Toscanini Festival

The 2026 edition of the Toscanini Festival takes place from June 21 to July 16 in Parma and its province, with a concert program dedicated to Arturo Toscanini, performed by the Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic and ensembles from the Toscanini Academy.

The festival opens on June 21 with a grand free concert at the Liberty Sheds of the Music Park, on the occasion of the Fête de la Musique, and closes on July 16 in Piazza Duomo with a Wagnerian tribute conducted by Robert Trevino. In between, the program alternates symphonic, jazz, and chamber evenings in the city and in prestigious locations in the province such as Montechiarugolo Castle, Rocca di Sala Baganza, the Palace of Colorno, and Villa Pallavicino in Busseto.

June

• June 21 — Liberty Sheds, Music Park (Parma) · Inaugural free concert for Fête de la Musique. Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic, Mihaela Costea (violin). Music by Mendelssohn and Vivaldi (complete The Four Seasons).
• June 25 — Piazza San Francesco (Parma) and June 26 — Villa Pallavicino (Busseto) · "Heroes, Atmospheres, Illuminations". Toscanini Philharmonic, conductor Oleg Caetani, Virgile Barthe (guitar). Music by Beethoven and Rodrigo.
• June 27 — Piazzale San Francesco (Parma) · "My Way: A Tribute to Miles Davis and Frank Sinatra". Toscanini Academy Big Band, conductor Beppe di Benedetto, Andrea Tofanelli (trumpet), Alan Scaffardi (vocals).
• June 28 — Piazzale San Francesco (Parma) · "Classical Pop". Toscanini Academy Sax Ensemble, conductor Massimo Ferraguti (sax).

July

• July 2–3 — Parma and Montechiarugolo Castle · "A Night at the Movies". Toscanini Philharmonic, conductor and solo saxophonist Federico Mondelci.
• July 7 — Casa della Musica (Parma) · "Form Reflected". La Toscanini Quartet, music by Wolf-Ferrari and Verdi.
• July 8 — Casa della Musica (Parma) · "Discordant Chords". La Toscanini Ensemble, Valentina Scheldhofen Ciardelli (double bass), Anna Astesano (harp). Music by Mozart and premiere of a composition by Scheldhofen Ciardelli.
• July 13 — Casa della Musica (Parma) · "American Beauty". Academy Big Band Quartet.
• July 14 — Rocca di Sala Baganza · "Hollywood Swing". Toscanini Academy Big Band.
• July 14 — APE Parma Museo (Fondazione Monteparma) · "The Ring in an Hour", a free talk by Fabio Sartorelli.
• July 16 — Piazza Duomo (Parma) · Closing concert. Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic, conductor Robert Trevino. "The Ring Without Words", symphonic suite from Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen (Lorin Maazel version).

• Free inauguration on June 21 at the Liberty Sheds of the Music Park, featuring the complete Four Seasons by Vivaldi (solo violin Mihaela Costea).
• Grand finale on July 16 in Piazza Duomo: Wagner's "The Ring Without Words" conducted by Robert Trevino.
• Concerts in exceptional locations: Montechiarugolo Castle, Rocca di Sala Baganza, Palace of Colorno, Villa Pallavicino.
• Jazz and chamber ensembles from the Toscanini Academy, with renowned international conductors and soloists.

Getting Here

By Train: Parma is on the high-speed Milan–Bologna line and is served by numerous regional connections; from the station, the historic center and the Music Park are reachable on foot or by public transport. By Car: Parma is on the A1 motorway (Milan–Bologna) and at the junction with the A15; the provincial venues (Montechiarugolo, Sala Baganza, Colorno, Busseto) are easily reachable by car from the provincial capital.

Tickets

Tickets can be purchased online on the official platform ticket.latoscanini.it and at the Fondazione Toscanini ticket office (Viale Barilla 27/a, tel. 0521 391339, [email protected]). Free concerts can be booked online. Season ticket holders are entitled to priority booking with a dedicated discount.

Tips

As most concerts are held outdoors in the evening, it is advisable to bring a light jacket for the evening and arrive a bit early. The visit can be combined with Parma's treasures (Baptistery, Teatro Regio, Pilotta) and the region's typical gastronomy.