Velia Teatro Festival
A festival dedicated to the tragic and comic expression of ancient theatre, held in Ascea and across Magna Graecia sites in Campania
About VeliaTeatro
Ancient theatre in the places of antiquity
The Velia Teatro Festival—often referred to by its compact name, VeliaTeatroFestival—is a festival dedicated to the tragic and comic expression of ancient theatre. Every summer, it brings the works of Homer, Euripides, Aristophanes, Menander, and Plato to the town of Ascea, in the province of Salerno, Campania. The main stage is the Zenone Arena of the Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia in Marina di Ascea, just steps away from the archaeological site of ancient Elea-Velia: the Magna Graecia city where the Eleatic school of Parmenides and Zeno flourished. Listening to a Greek tragedy here means rediscovering it within the very landscape that gave it birth, amidst the Cilento sea, olive trees, and the stones of an archaeological site.
A festival born in 1998
The festival was founded in the spring of 1998, driven by the initiative of the then-Tourism Councillor of Ascea, Pasquale D'Angiolillo, and the vision of Alfonso Andria, an official of the Salerno Provincial Tourism Board, who recognized the ruins of Velia as an extraordinary attraction and a natural open-air theatre. The original idea remains unchanged: to bring ancient theatre back to life in the very places of antiquity. Initially supported by the Pro Loco of Ascea, the festival grew with contributions from the Province of Salerno, the Campania Region, and the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, opening up in 2007 to collaborations with international institutions, including the University of Oxford and the Theatre of Thessaly. In 2026, VeliaTeatro reached its 29th edition.
What to expect on stage
The program is not merely a sequence of performances; each evening is designed as a journey of discovery into the ancient text. Before the performance, a professor or scholar delivers a brief introductory lecture on the themes of the work, ensuring that even those who have never read Homer or Menander can follow the show with the right tools. The repertoire follows three paths:
- Epic — The Iliad and The Odyssey in solo-voice versions by Gianluigi Tosto, now a hallmark of the festival, and modern rewritings of the myth, such as Giovanni Pascoli's The Last Journey;
- Tragedy and Comedy — Euripides with The Trojan Women, Aristophanes with Lysistrata, Menander with The Woman of Samos and The Arbitration, in a deliberate alternation of tears and laughter;
- Philosophy and Music — Platonic dialogues (Apology of Socrates, Symposium) and sound projects that weave together ancient instruments and electronics.
A widespread festival across Cilento, Irpinia, and Alto Casertano
For years, VeliaTeatro has not limited itself to Ascea: the festival is itinerant, choosing other heritage sites in Campania as its stages, from the Antiquarium of Palinuro to the Talamo Atenolfi Castle in Castelnuovo Cilento, from the villages of Ortodonico di Montecorice and Rodio di Pisciotta to the archaeological park of Roccagloriosa, and even the theatrical cavea of Venticano in the province of Avellino and the theatre-temple of Monte San Nicola in Pietravairano, in the Caserta area. Each performance changes the perspective: the same text resonates differently in a castle, an archaeological park, or a village square, making the festival an itinerary of discovery for the spectator through the lesser-trodden paths of Campania.
Beyond performances: research and training
Alongside the evening program, the event combines theatre with scientific research, seminars, and training activities, involving classical high schools and drama academies. For the 2026 edition, the organizers signed a three-year protocol with the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts in Rome, which brings student actors to the stage of the Zenone Arena: a choice that makes the festival a place of apprenticeship for young performing arts professionals.
Ascea, Velia, and the Cilento Park
Ascea is a town of just under 6,000 inhabitants on the Cilento coast, divided between the old village perched on the hill and the long beach of Marina di Ascea. Its treasure is the Archaeological Park of Velia, founded by the Phocaeans in the 6th century BC under the name Elea and famous for the Porta Rosa, the oldest round arch in Magna Graecia. The entire area is part of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visitors can easily combine an evening at the theatre with a visit to the ruins, a swim in the sea, and a taste of Cilento cuisine, including menaica anchovies, white figs, and cacioricotta cheese.
Who organizes the festival
The event is organized by the Cilento Arte ETS Cultural Association, based in Vallo della Lucania, in collaboration with the Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia and the Pro Loco of Ascea, with the support of the Campania Region and the municipalities hosting the various stops. The program, tickets, and updates are published on the festival's official website and social media channels.
VeliaTeatro — edition 2026
The 29th edition, from July 29 to September 19, 2026
In 2026, the Velia Teatro Festival celebrates its twenty-ninth edition with a calendar lasting nearly two months, starting from the town of Ascea and crossing the archaeological and monumental heritage of Campania. The debut is scheduled for Wednesday, July 29 at the Zenone Arena of the Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia, in Marina di Ascea, with the lecture «And you, Hector, shall have the honor of tears» by Angela Iannuzzi, of the Umberto I State Classical High School in Naples, followed by Homer's Iliad, directed and performed by Gianluigi Tosto. The festival is preceded by a free opening evening on Sunday, July 26, at the Antiquarium of Palinuro, with the Concert from the VI Book of the Aeneid by Matteo Belli and original music by Paolo Vivaldi performed live.
The festival is organized by the Cilento Arte ETS Cultural Association with the support of the Campania Region and the host municipalities. For 2026, it benefits from a three-year protocol with the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts, which brings student actors to the stage in Aristophanes' Lysistrata. As per tradition, almost every evening is introduced by a lecture from scholars and professors, in a continuous dialogue between theatre, philosophy, archaeology, and music: nearly three thousand years of Mediterranean culture told from the Acropolis of Elea-Velia, the city of Parmenides and Zeno.
Programme VeliaTeatro 2026
Preview — Sunday, July 26, 2026
- Concert from the VI Book of the Aeneid by Publius Vergilius Maro, with Matteo Belli and original music by Paolo Vivaldi performed live — Antiquarium of Palinuro, 9:15 PM, free admission.
Inaugural evening — Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- Introductory lecture «And you, Hector, shall have the honor of tears» by Angela Iannuzzi (Umberto I State Classical High School, Naples).
- Homer — Iliad, solo-voice version directed and performed by Gianluigi Tosto — Zenone Arena, Fondazione Alario, Marina di Ascea, 9:15 PM.
In Ascea — Zenone Arena of the Fondazione Alario (9:15 PM, ticket 22 euros)
- Thursday, August 6 — The Last Journey, from the poem by Giovanni Pascoli, a modern rewriting of Ulysses' adventures: national premiere with Gianluigi Tosto.
- Sunday, August 9 — The Trojan Women by Euripides.
- Wednesday, August 12 — Lysistrata by Aristophanes, with students from the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts.
- Thursday, August 13 — The Woman of Samos by Menander.
- Saturday, August 22 and Sunday, August 23 — Myth Diptych, Today by Paolo Puppa.
- Saturday, August 29 — EcoTonos, a sound journey for cello, viola da gamba, handpan, and electronics by composer Irina Solinas.
Other dates on the calendar (spread across Campania)
- Symposium by Plato, directed by Christian Poggioni — August 4 and September 16.
- Homer — Iliad with Gianluigi Tosto, repeated on August 7 and September 4, 7, and 19.
- Apology of Socrates by Plato, directed by Christian Poggioni — August 17.
- Homer — Odyssey with Gianluigi Tosto — August 26, September 5 and 11.
- The Arbitration by Menander — September 12.
- Medea and Clytemnestra with Angela Malfitano — September 17.
Venues of the 29th edition
- Zenone Arena of the Fondazione Alario and Acropolis of Elea-Velia, in Ascea (SA).
- Antiquarium of Palinuro (Centola, SA).
- Talamo Atenolfi Castle in Castelnuovo Cilento (SA).
- Village of Ortodonico di Montecorice (SA).
- Village of Rodio di Pisciotta (SA).
- Archaeological Park of Roccagloriosa (SA).
- Theatrical cavea of Venticano (AV).
- Theatre-temple of Monte San Nicola in Pietravairano (CE).
The complete calendar, with the location of each individual performance, is published on the festival's official website.
Highlights VeliaTeatro 2026
- 29th edition: nearly two months of programming, from July 29 to September 19, 2026.
- National premiere of The Last Journey, from the poem by Giovanni Pascoli, on August 6 at the Zenone Arena.
- Iliad and Odyssey in solo-voice versions by Gianluigi Tosto, repeated in multiple venues.
- Lysistrata by Aristophanes with students from the Silvio d'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Arts, the result of a three-year protocol.
- EcoTonos by Irina Solinas, a sound journey for cello, viola da gamba, handpan, and electronics (August 29).
- Free preview on July 26 at the Antiquarium of Palinuro, with Matteo Belli and live music by Paolo Vivaldi.
- Eight venues between Cilento, Irpinia, and Alto Casertano, from the UNESCO archaeological park of Roccagloriosa to the theatre-temple of Pietravairano.
- Introductory lectures by professors and scholars before the performances.
Prices VeliaTeatro 2026
Practical information — VeliaTeatro
How to get there
By train — the Ascea station is located on the Naples-Salerno-Reggio Calabria Tyrrhenian line and is served by regional trains and some Intercity services: this is the most convenient option, as the Zenone Arena and the Fondazione Alario are in Marina di Ascea, in the flat part of the town.
By car — from the A2 Mediterranean Motorway, head towards the Cilento coast and continue along the SS18 and the provincial roads of Cilento; from Salerno, the journey takes about an hour and a half. On performance nights, it is advisable to arrive early for parking, especially during the week of Ferragosto (mid-August).
By plane — the reference airports are Salerno-Costa d'Amalfi in Pontecagnano and Naples-Capodichino.
Hours and tickets
Performances begin at 9:15 PM; the box office opens at 8:00 PM. The full-price ticket for the 2026 edition costs 22 euros, with online pre-sale on the postoriservato.it platform; subject to availability, tickets can also be purchased on-site on the evening of the show. Discounts for residents and children under 12 are applied only at the box office. Some events hosted in the villages have free admission: it is worth checking the program before you leave.
Practical tips
- The Zenone Arena and most venues are open-air spaces: a light sweater is useful even in August, as the sea breeze arrives after sunset.
- In archaeological sites and villages, the ground may be unpaved or cobblestone: closed, comfortable shoes are recommended.
- Introductory lectures precede the performance: those who wish to attend must be in their seats by the start of the evening.
- For accommodation, there are hotels, B&Bs, and campsites in Marina di Ascea, Velia, and Pisciotta; in high season, it is advisable to book well in advance.
- Must-do: a visit to the Archaeological Park of Velia with the Porta Rosa and the Roman baths.
Contacts
Cilento Arte ETS Cultural Association, Via A. Rubino 177, Vallo della Lucania (SA) — phone +39 334 3266442, e-mail [email protected], website www.veliateatro.com. Information is also available at the Pro Loco of Ascea / Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia, Viale Parmenide, Marina di Ascea, phone 0974 971197.
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Where does it take place — VeliaTeatro
Arena Zenone — Fondazione Alario per Elea-Velia
Via Guglielmo Oberdan 208, Marina di Ascea, 84046 Ascea