From the June 5th to the September 12, 2026The Verona Arena returns to being the world’s most famous open-air stage. The 103rd Arena Opera Festival technically opens on June 5th with the special event World Champions – Italy loves Unesco, then kicks off on June 12th with a new title and a staged reading unprecedented in the history of the Roman monument. The program includes five operas—both new productions and historical productions—, two evenings of dance, two immersive concerts, a symphony performance, and a show at the Teatro Romano in Verona. Tickets start at €28, available at shop.fondazionearena.it.
The Program
La Traviata
From June 12th to September 12th
The work of Giuseppe Verdi on the libretto of Francesco Maria Piave The Festival opens with a new production that, for the first time in the Arena’s history, brings the Moulin Rouge in Paris to the stage. The production is directed by the Scottish director Paul Curran, who already collaborated with Baz Luhrmann in the 2001 musical film; the scenography is by Juan Guillermo Nova, the costumes from Stefano Ciammitti. Thirteen performances are scheduled between June and September, with a complex cast that revolves around four interpreters of Violetta — Martina Russomanno, Gilda Fiume, Vasilisa Berzhanskaya And Rosa Feola — and sees the direction Michele Spotti (until August 22nd) and Francesco Ivan Ciampa (from August 29). Among the Alfredo, Yusif Eyvazov, Francesco Meli And Luca Salsi in the role of Giorgio Germont.
Aida – Ed. Stefano Poda
From June 19th to July 24th
The so-called “crystal” installation designed by Stefano Poda returns to the Arena with his aesthetic based on transparency, abstract geometry, and a rigorous use of light. On the podium Daniel Oren; in the cast Maria José Siri, Alessandra Di Giorgio, Yusif Eyvazov, Gregory Kunde, Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Youngjun Park, Alexander Vinogradov, Agnieszka Rehlis And Clémentine Margaine. The booklet is by Antonio Ghislanzoni to music by Giuseppe Verdi.
Nabucco
From June 26th to September 9th
Even the Nabucco Of Giuseppe Verdi — booklet of Themistocles Solera — is presented in the exhibition of Stefano Poda, characterized by a visionary scenic vision and the formal clarity that distinguishes the signature of the Turin director and set designer. With Michele Spotti And Sebastiano Rolli to the management. The scheduled dates are June 26; July 4, 12, 18, and 23; August 1, 8, 20, and 28; and September 9.
La Bohème
From July 3rd to 25th
The masterpiece of Giacomo Puccini on the libretto of Joseph Giacosa And Luigi Illica returns to the Arena directed by Alfonso Signorini, with the scenography of Juan Guillermo Nova which reconstruct a suffused and poetic nineteenth-century Paris. Four performances are scheduled: July 3, 11, 17, and 25.
Roberto Bolle and Friends
July 21st
Only one date for the festival’s regular event featuring great international dance.. Roberto Bolle returns to the Arena accompanied by the stars of world ballet in an evening spanning the classical repertoire and contemporary choreography. Co-produced with ArteDanza SRL.
Aida – Ed. Franco Zeffirelli
From July 30th to September 10th
The historical production of Franco Zeffirelli, with its scenographic monumentality and the visual power that has made it one of the longest-running in the Arena’s history, returns for seven performances in the summer of 2026. Music by Giuseppe Verdi.
Turandot
From August 7th to September 11th
2026 marks the centenary of the first performance of Turandot Of Giacomo Puccini — staged at La Scala on 25 April 1926 — and the Arena celebrates the anniversary with the monumental and fairytale production designed by Franco Zeffirelli. Booklet of Joseph Adami And Renato Simoni.
Carmina Burana
August 13th
A single evening for the choral and rhythmic power of the Carmina Burana Of Carl Orff. The American director on the podium James Conlon; in the cast the soloists Erin Morley, Carlo Vistoli And Mihai Damian. Orchestra, Choir, and Ballet of the Arena di Verona Foundation.
Paganini Paradise. Superlive Immersive Concert
August 18th
World premiere of a show that combines instrumental virtuosity, audiovisual technology, and a live dimension in a format never seen before at the Arena. An evening dedicated to the legacy of Nicholas Paganini.
Long live Vivaldi. The Four Seasons Immersive Concert
August 19th
The show that blends the baroque music of the Four Seasons Of Antonio Vivaldi Real-time digital projections returns to the Arena for a new edition. A format that has redefined the relationship between symphonic listening and visual experience.
Zorba the Greek
August 25th and 26th – Roman Theatre of Verona
Outside the Arena, but within the spirit of the festival. The music of Mikis Theodorakis — with their blend of Greek folk melody, fast-paced rhythm, and Mediterranean pathos — bring the stage of Verona’s Roman Theater to life for two evenings that blend dance, theater, and music in a rare, evocative archaeological setting.