Experience an exclusive all-round cultural experience at the monumental open-air Sferisterio, a unique stage for
world-class opera.
The Macerata Opera Festival is one of Italy’s most distinctive summer opera events, held annually in the historic city of Macerata in the Marche region. Founded in 1967, the festival takes place in the monumental Arena Sferisterio.
The 62nd edition, held from 17 July to 9 August 2026, brings some of the most iconic works of the operatic repertoire to the stage, including Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco and Il Trovatore, Gioachino Rossini’s Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana. These productions unite large orchestra and chorus with internationally established conductors and operatic voices in a presentation of a powerful collective musical experience.
With its focus on shared live performance in an open-air setting, the festival offers a rare opportunity to experience grand opera in a historic architectural environment in the heart of an Italian cultural city.
The festival takes place in Macerata, a historic hilltop city in central Italy’s Marche region, about 50 kilometres south of Ancona. Performances are held at the Sferisterio, a monumental open-air neoclassical theatre built between 1823 and 1829 and serving as the home of the Macerata Opera Festival since 1967. With a capacity of around 2,500 seats and renowned natural acoustics, it is considered one of Italy’s most remarkable open-air opera venues.
The nearest airport is Ancona Falconara Airport which approximately 45 kilometres from the city. From the airport, travellers can reach Ancona railway station by shuttle bus or train and continue onward to Macerata via regional rail or bus connections. Visitors arriving by car can take the A14 Adriatic motorway and follow the SS77 toward Macerata, enjoying a scenic approach through the rolling hills typical of the Marche countryside.
The Sferisterio theatre has on-site bar services, and the surrounding squares and streets offer numerous restaurants, wine bars, and cafés within walking distance.
Dress code is informal except for the Premieres in which people tend to dress up. Umbrella could be very useful and during the night it could get cold, so better always bring a sweater or a jacket.
Macerata is an excellent base for exploring the Marche region. Within a short distance, visitors can reach the beaches and coastal towns of the Riviera del Conero, known for their clear waters and dramatic limestone cliffs, as well as the landscapes of the Sibillini Mountains National Park, an area rich in hiking routes, traditional villages, and panoramic views. The region is also home to historic cultural centres such as Urbino, a UNESCO World Heritage Renaissance city, and Recanati, closely associated with poet Giacomo Leopardi.
