Sounds in the Woods

A symphonic concert in the woods

Sounds in the Woods is the musical festival that the Municipality of Manziana, in the Metropolitan City of Rome (Lazio region), inaugurated in 2025 to bring classical music out of theaters and into nature. The stage is not an auditorium but the Fontanile di Mezza Macchia, a clearing in the heart of the Macchia Grande Woods, the historic beech forest that surrounds the town and is protected for its immense natural value.

The idea is simple yet effective: a full symphony orchestra, the audience sitting on the grass or a blanket, and the sunset fading through the beech trees as music fills the space. No intrusive amplification, no elaborate sets: just the acoustic sound of the instruments and the forest itself.

The Santa Cecilia Conservatory Symphony Orchestra

The festival's permanent star is the Santa Cecilia Conservatory Symphony Orchestra of Rome, one of Italy's most prestigious musical institutions, conducted by Maestro Emanuele Stracchi. The ensemble, composed of young musicians from the Conservatory, performs programs specifically tailored to the natural environment: pieces that engage with the landscape rather than imposing themselves upon it.

The repertoire spans centuries and genres with great fluidity. Alongside absolute classics—Mozart and the prelude to Verdi's La Traviata—there is room for film scores rearranged for orchestra, featuring a medley dedicated to Ennio Morricone and the symphonic tango of Astor Piazzolla. This selection makes the concert accessible even to those who do not regularly attend classical music performances, without ever compromising on quality.

The link to the Gianni Rodari festival

Sounds in the Woods is not an isolated event: it is part of the «Il viaggio fantastico di Rodari» (The Fantastic Journey of Rodari) cultural program, a festival Manziana dedicates to Gianni Rodari and children's literature, featuring shows, workshops, and storytelling spread throughout the woods and the historic center. The symphonic concert represents its most solemn yet popular moment, drawing audiences from across the Roman Tuscia and the Lake Bracciano area.

The Macchia Grande Woods

The Macchia Grande of Manziana is one of the most distinctive forests in northern Lazio: a lowland beech forest, a botanical rarity due to its unusually low altitude, managed by the Università Agraria di Manziana and included in the Bracciano-Martignano Regional Natural Park. Walking among its ancient beech trees is an experience in itself; listening to a symphony orchestra at sunset within it is what makes Sounds in the Woods an event unlike any other outdoor concert in the region.

A participatory and free event

Admission is free and open to all, a choice made by the municipal administration to ensure the concert is truly for everyone. Attendance has grown rapidly: by the second edition, the audience exceeded one thousand people, in an atmosphere described by local reporters as surprisingly intimate and respectful.

• When: Late May, evening (6:30 PM)
• Where: Fontanile di Mezza Macchia, Macchia Grande Woods, Manziana (RM)
• Admission: Free
• Organization: Municipality of Manziana, with the support of the Lazio Region and the Università Agraria di Manziana

The organizers' best advice remains the same: bring a blanket, arrive in good time, and treat yourself to an evening of great music under the forest canopy.