Cilea Opera Festival 2026 in Reggio Calabria: from the Riace Bronzes museum to Teatro Cilea

Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Reggio Calabria (MArRC) · Reggio Calabria, Costa Viola, Calabria

15 October 2026 – 20 November 2026

From 15 October to 20 November 2026 the second edition of the Cilea Opera Festival brings ten concerts and performances of opera, symphonic and chamber music to Reggio Calabria. It opens on Thursday 15 October at 6 pm at the National Archaeological Museum, home of the Riace Bronzes, with pianist Antonio Di Cristofano and the OTC string ensemble, and closes on Friday 20 November at Teatro Francesco Cilea with Cilea's opera L'Arlesiana. In between, concerts move to the Teatro Cilea foyer, the Conservatory auditorium and the Bergamot Museum. Tickets start at 13 euros and one evening is free.

Ten dates in Reggio Calabria from 15 October to 20 November

The Cilea Opera Festival is in its second edition and is devoted to Francesco Cilea, the composer of Adriana Lecouvreur, who was born in Palmi. It is organised by the Associazione Nuovo Laboratorio Lirico under the artistic direction of Alessandro Tirotta. The 2026 programme has fifteen events: ten in Reggio Calabria, covered on this page, and five in Palmi between 16 October and 18 November.

Alongside Cilea, the programme makes room for Mozart, in the 270th anniversary of his birth, and for Verdi. The weeks of the calendar are named after Cilea's operas: Gina, Tilda, Arlesiana, Adriana Lecouvreur and Gloria. The venue changes from one evening to the next: the National Archaeological Museum, the foyer and main hall of Teatro Francesco Cilea, the auditorium of the Francesco Cilea Conservatory and the Bergamot Museum.

October programme: from the Archaeological Museum to the Conservatory

Thursday 15 October, 6 pm, National Archaeological Museum: opening concert with pianist Antonio Di Cristofano, arriving from a concert in Washington, and the string ensemble of the Orchestra del Teatro Cilea (OTC). The programme features Mozart and a new piece by Raffaele Cacciola on themes by Cilea, in its world premiere.

Saturday 17 October, 7 pm, Bergamot Museum: "Cilea Food", a concert and food evening with the Trio Boccioni, three young musicians from Reggio, playing Cilea, Verdi and Puccini, with a tasting organised with the museum. Thursday 22 October, 6 pm, Teatro Cilea foyer: "Hipnosis" with Alessandro Carere on flute and Grazia Maria Danieli on piano. Wednesday 28 October, 6 pm, Conservatory auditorium: "Cilea Young", young performers in concert. Thursday 29 October, 6 pm, Cilea foyer: Ensemble "Benedetto Marcello" with Francesco Mammola on mandolin, music by Vivaldi, Mascitti, Gaudioso and Sammartini.

November programme: Homage to Mozart, Cilea Drink and the competition finalists

Tuesday 3 November, 8 pm, Teatro Francesco Cilea: symphonic concert "Omaggio a Mozart" with the Orchestra del Teatro Cilea conducted by David Boldrini. The programme pairs the Sinfonia Concertante K364 for violin, viola and orchestra, with Brad Repp and Simonide Braconi, and the Concerto K365 for two pianos, with Giuseppe Andaloro and Boldrini himself.

Friday 6 November, 6 pm, Teatro Cilea foyer: an opera concert with the finalists of the COF 2026 International Opera Competition, with Grazia Maria Danieli at the piano. Saturday 7 November, 7 pm, Bergamot Museum: "Cilea Drink", a concert with an apericena (aperitif-dinner) on Cilea themes, with the Duo Harmonia playing popular and traditional music from southern Italy.

The finale at Teatro Cilea: Rigoletto for schools and L'Arlesiana

From Monday 16 November, Teatro Francesco Cilea stages matinée performances of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto, libretto by Francesco Maria Piave, as part of the Scuole all'Opera project, with the Coro Lirico Francesco Cilea and the Orchestra del Teatro Cilea. Schools have priority access and tickets are sold in advance only.

On Friday 20 November at 8 pm the festival closes with Cilea's L'Arlesiana, libretto by Leopoldo Marenco, with the Ensemble Orchestrale OTC. The cast: Francesco Vultaggio (Baldassarre), Davide Benigno (Federico), Licia Toscano (Rosa Mamai), Aurora Tirotta (Vivetta), Domenico Cagliuso (Metifio), Francesca Canale (L'Innocente) and Alex Franzò (Marco).

Cilea Opera Festival tickets and prices

Concerts in the Teatro Cilea foyer and at the Archaeological Museum have unreserved seating at 13 euros full price and 10 euros reduced. For the Homage to Mozart and L'Arlesiana a full-price ticket costs 25 euros in the stalls and first tier of boxes, 20 euros in the second and third tiers, and 13 euros in the gallery; student tickets range from 20 to 10 euros. Cilea Food and Cilea Drink at the Bergamot Museum cost 25 euros, with compulsory booking and purchase at the museum. The Cilea Young concert on 28 October is free.

Tickets are sold online on AnyTicket, in advance with no extra fees at Bottega della Musica, Viale Amendola 29, and at the venue box office, which opens two hours before each performance, subject to availability. The full programme is on the organiser's website.

Venues in the city and what to do nearby

The opening concert takes place at the National Archaeological Museum, Piazza Giuseppe De Nava 26, the museum that holds the Riace Bronzes, a short walk from the Lungomare Falcomatà seafront. The other events move between Teatro Francesco Cilea and its foyer, the auditorium of the Francesco Cilea Conservatory and the Bergamot Museum: check the venue for the date you choose, as it changes almost every evening.

Start times of 6, 7 or 8 pm leave room for dinner in the centre after the concert: see where to eat in Reggio Calabria. For other shows in the city in the same weeks, see events in Calabria.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Cilea Opera Festival ticket cost?

Concerts in the Teatro Cilea foyer and at the Archaeological Museum cost 13 euros full price and 10 reduced. Homage to Mozart and L'Arlesiana range from 13 to 25 euros (students 10 to 20), Cilea Food and Cilea Drink 25 euros.

Where can I buy tickets?

Online on AnyTicket, at Bottega della Musica, Viale Amendola 29, with no extra fees, and at the venue box office, which opens two hours before the performance.

Where and when is the opening concert?

On Thursday 15 October at 6 pm at the National Archaeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, Piazza De Nava 26, with Antonio Di Cristofano and the OTC string ensemble.

Do I need to book for Cilea Food?

Yes, booking is compulsory. The single-price seat costs 25 euros and is bought at the Bergamot Museum; the same applies to Cilea Drink on 7 November.

Are there any free concerts?

Yes, the Cilea Young concert on Wednesday 28 October at 6 pm in the auditorium of the Francesco Cilea Conservatory is free.

When is L'Arlesiana performed?

On Friday 20 November at 8 pm at Teatro Francesco Cilea, as the festival's closing night, with the Ensemble Orchestrale OTC.

Does the festival also take place in Palmi?

Yes, Palmi, Cilea's birthplace, hosts five events between 16 October and 18 November, in addition to the ten dates in Reggio Calabria.

Related events and news

All Costa Viola events