Teatro sull'Acqua Festival
The major international theatre and literature festival on Lake Maggiore, directed by Dacia Maraini
About Teatro sull'Acqua
Theatre meets the lake
In Arona, overlooking the waters of Lake Maggiore in the Province of Novara, the Teatro sull'Acqua Festival has become a highly anticipated end-of-summer event. Founded in 2011 and directed since its inception by Dacia Maraini, the festival has carved out a unique identity in the Piedmontese cultural landscape: a theatre that engages in a dialogue with the water, the landscape, and the community that hosts it.
The heart of the event is the famous floating stage, set up directly on the lake, where a major international production combining theatre, fire, music, and stage technology debuts each year. But the festival is much more than just a show: it is a widespread journey that brings live art into squares, along the shores, into courtyards, and to historic sites across the city, many of which are transformed into theatres just for the occasion.
An international and multidisciplinary programme
The programme weaves together different genres and languages: prose theatre, street theatre, dance, contemporary circus, live music, and installations. These are complemented by encounters with authors, a signature element of the festival that draws prominent writers, journalists, and intellectuals to Arona every year for dialogues open to the public.
Companies arrive from several continents, bringing an open perspective on the world to the lake: the festival addresses pressing current issues, from the environment to human rights, and from memory to the role of women, maintaining a strong social commitment alongside its spectacular dimension. Hundreds of artists perform on various stages in a packed calendar of events spread across numerous locations.
Arona, a theatre-city on Lake Maggiore
The choice of Arona is no coincidence: this town in eastern Piedmont, with its lakeside promenade, the Rocca, and the colossal San Carlone statue, offers a natural setting of rare beauty. During the festival, the entire centre becomes a grand stage, and in some editions, it has even been possible to reach the water performances by boat, thanks to a collaboration with Navigazione Lago Maggiore.
Committed to sustainability, the festival is a plastic-free event deeply rooted in the local area, the result of the work of the ACT Arona Città Teatro association and the support of the Municipality of Arona, the Piedmont Region, and numerous cultural partners.
Teatro sull'Acqua — edition 2026
The sixteenth edition of the Teatro sull'Acqua Festival returns to Arona, on Lake Maggiore, from 29 August to 6 September 2026. Directed by Dacia Maraini, the 2026 edition offers 77 events spread across 15 locations, with hundreds of artists and no fewer than 3 national premieres.
The central theme is "theatre of fire on water": the stage on the lake hosts the new international co-production "Scorre il tempo", which combines the elements of fire and water in a show dedicated to the theme of time. Alongside the performances, the festival reaffirms its vocation for bringing together theatre, music, dance, and literature, with a rich calendar of events also dedicated to dialogues with great authors.
Programme Teatro sull'Acqua 2026
Performances on the water
- "Scorre il tempo" — national premiere on 3 September. International co-production directed by Pietro Chiarenza, focusing on three female figures and the theme of time, through the language of fire and water.
- "Mythos sull'acqua" — 5 and 6 September. Circus show with Milo Scotton.
- "Una barca di storie" — 4 and 5 September. Floating stage performance with Alessandro Barbaglia.
Street theatre and installations
- "The Atari Show" — Argentine company El Goma.
- "Arcipelago" — children's theatre with Teatro Telaio.
- "Brigitte et le petit bal perdu" — miniature theatre.
- Parade "Centaura, ricorda i tuoi passi" — from 3 to 6 September, departing from Largo Vidale (19:00 on 3 and 4 September, 16:00 on 5 and 6 September).
Lido Stage
- "Antitempesta" — Shakespearean reinterpretation.
- "Poveri Cristi" with Ascanio Celestini.
- "L'amore rubato" — based on the works of Dacia Maraini.
- "Fino alle stelle" — musical comedy.
Encounters with authors
- Tuesday 1 September, 18:30 — Dacia Maraini presents "Scritture segrete. Le donne che hanno cambiato il mondo con la parola" (Rizzoli).
- Wednesday 2 September, 17:30 — Alessandro Barbero in conversation with Dacia Maraini about "San Francesco".
- Other guests include: Asmae Dachan, Matteo Nucci, Elvira Seminara, Antonella Lattanzi.
Highlights Teatro sull'Acqua 2026
Prices Teatro sull'Acqua 2026
Practical information — Teatro sull'Acqua
Location
The festival takes place in Arona (Province of Novara, Piedmont), across the lakeside, the historic centre, and numerous locations along the shores of Lake Maggiore. The main stage is set up on the water, in front of the lakeside promenade.
How to get there
Arona is easily accessible by train (Arona station on the Milan–Domodossola line) and by car via the A26 motorway (Arona exit). It takes about an hour to reach from the main airports of Milan Malpensa and Milan Linate.
Tickets
Many street and widespread events are free to attend; evening performances on the floating stage and at other venues require a ticket. Tickets can be purchased online at ciaotickets.com and at local sales points (Mondadori and Feltrinelli Point in Arona).
Contacts
ACT Arona Città Teatro — [email protected] — tel. +39 351 727 7966 — official website aronacittateatro.it.
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Where does it take place — Teatro sull'Acqua
Lungolago e centro storico di Arona