire and anniversaries
The season featured cycles dedicated to Beethoven's symphonies, Mahler (Das Lied von der Erde, Fourth and Sixth Symphonies), and Bruckner's Ninth, while celebrating the 150th anniversary of Maurice Ravel's birth and the 50th anniversary of the passing of Dmitri Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten, alongside several contemporary music premieres.
Programme FOSS Symphonic Season 2026
Inauguration (October 24-25, 2025)
- Carmina Burana by Carl Orff, conductor Pinchas Steinberg
Guest conductors
- Hans Graf, Marcus Bosch, Oksana Lyniv, Diego Matheuz, Donato Renzetti, Lothar Koenigs, Lü Jia
Soloists
- Nelson Goerner and Louis Lortie (piano), Giovanni Sollima (cello)
Cycles and anniversaries
- Beethoven Symphonies
- Mahler: Das Lied von der Erde, Symphonies No. 4 and No. 6
- Bruckner: Symphony No. 9
- 150th anniversary of the birth of Maurice Ravel
- 50th anniversary of the death of Dmitri Shostakovich and Benjamin Britten
- Contemporary music premieres
Special concerts
- Christmas Concert (December 2025)
- New Year's Concert – January 1, 2026, at 6:00 PM (not included in subscription)
- Easter Concert (April 2026)
Highlights FOSS Symphonic Season 2026
Prices FOSS Symphonic Season 2026
Practical information — FOSS Symphonic Season
Location
Teatro Politeama Garibaldi, Piazza Ruggero Settimo, Palermo. Foundation headquarters: Via Filippo Turati 2, 90139 Palermo.
How to get there
The Politeama is located in the city center, well-served by public transport (AMAT buses and trams). It can be reached from the Palermo Central Station in about 15 minutes. By car, paid parking is available in the surrounding streets and at the Piazza Ruggero Settimo parking lot.
Tickets and subscriptions
Subscriptions for the entire season (Friday evening or Saturday afternoon series) are available, as well as tickets for individual concerts. Discounts for students and those over 65. Online ticketing is available on the official website and at the theater box office.
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Where does it take place — FOSS Symphonic Season
Teatro Politeama Garibaldi
Via Filippo Turati 2, 90139 Palermo