The Ravenna Festival has announced five events from its 2026 edition, offering an initial preview ahead of the full programme presentation, scheduled for 7 February 2026 at the Teatro Alighieri. The Festival’s 37th edition will run from 21 May to 12 July, with additional projects extending into the autumn.
The preview brings together orchestral concerts, dance, jazz, and a live-to-film event, with performances scheduled at venues including the Pala De André, the Rocca Brancaleone, and the Teatro Alighieri.
Opening concert: Anne-Sophie Mutter and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
The Festival opens on 21 May with the return of Anne-Sophie Mutter, appearing as soloist with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by its music director Vasily Petrenko.
The programme combines Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 with Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, marking Mutter’s first appearance at the Festival in several years.
Riccardo Muti and the Cherubini Orchestra
On 30 June, Riccardo Muti conducts the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra at the Pala De André. The programme opens with Verdi’s Sinfonia from Nabucco and The Four Seasons from I vespri siciliani, followed by Suite No. 2 from The Three-Cornered Hat by Manuel de Falla, whose 150th anniversary will be marked in 2026. The concert concludes with Ravel’s Boléro.
Jazz at the Rocca Brancaleone: Stefano Bollani All Stars
On 6 June, the Festival returns to the Rocca Brancaleone with an all-jazz evening led by Stefano Bollani. He is joined by leading figures of Italian jazz, including Enrico Rava, Paolo Fresu, and Roberto Gatto, alongside Antonello Salis, Daniele Sepe, and Ares Tavolazzi. Musicians from a younger generation will also take part, including Matteo Mancuso, Christian Mascetta, and Frida Bollani.
The concert will be preceded by a screening of Tutta vita, a documentary by Valentina Cenni, previously presented at the Rome Film Festival.
Dance: Murmuration Level2 by Sadeck Berrabah
The Italian premiere of Murmuration Level2 takes place on 12 June at the Pala De André. Created by choreographer Sadeck Berrabah, the work is built around large-scale group movement inspired by the phenomenon of bird murmurations. The production features music by TRex and has previously been presented at major international events, including the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Live-to-film: Fantasia in Concert
The preview concludes on 6 July with Fantasia in Concert, a live-to-film presentation featuring highlights from Disney’s Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. The Cherubini Orchestra is conducted by Thiago Tiberio, with the music performed live alongside the projection of selected sequences. The event is produced by Disney Concerts.
Additional projects
Two recurring strands of the Festival are also confirmed for 2026. Romagna in fiore, an eco-sustainable series of outdoor concerts across the region, will take place from 1 to 24 May, while the Autumn Trilogy, titled Mozart 1791, is scheduled at the Teatro Alighieri from 13 to 17 November.
The choral project Cantare amantis est returns for its second edition on 1 and 2 June, bringing together choristers from across Italy for rehearsals and workshops led by Riccardo Muti; further details are expected by the end of January.
More info, here
Subscribe to our newsletter