Summer Marathon of Opera

An opera festival within the walls of the Capuchin Convent

The Summer Marathon of Opera is a summer event dedicated to opera singing and the great Italian operatic tradition, held in Castel San Pietro Terme, a spa town in the Metropolitan City of Bologna, in Emilia-Romagna. The setting for the festival is the charming garden of the Capuchin Friars' Convent, a 17th-century building overlooking Via Viara, which for some summer evenings transforms into an open-air stage immersed in greenery and silence.

Three days of music and words

The program typically includes multiple events spread throughout the day: musical matinees, workshops for children, afternoon shows that combine poetry, narration, and music, and evening concerts that are the heart of the event. Sopranos, tenors, mezzo-sopranos, and baritones accompanied by piano take turns on stage, in a repertoire ranging from the most beloved arias and duets of melodrama to pieces from international musical theatre, including celebratory tributes dedicated to great composers.

A festival born from local associations

The Summer Marathon of Opera is organized by the Pro Loco of Castel San Pietro Terme in collaboration with the Associazione Scena Musicale di Bologna, an organization that brings professional singers and musicians to the area. The festival is part of the Bologna Estate program, events promoted by the Metropolitan City of Bologna and the City Council, and the Estate Castellana calendar, the summer season of concerts, shows, and gastronomic initiatives of the Municipality of Castel San Pietro Terme.

An intimate and free experience

One of the most appreciated features of the event is the free admission, possible with prior reservation through the Pro Loco website. The limited number of seats and the intimate setting of the convent garden offer the audience a close and engaging listening experience, far from the monumentality of large opera houses. Often, the evenings are preceded by guided tours of the convent, allowing visitors to discover the history of this place of spirituality nestled in the hilly landscape of Castel San Pietro Terme.

Castel San Pietro Terme, city of water and culture

Known for its thermal baths and the food and wine traditions of the Bolognese plain and hills, Castel San Pietro Terme welcomes residents and visitors every summer with a rich calendar of events. The Summer Marathon of Opera fits into this context as a quality cultural offering, capable of attracting a wide audience to opera and at the same time enhancing the historical-religious heritage of the area.