Verdi Festival 2026 in Parma and Busseto: Full Programme, Dates and Performances

Dates and Locations

Dates: 1–25 October 2026
Cities: Parma and Busseto, Italy
Edition: 26th Verdi Festival
2026 Theme: Distant Worlds
Main venues: Teatro Regio di Parma, Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto, Teatro Farnese, Auditorium Niccolò Paganini and other cultural venues in Parma

Verdi Festival 2026

From 1 to 25 October 2026, Parma and Busseto will once again celebrate Giuseppe Verdi with the 26th edition of the Verdi Festival, one of the most important international events dedicated to the great Italian composer born in the Parma area.

For almost the entire month of October, operas, concerts, gala evenings and cultural events will bring audiences to the theatres and historic places associated with Verdi.

The theme chosen for 2026 is “Distant Worlds”, an artistic journey exploring Verdi's music while creating connections with different cultures, atmospheres and musical traditions.

The Festival will have two main centres: Parma and Busseto. Parma will host Alzira and Nabucodonosor, while the historic Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto will stage Aida.

VERDI FESTIVAL 2026 IN PARMA

Alzira at Teatro Regio di Parma

The Festival opens on Thursday 1 October with Alzira, one of Giuseppe Verdi's less frequently performed operas.

For the 2026 Verdi Festival, the work will be presented in a new production at the Teatro Regio di Parma.

Dates

Thursday 1 October – 8:00 pm
Thursday 8 October – 8:00 pm
Saturday 17 October – 6:00 pm

The production will be conducted by James Conlon, with stage direction by Manuel Renga.

The Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini and the Teatro Regio di Parma Chorus will also take part in the production.

Nabucodonosor at Teatro Regio

Another major production of the 2026 edition is Nabucodonosor, widely known as Nabucco.

The opera returns to the Teatro Regio stage in a new production directed by Pier Luigi Pizzi, with Francesco Lanzillotta conducting.

Dates

Saturday 3 October – 8:00 pm
Sunday 11 October – 4:00 pm
Sunday 18 October – 8:00 pm
Saturday 24 October – 8:00 pm

Four performances will give audiences the opportunity to experience one of the works that played a crucial role in establishing Verdi's international reputation.

Symphony Concert at Auditorium Paganini

Sunday 4 October – 6:00 pm

The Festival moves beyond the Teatro Regio with a major concert at the Auditorium Niccolò Paganini.

The Filarmonica Arturo Toscanini, conducted by Ingo Metzmacher, will be the focus of one of the main symphonic events of the 2026 Festival.

Quartetto Luigi Magnani

Wednesday 7 October – 8:30 pm
Venue: Ridotto del Teatro Regio

Chamber music takes centre stage with the Quartetto Luigi Magnani, appearing as part of the Festival's “Ramificazioni” programme.

The concert creates connections between different musical worlds, including works by Claude Debussy and Antonín Dvořák.

Verdi Gala

Saturday 10 October – 8:30 pm
Venue: Teatro Regio di Parma

On 10 October, the anniversary of Giuseppe Verdi's birth, Teatro Regio will host the traditional Verdi Gala.

It is one of the symbolic dates of the entire Festival and a special opportunity to celebrate the composer in a city with such a deep connection to his music and legacy.

Fuoco di Gioia

Wednesday 14 October – 8:30 pm
Venue: Teatro Regio di Parma

Fuoco di Gioia also returns in 2026, with a charity opera gala connected to the Gruppo Appassionati Verdiani.

It is an evening where a passion for opera meets the charitable spirit behind the event.

Zenobia Regina at Teatro Farnese

Thursday 15 October – 9:00 pm

One of Parma's most spectacular historic venues becomes part of the Festival with Zenobia Regina by Lucia Ronchetti, featuring fragments from Tomaso Albinoni's opera.

The production will be presented in Italian and Arabic, creating a direct connection with the 2026 Festival theme, “Distant Worlds”.

The performance will take place in the magnificent Teatro Farnese, inside Parma's monumental Palazzo della Pilotta complex.

Accademia Verdiana Gala Concert

Wednesday 21 October – 8:30 pm
Venue: Teatro Regio di Parma

A special evening will be dedicated to the young singers of the Accademia Verdiana, Teatro Regio's advanced training programme for performers specialising in Giuseppe Verdi's repertoire.

Mantra

Thursday 22 October – 8:30 pm
Venue: Auditorium del Carmine

The Festival reaches the Auditorium del Carmine with Mantra, another event included in the “Ramificazioni” programme.

Messa da Requiem

Friday 23 October – 8:00 pm
Venue: Teatro Regio di Parma

One of the highlights of the 2026 edition will be Giuseppe Verdi's magnificent Messa da Requiem.

The performance will be conducted by Daniele Rustioni.

One of Verdi's most powerful and moving compositions will therefore return to Teatro Regio just a few days before the Festival comes to an end.

VERDI FESTIVAL 2026 IN BUSSETO

Aida at Teatro Giuseppe Verdi

Busseto will play a central role in the 2026 Festival with one of Giuseppe Verdi's most famous masterpieces: Aida.

The opera will be performed in the intimate and historic Teatro Giuseppe Verdi in Busseto, creating a fascinating contrast between the monumental nature of the score and the theatre's relatively small dimensions.

Dates

Friday 2 October – 8:00 pm
Friday 9 October – 8:00 pm
Friday 16 October – 8:00 pm
Sunday 25 October – 3:30 pm

The musical direction is entrusted to Giuseppe Mengoli.

The production revives the historic staging created by Franco Zeffirelli for Busseto during the 2001 Verdi centenary celebrations.

The sets were designed by Zeffirelli himself, with costumes by Anna Anni.

The announced cast includes Federica Vitali as Aida, Vincenzo Costanzo as Radamès, Teresa Iervolino as Amneris and Hae Kang as Amonasro.

Experiencing Aida at the Teatro Verdi in Busseto is one of the most unusual opportunities of the 2026 Festival. An opera traditionally associated with vast stages and monumental productions will be performed in an intimate historic theatre closely connected with Verdi's homeland.

Other Events at the Verdi Festival 2026

The programme extends far beyond the main opera productions.

Throughout October, concerts, talks and special events will offer visitors additional ways to experience the Festival during both the day and evening.

Recurring events include:

Café Concerto
2, 9, 16 and 23 October – 12:00 pm

Mezzogiorno in Musica
4, 11, 18 and 25 October – 12:00 pm

Cori al Ridotto
4 October – 3:00 pm
11 October – 11:00 am
18 October – 5:00 pm
24 October – 5:00 pm

Talks, Music and Cultural Events

On 5 October at 11:00 am, an event will explore Giuseppe Verdi as an Anthropologist of the Mediterranean.

On 6 October at 8:30 pm, the programme continues with Regio in Tour.

From 9 to 11 October, the Festival will feature MicroDanze, while on the morning of 10 October the traditional Ceremony in Honour of Giuseppe Verdi will take place.

On Sunday 11 October at 9:00 pm, the programme includes Viva Verdi.

From 12 to 15 October, audiences can attend Nabucco. Canto del mondo mutilato.

On 17 October at 8:30 pm, Con Verdi nella Messa da Requiem is scheduled.

On Tuesday 20 October, the programme includes Barezzi Lab at 10:30 am, followed by a study day beginning at 2:30 pm.

Events Before the Official Festival Opening

The journey towards the Verdi Festival begins before October.

On 10 September, the programme includes Il Coro in prova, while Prima che si alzi il sipario will take place from 12 to 26 September.

Faraway Worlds is scheduled for 25 September.

Special rehearsals for audiences under 30 will take place between 25 and 27 September, followed by further open rehearsals from 28 to 30 September.

These events lead directly to the official opening night on 1 October 2026.

Verdi Off 2026

Alongside the main Festival, Verdi Off returns with a programme designed to take Verdi's music and creative legacy beyond traditional theatre spaces.

The 11th edition will run from 19 September to 25 October 2026, involving Parma, Busseto and Fidenza with performances, events and artistic projects throughout the area.

One of the first major events will be the Verdi Street Parade on Saturday 19 September.

The Verdi Spip Parade will follow on Saturday 26 September.

Verdi Off represents the more informal and contemporary side of the celebrations, bringing Verdi-inspired music and performances into streets, squares and unconventional venues.

Verdi Festival 2026: Main Programme at a Glance

Why Visit Parma and Busseto During the Verdi Festival?

The Verdi Festival offers something very different from a conventional opera season.

Here, Verdi's music is performed in places that are closely connected with the composer's life, artistic legacy and homeland.

In Parma, visitors can attend an opera at the magnificent Teatro Regio, discover the monumental Teatro Farnese and experience a city that becomes deeply immersed in music throughout October.

In Busseto, the connection with Verdi becomes even stronger. The Teatro Giuseppe Verdi, the historic streets and the surrounding countryside all tell part of the composer's story.

International visitors can therefore turn the Festival into a complete Giuseppe Verdi itinerary, combining performances with visits to Busseto, Roncole Verdi and other important places connected with his life.

Useful Information

Event: 26th Verdi Festival
Dates: 1–25 October 2026
Main cities: Parma and Busseto, Italy
Theme: Distant Worlds
Main operas: Alzira, Nabucodonosor and Aida
Other highlights: Messa da Requiem, Verdi Gala, concerts and special performances
Verdi Off: 19 September–25 October 2026

Verdi Festival 2026 – Official Teatro Regio di Parma Programme