Festival delle Narrazioni 2026 in Roccella Jonica: Variazioni, 7–29 November

Ex Convento dei Minimi · Roccella Ionica, Costa Viola, Calabria

7 November 2026 – 29 November 2026

From 7 to 29 November 2026 Roccella Jonica hosts the second Festival delle Narrazioni (Festival of Storytelling), titled “Variazioni” and promoted by the town council's culture department. There are seven evenings of theatre, dance, opera and archaeology: until 22 November at the former Convent of the Minims, with “Inventio d'Aspremont” by and with Salvatore Annaloro and Fabio Cuzzola (Saturday 7 at 6.30pm), “Civico 22”, “Missed Connections”, the opera recital “Recitar cantando” and the talk “Roccella Survey”; on 28 and 29 November at the municipal Auditorium “Unità d'Italia”, with dance versions of The Great Gatsby and A Christmas Carol. All evenings after the first start at 7pm. Admission arrangements have not been announced: for information, call the council on +39 0964 84227 or email infoeventi@roccella.it.

The festival: dates, venues and organisers

The second Festival delle Narrazioni (Festival of Storytelling) runs in Roccella Jonica from 7 to 29 November 2026 under the title “Variazioni” (Variations): seven evening events combining theatre, dance, opera and a talk on the archaeology of the area. It is promoted by the town council's culture department, led by councillor Rossella Scherl, and the poster carries the “Città che legge” (City that Reads) label, which Italy's Centre for Books and Reading awards to towns that promote reading.

There are two venues: the former Convent of the Minims (ex Convento dei Minimi), which hosts the first five evenings, and the municipal Auditorium “Unità d'Italia”, where the programme ends. The council sees it as a way to give room to different art forms and strengthen the bond between the community and its cultural spaces. The first edition, in November 2025, used the convent, the Centro Studi “Elisa Scali” and local schools. Media partners are Visit Roccella, Radio Roccella and TeleMia.

Theatre at the former convent: 7, 8 and 14 November

The festival opens on Saturday 7 November at 6.30pm with “Inventio d'Aspremont”, an epic-realist comedy written and performed by Salvatore Annaloro and Fabio Cuzzola. It follows the trail of the Chanson d'Aspremont, the medieval epic poem about Charlemagne's war against the Saracens in the Aspromonte mountains and the young Roland (Orlando) joining the paladins.

On Sunday 8 November at 7pm comes “Civico 22” (Number 22), a show about departures, landings and humanity produced by Centro Studi Quasimodo APS ETS and performed by the Collettivo SoleLuna, using theatre and music to give a voice to those who leave, those who stay and those who wait. On Saturday 14 November, again at 7pm, “Missed Connections” is presented as a first study: a contemporary theatre piece directed and written by Caterina Panconesi and Gianpietro Patania, built as a mosaic from ads posted on the American website Craigslist.

15 and 22 November: opera and archaeology

On Sunday 15 November at 7pm the convent hosts “Recitar cantando”, an opera recital by soprano Songyi Park, accompanied on the piano by Sion An. The title borrows the phrase used in the early seventeenth century for a style of singing shaped by the rhythm of speech; the list of pieces has not been published.

On Sunday 22 November at 7pm the last evening at the convent changes tone with “Roccella Survey”, a public talk on an archaeological topography research project in the Roccella Jonica area. The speakers are Francesco Parrotta of the state heritage office for Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia (Soprintendenza Archeologia, Belle Arti e Paesaggio), Antonino Facella of the University of Genoa and the independent archaeologist and researcher Giuseppe Hyeraci. The subject also concerns the venue: according to Visit Roccella, excavations at the convent showed that it was built over the remains of a late antique settlement.

The dance finale at the Auditorium Unità d'Italia

The last two evenings move to the municipal Auditorium “Unità d'Italia”, which reopens to the public for the festival after being closed for building work. On Saturday 28 November at 7pm the ASD Danza Dionysos company, directed by Ivana Sanci, stages “Il grande Gatsby”, F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby told through dance. On Sunday 29 November, at the same time, the programme closes with “Canto di Natale diversificato”, based on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol and subtitled “When greed dries up feelings”, performed by ASD Tersicore under the direction of Lidia Strangio.

The auditorium is on Via Cristoforo Colombo, in the town centre. Built in 1982, it has about 600 seats in the stalls and gallery and a 10 by 9 metre stage, according to the council's description; through the year it hosts concerts, plays and the afternoon concerts of the Roccella Jazz Festival.

Admission, times, contacts and the schools workshop

Neither the council's press release nor the poster explains how to attend the evenings: it is not stated whether a ticket or a booking is needed. For information, contact Roccella Jonica council's culture and local promotion office (Servizio Promozione della cultura e del territorio) on +39 0964 84227 or +39 0964 84230, or email infoeventi@roccella.it, the contacts listed for that office on the council website. Start times are those on the poster: 6.30pm for the opening night and 7pm for all the others; finishing times have not been announced.

Alongside the performances there is a creative writing, reading and hands-on workshop called “Storie in Tasca: il Viaggio degli Oggetti Eroi” (Pocket Stories: the Journey of the Hero Objects), led by Vincenzo Muià. It is only for third-year primary pupils of the Falcone-Borsellino school in Caulonia-Roccella (Roccella site) and is not open to the public. The festival's graphic design is by Caterina Agostino.

The former convent and how to get there

The former Convent of the Minims stands on Largo Molinero, in the centre of Roccella. It was built at the end of the sixteenth century for the friars of the Order of Minims founded by Saint Francis of Paola, next to the church of Saint Victor of Marseille, the town's patron saint; after its suppression it passed to the council, which used it as the town hall for many years. Restored, it now hosts conferences, exhibitions and cultural events, and the council describes it as free of architectural barriers.

Roccella lies on the SS106, the Ionian coast road. From the A2 motorway, exit at Rosarno, take the Jonio-Tirreno expressway (SS682) to Marina di Gioiosa Jonica and continue on the SS106 towards Taranto to the Roccella exits. Roccella Jonica station, in Piazza Mazzone, is on the Ionian railway between Reggio Calabria and Taranto: if you plan to return by train after an evening show, check regional train times beforehand. The sources do not mention dedicated parking.

What to see in Roccella Jonica

Roccella Jonica, on the Costa dei Gelsomini (Jasmine Coast), is overlooked by the Carafa castle, built on a rocky headland 104 metres above sea level. Its origins go back to the Norman period; from 1479 to 1806 it belonged to the Carafa della Spina family, and in 1553 it held out against an attack by the corsair Dragut. Around it lie the ruins of the medieval village and the old mother church of San Nicola; Palazzo Carafa houses MUSMIR, an immersive multimedia museum, whose November opening times are worth checking before you go.

In summer the town is known for the Roccella Jazz Festival “Rumori Mediterranei”, launched in 1981 by the Associazione Culturale Jonica and in 2026 at its 46th edition. For other events in Calabria on the same November weekends, see the events calendar.

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 Festival delle Narrazioni in Roccella Jonica?

From 7 to 29 November 2026, over seven evenings: 7, 8, 14, 15, 22, 28 and 29 November. The first starts at 6.30pm, all the others at 7pm.

Where do the performances take place?

The first five evenings are at the former Convent of the Minims on Largo Molinero; on 28 and 29 November the festival moves to the municipal Auditorium “Unità d'Italia” on Via Cristoforo Colombo.

Is admission free? Do I need a ticket?

Admission arrangements have not been announced. To find out whether a ticket or booking is needed, contact Roccella Jonica council on +39 0964 84227 or +39 0964 84230, or email infoeventi@roccella.it.

What is on the programme?

Three plays (“Inventio d'Aspremont”, “Civico 22”, “Missed Connections”), the opera recital “Recitar cantando”, the archaeology talk “Roccella Survey” and two dance pieces based on The Great Gatsby and A Christmas Carol.

Who organises the festival?

It is promoted by the culture department of Roccella Jonica council, led by Rossella Scherl. Media partners are Visit Roccella, Radio Roccella and TeleMia.

Is the “Storie in Tasca” workshop open to the public?

No: it is only for third-year primary pupils of the Falcone-Borsellino school in Caulonia-Roccella, Roccella site.

How do I get to Roccella Jonica?

By car on the SS106 Ionian coast road: from the A2, exit at Rosarno and follow the Jonio-Tirreno expressway to Marina di Gioiosa Jonica. By train on the Ionian line, Roccella Jonica station. The sources do not mention dedicated parking.

Are the venues accessible for people with disabilities?

According to the council's descriptions, the former convent has no architectural barriers and the auditorium has a lift and outdoor ramps. For specific needs, call the council before the evening.

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