The ROF is the only international event entirely dedicated to Gioachino Rossini, recovering and staging the musical heritage associated with the composer's name. In addition to the most famous scores, the Festival has brought to light all the forgotten Rossini operas, bringing them back to the attention of music lovers. Each year, the staging of the operas is flanked by a roster of concerts and by the programming dedicated to young talents from the Accademia Rossiniana "Alberto Zedda".
The ROF takes place in Pesaro, a seaside town with a population of 90,000, that is located in central Italy and is the northernmost provincial capital of the Marche region, on the border with Emilia Romagna.
The birthplace of Rossini was awarded UNESCO Creative City of Music in 2017 and the title of Italian Capital of Culture in 2024.
Pesaro can be reached by plane from the airports of Bologna (km 164), Falconara (km 45), Rimini (km 36); by train on the following lines: Milan-Bologna-Ancona-Lecce, Rome-Falconara-Pesaro, Rimini-Pesaro; by car on the A14 motorway, Pesaro-Urbino exit. The railway station is located in Piazzale Falcone Borsellino, 5 minute walk from the city center and Teatro Rossini (also Festival Box Office) and 10-15 minutes from all other ROF venues.
The main venues of the Festival are:
- Teatro Rossini, an 'Italian-style' theatre, built in 1637 as the Teatro del Sole, rebuilt in its present form in 1818 and inaugurated by Rossini;
- Auditorium Scavolini, built in 1956 and reopened to the public in 2024 after renovation work, which has a theatrical layout with exposed wooden roofing.
After 20 years the ROF is back to take place entirely in the city center, allowing the public to easily reach all the festival venues on foot or by bike.
- Teatro Rossini / Box Office, P.za Lazzarini 1
- Museo Nazionale Rossini, Via Passeri 72
- Piazza del Popolo
- Teatro Sperimentale, Via Rossini
- Uffici ROF, Via Rossini 24
- Casa Rossini, Via Rossini 34
- Auditorium Scavolini, V.le dei Partigiani 22
In the central-seaside area, within 1 km of all the Festival venues, are located some of the city's main accommodations. Pesaro offers accommodation options for all needs: from hotels on the seafront, to bed and breakfasts in central or suburban areas, to historic residences, agritourisms and country houses in the countryside and hinterland, to equipped campsites on the beach or in the hills.
There isn’t specific dress code, attendees tend to dress casual. The weather is fine, usually sunny and warm, but not very hot.
There are many restaurants and pizzerias In the central-seaside area, still open after the shows. There are also agritourisms and restaurants in the picturesque hinterland, which offers unique landscapes.
Among the gentle hills of Montefeltro lies Urbino, the birthplace of the painter Raffaello Sanzio. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 and a city rich in art and history, Urbino is the perfect combination of the past, with its warm Renaissance atmosphere, and the future, with the large number of university students who populate the city.
Fano is an ancient Roman colony rich in art and culture. It is a popular seaside resort, with many bathing establishments and a lively nightlife.
Gradara is a small village on the border between Marche and Emilia Romagna, characterized by its medieval atmosphere and breathtaking landscapes.
Nowhere will you come closer to the real Gioachino Rossini than Pesaro.
