The Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts at the Mattatoio
Over four months of theatre, research, and training at La Pelanda in Rome's Mattatoio
About The Academy at the Mattatoio
Theatre in the making, right before your eyes
Every year, between January and May, the spaces of La Pelanda, located within the Mattatoio of Rome complex in Testaccio, open their doors to the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts, Italy's most prestigious public theatre school. For over four months, this former cattle market and site of industrial archaeology turns into a permanent creative workshop: more than 40 days of free performances where the public can witness the birth of theatrical work live.
This is not just a simple festival, but an organic program of training, research, and performance: debuts, previews, national premieres, open classes, exercises, and workshops. Students from the first and second-level acting and directing courses, alongside doctoral candidates and masters of the national and international stage, present the fruits of their training, offering the city an unfiltered, behind-the-scenes look at the craft of acting and directing.
From school to stage
The project is a collaboration between the Silvio d'Amico Academy, Azienda Speciale Palaexpo, and the Fondazione Mattatoio di Roma – Città delle Arti, with the support of the Cultural Department of Rome Capital. It is a rare opportunity for the public to enter a space usually reserved for academic study: here, you don't buy tickets for a finished product, but share in a process. Performances follow one another at a rapid pace, often more than once a day, with afternoon and evening schedules running throughout the entire season.
Contaminazioni, the student festival
The beating heart of the program is the Contaminazioni festival, which in 2026 reaches its 18th edition (from April 6 to 12). Entirely organized by acting, directing, and dramaturgy students, it is much more than a year-end showcase: it is a manifesto of artistic freedom, an intensive week of free expression spanning theatre, dance, and video art, where the Academy's young talents share their most experimental language with the city.
La Pelanda and the Mattatoio
The setting is one of Rome's most fascinating locations: the former Mattatoio of Testaccio, a stunning example of 19th-century industrial architecture now converted into a hub for artistic and cultural production. La Pelanda, with its brick and cast-iron interiors, lends every performance a raw, authentic charm, quite distinct from traditional Italian-style theatres. Located in the 1st Municipality and the Testaccio district, the complex is easily accessible and stands as one of the Capital's most vibrant cultural landmarks.
Attending an evening at the Academy at the Mattatoio means discovering the protagonists of tomorrow's Italian theatre for free: a rare experience that, in terms of density and quality, is unmatched in Rome and the Lazio region.
The Academy at the Mattatoio — edition 2026
The 2026 season of the Academy at the Mattatoio spanned four months, from mid-January to mid-May, alternating student showcases and debuts from acting and directing courses with the intensive week of the Contaminazioni festival. Eleven titles were featured in the main program, presented at La Pelanda with multiple performances each, in both afternoon and evening slots. Admission was free with reservation, confirming the Academy's commitment to opening its training process to the city. From 20th-century repertoire to contemporary writing, the program offered a complete overview of the educational work of Italy's most important public theatre school.
Programme The Academy at the Mattatoio 2026
The main program
- Credo di Averti Visto Piangere — Jan 16-17, 7:00 PM
- Liturgia Posturale — Jan 17-18, 5:00 PM
- Parlando di C. — Jan 23-24, 4:00 PM
- Liberi, alla Deriva, Infelici, Mostri tra i Mostri — Jan 24-25, 7:00 PM / 5:00 PM
- Vita del Signor Molière — Jan 31-Feb 1, 7:00 PM / 5:00 PM
- Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again — Feb 5-8, 7:00 PM / 5:00 PM
- Ogni Uomo è un Abisso — Feb 26-Mar 1, 7:00 PM / 4:00 PM
- La Ragione degli Altri — Mar 26-29, 7:00 PM / 8:00 PM / 5:00 PM
- Tamburi e Terrore — Mar 29-31, 7:00 PM
- La Tour de la Défense — May 8-9, 7:00 PM / 5:00 PM
- Tango Barbaro — May 15-16, 7:00 PM / 5:00 PM
Contaminazioni Festival — 18th edition (April 6-12)
Nineteen projects spanning theatre, dance, and video art, conceived and organized by the students.
- Monday, April 6: 5:30 PM Il Tassidermista · 6:30 PM Parlamento · 8:00 PM Scemo di Guerra
- Tuesday, April 7: 6:30 PM Il Pallottoliere · 8:00 PM Lui, Lei e Loro
- Wednesday, April 8: 5:00 PM La notte poco prima della foresta · 6:30 PM Sabato · 8:00 PM Amici
- Thursday, April 9: 5:30 PM Rosso · 7:00 PM Il Provino · 8:00 PM Itinerario Nove
- Friday, April 10: 5:30 PM Storia di un Corpo · 7:00 PM Coito Ergo Sum · 8:00 PM Romeo e Giulietta in Burkina Faso
- Saturday, April 11: 5:30 PM Umanitaria a domicilio · 6:30 PM Pan di Stelle · 8:00 PM Il Grande Taglio
- Sunday, April 12: 3:30 PM four/SE4SONS · 5:00 PM Sono Solo Sogni
Highlights The Academy at the Mattatoio 2026
Prices The Academy at the Mattatoio 2026
Practical information — The Academy at the Mattatoio
How to get there
La Pelanda is located inside the Mattatoio of Rome, at Piazza Orazio Giustiniani 4, in the Testaccio district (Municipality I). By metro: Line B, Piramide station, followed by a short walk. Numerous bus and tram lines serve the Testaccio area.
Admission and reservations
All events are free with mandatory reservation at the email address [email protected]. Seating is limited: early booking is recommended. The detailed program, which is continuously updated, is published on mattatoioroma.it.
Tips
Performances take place from January to May, with multiple shows in the afternoon and evening. Always check the date and time of individual works, as some productions only have a single performance. The Testaccio district also offers a wide selection of trattorias and bars to round off your evening.
Festival-goer photos
No photos yet. Share yours!
Share your photos
5 photos max, 5 MB per photo (JPG, PNG, WebP)
Noticed an error or missing information?
Help us keep this listing up to date. Every proposal is verified by our team before publication.
Festival-goer reviews
No rating yet — be the first!
No comments yet. Be the first!
Were you there?
Share your experience with the community.
Where does it take place — The Academy at the Mattatoio
La Pelanda – Mattatoio di Roma
Piazza Orazio Giustiniani 4, 00153 Roma