Teatri di Pietra in Montevago

Teatri di Pietra in Montevago: ancient theatre among the Belice ruins

In Montevago, a small town in the Free Municipal Consortium of Agrigento, Sicily, the Teatri di Pietra festival brings a place steeped in history and memory back to life: the ruins of the old Mother Church, which survived the devastating Belice earthquake of January 1968 that razed the old town to the ground. Here, where the community's religious heart once stood, classical theatre is now performed in an open-air amphitheatre that uses the ruins as its natural stage design.

A national circuit blending archaeology and performance

Teatri di Pietra is a national cultural project, directed by Aurelio Gatti, which for over twenty years has brought Greek tragedy, myth, dance, and music to Italy's most evocative archaeological and monumental sites. In Sicily, the circuit reaches ancient theatres and archaeological areas of extraordinary charm, and Montevago has become a permanent fixture in the network, placing its ruined heritage at the centre of the summer scene.

Myth, irony, and contemporary reinterpretation

The programme weaves the great themes of classical myth with contemporary dramaturgy. The evenings range from reinterpretations of Pirandello to the mythical figures of Medusa, Andromeda and Perseus, from Lucretius' De Rerum Natura to Aristophanes' Plutus, and even an updated take on the Odyssey. Actors, directors, and companies from the Sicilian and national scene take turns on stage, often accompanied by live music that amplifies the allure of the location.

A unique experience in the Belice Valley

Attending a performance among the ruins of the Mother Church in Montevago means experiencing theatre in its most ancient and ritualistic dimension: under the starry summer sky, with the stones guarding the community's memory, the spoken word takes on a special power. The festival is also an opportunity to discover the Belice Valley, a land of wine, peasant traditions, and deep cultural identity, and to reflect on the relationship between destruction, memory, and rebirth.

When it takes place

Events are concentrated in the summer months, between July and August, with evening performances at 9:00 PM. The dates for the 2026 edition in Montevago have not yet been officially announced: it is recommended to check the official channels of Teatri di Pietra and the Municipality of Montevago for the updated calendar.