Summer Concert - Sounds and Places of Art
Classical music across Sessa Aurunca, the Royal Palace of Caserta, and the treasures of the Terra di Lavoro
About Summer Concert
A festival that lights up the summer of the Terra di Lavoro
The Summer Concert - Sounds and Places of Art is the major summer classical music festival that takes place every year across the province of Caserta, in Campania. Promoted by the Anna Jervolino Association in collaboration with the Caserta Chamber Orchestra, the event brings together over twenty-five performances hosted in churches, archaeological museums, convents, and royal residences. The guiding principle is simple and captivating: rather than building stages, the festival lets the venues themselves—which already tell a story—resonate with music.
The result is a musical itinerary that blends the Bourbon splendor of the Royal Palace of Caserta with the ancient charm of Campania's museums, while reserving a prominent role for the town of Sessa Aurunca: it is here, in fact, that the festival's opening preview is held.
Sessa Aurunca and the Church of San Carlo Borromeo
Nestled on the slopes of the extinct Roccamonfina volcano, just a few kilometers from the Domitian coast, Sessa Aurunca is one of the most underrated art cities in the province of Caserta: its Romanesque Cathedral with its Cosmatesque mosaics, the Roman theater, the Aurunci Bridge, and a remarkably well-preserved historic center make it a precious destination for lovers of off-the-beaten-path heritage.
The Church of San Carlo Borromeo, home to the confraternity of the same name, hosts the concerts in Sessa. Its intimate acoustics and Baroque decor create a cozy setting, perfect for chamber music. The events held here are free of charge, a choice that makes the festival fully accessible to the local community and passing visitors.
The program sections
The schedule is not just a list of dates, but is organized into thematic cycles that give coherence to the entire summer:
- Mozart & Co. — the main thread, retracing the places visited by Mozart during his journey to Naples, featuring music by Mozart, Haydn, Stamitz, Hoffmeister, and Neapolitan composers such as Cimarosa, Paisiello, Hasse, Barbella, and Jommelli;
- July at the Museum — the residency at the Campanian Museum of Capua, featuring virtuoso accordion performances, trios, and quartets;
- Antiqua — medieval and Renaissance music performed in basilicas and ancient churches;
- Percussion Sound — a contemporary foray led by percussion ensembles;
- Summer Concert Young — a showcase dedicated to young performers selected by the organization;
- Midsummer Night Concerts and Lucilio Night Concerts — the two nocturnal marathons that close the season.
The venues: from the Royal Palace to archaeological museums
In addition to Sessa Aurunca, the Summer Concert moves to the Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace of Caserta (a UNESCO World Heritage site), the Archaeological Museum of Teano, the Campanian Museum of Capua, the churches of Aversa, the Convent of San Francesco in Casanova di Carinola, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Ventaroli, and the medieval village of Casertavecchia. It is a geography that coincides with the very history of the Terra di Lavoro, the ancient territory that for centuries represented the agricultural and cultural heart of the Kingdom of Naples.
Young performers and international flair
Alongside the permanent ensembles of the Caserta Chamber Orchestra—strings, winds, accordion, percussion—the festival hosts international soloists and emerging talents from the Summer Concert Young project. This is one of the most interesting aspects of the event: the programming does not limit itself to established repertoire, but offers under-30 musicians a high-quality stage in monumental settings.
Why it is worth the trip
The Summer Concert proves that great music can thrive outside of traditional circuits. Listening to a string quartet in an 18th-century chapel or an early music ensemble in an early medieval basilica is an unforgettable experience. When you add that most of the events—all those in Sessa Aurunca, Carinola, and Aversa—are free, the festival becomes one of the most intelligent cultural opportunities of the Campanian summer. We recommend pairing the evening concert with an afternoon visit to the Cathedral and the Roman theater of Sessa Aurunca: the perfect day already exists, you just have to follow it.
Summer Concert — edition 2026
Summer Concert 2026: fifty days of music
From July 2 to August 22, 2026, the festival promoted by the Anna Jervolino Association and the Caserta Chamber Orchestra offers more than twenty-five concerts in the artistic landmarks of the province of Caserta. The preview is entrusted to Sessa Aurunca, where on Thursday, July 2, the Archi Ensemble of the Caserta Chamber Orchestra inaugurates the program in the Church of San Carlo Borromeo with works by Mozart, Paisiello, Cimarosa, and Haydn.
The official inauguration takes place two days later, on Saturday, July 4, at 5:30 PM, in the Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace of Caserta, and continues on Sunday, July 5, at 11:15 AM at the Archaeological Museum of Teano. From there, the festival branches out into four thematic sections - Mozart & Co., July at the Museum, Antiqua, and Percussion Sound - joined by the Summer Concert Young project dedicated to young performers and the two major nocturnal events in August.
The edition is supported by the Ministry of Culture - General Directorate for Performing Arts, the Campania Region, the Royal Palace of Caserta, the Regional Directorate of Campania Museums, the Province of Caserta, the Campanian Museum of Capua, and the municipalities of Sessa Aurunca and Carinola, with the collaboration of local associations and confraternities.
Programme Summer Concert 2026
Mozart & Co.
- Thursday, July 2, 8:00 PM — Sessa Aurunca, Church of San Carlo Borromeo: Archi Ensemble of the Caserta Chamber Orchestra. Music by Mozart, Paisiello, Cimarosa, and Haydn. Free admission.
- Saturday, July 4, 5:30 PM — Caserta, Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace: official inauguration.
- Sunday, July 5, 11:15 AM — Teano, Archaeological Museum (first Sunday of the month: free admission).
- Thursday, July 9, 8:00 PM — Sessa Aurunca, Church of San Carlo Borromeo: music by Mozart, Hasse, Barbella, and Haydn. Free admission.
- Friday, July 10 and 17, 5:30 PM — Caserta, Palatine Chapel of the Royal Palace.
- Sunday, July 12 and 19, 11:15 AM — Teano, Archaeological Museum.
July at the Museum (Capua, Campanian Museum)
- Tuesday, July 14, 8:00 PM — Accordion recital with Luigi Gordano and Trio Choré.
- Wednesday, July 15, 8:00 PM — Orpheus Accordion Quartet: Bach, Piazzolla, Glinka.
- Saturday, July 18, 8:00 PM and Sunday, July 19, 11:15 AM — Trios by Beethoven, Wolf-Ferrari, Schubert, and Weiner.
Special Events
- Friday, August 14, from 7:00 PM to midnight — Casertavecchia: Midsummer Night Concerts, a musical marathon in the medieval village.
- Saturday, August 22, from 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM — Sessa Aurunca: Lucilio Night Concerts. Free admission.
Highlights Summer Concert 2026
- July 2: Absolute preview in Sessa Aurunca.
- July 4: Official inauguration at the UNESCO-listed Royal Palace of Caserta.
- August 14: Midsummer Night Concerts in the medieval village of Casertavecchia.
- August 22: Grand finale with the Lucilio Night Concerts in Sessa Aurunca.
Prices Summer Concert 2026
Practical information — Summer Concert
How to get there
By car: A1 motorway, exit at Cassino or Caianello, then follow the SS7 Appia towards Sessa Aurunca; from the coast, take the SS Domitiana with the junction for Cellole-Sessa Aurunca. By train: Sessa Aurunca-Roccamonfina station on the Rome-Naples line via Formia, connected to the center by local buses. By plane: Naples Capodichino Airport, about an hour and a half away by car.
Concert venue in Sessa Aurunca
Church of San Carlo Borromeo, historic center of Sessa Aurunca (CE). Evening events usually start at 8:00 PM. We recommend arriving at least twenty minutes early: seating is limited.
Tickets
Free admission for concerts in Sessa Aurunca, Carinola, Ventaroli, and Aversa. For the Royal Palace of Caserta, access is included in the site's ticket or via ticketone.it; for the Archaeological Museum of Teano, museum rates apply; for the Campanian Museum of Capua, a dedicated ticket is required with voucher options and discounts for those under 25.
Information
Full program and updates at autunnomusicale.com; information via email at [email protected]. For Sessa Aurunca, a dedicated telephone number is also active during the festival.
Tips
Churches are places of worship: appropriate attire is required. In summer, evenings in Sessa can be cool; a light jacket is useful. For those wishing to stay in the area, accommodation options are concentrated between Cellole, Baia Domizia, and Mondragone, all less than twenty minutes away.
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Where does it take place — Summer Concert
Chiesa di San Carlo Borromeo