The Teatro Massimo 2026-27 Opera, Ballet & Concert
Celebrating Our 130 Years-Long Heritage: 1897-2027
On 16 May 1897, the opening notes of Giuseppe Verdi’s Falstaff marked the inauguration in Palermo of Italy’s largest opera house – an architectural colossus with a vast stage that was destined to become the very symbol of the city’s cultural and civic identity.
On 16 May 2027, exactly 130 years on from that day, the Teatro Massimo will celebrate its anniversary by coming full circle with the return of Falstaff to the stage, as part of a programme of operas and ballets of undoubted international standing.
This season also marks the 30th anniversary of the theatre’s reopening in 1997, reaffirming the Foundation’s role as a guardian of both cultural memory and innovation.
It will be a longer season, running from November 2026 to December 2027, so as to return to the tradition of opening in January in the coming years.
The season will open on 22 November with a major work from the French repertoire, which has not been performed in Palermo since 1972: Samson et Dalila by Camille Saint-Saëns.
Go to the Press Release (Italian)
OPERA & BALLET 2026-27 CALENDAR
November 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29 2026
Opening of the Opera and Ballet Season
Camille Saint-Saëns
SAMSON ET DALILA
Opéra in three acts and four parts
Conductor Emmanuel Villaume
Director Jean-Louis Grinda
restaged by David Agladze
CAST
Samson Martin Muehle
Dalila Varduhi Abrahamyan
Teatro Massimo Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
A production of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo
Restaging of the Georgian National Theatre Production
December 15-16-17-18-19-20-22-23 2026
BIANCANEVE
Ballet in three acts
Coreographer Jean-Sébastien Colau and Vincenzo Veneruso
Music Sergej Rachmaninov
Conductor Alberto Maniaci
Teatro Massimo Ballet and Orchestra
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
A Production of the Teatro Massimo
January 9 – 10 – 12 (double bill) 2027
NON DIRMI CHE HAI PAURA
Music Peter Gabriel
Director Laura Ruocco
A Production of the Ravenna Festival and MGL
restaged by Goldenstar AM S.r.l.
February 5-7-9-11-13 2027
Giuseppe Verdi
MACBETH
Melodramma in four acts
Conductor Riccardo Muti
Director Chiara Muti
CAST
Macbeth Kartal Karagedik
Lady Macbeth Lidia Fridman
Banco Maharram Huseynov
Macduff Giovanni Sala
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A New Production of the Teatro Regio in Torino
in coproduction with the Teatro Massimo
March 5-6-7-9-10-11-12-13 2027
Gaetano Donizetti
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Tragic Drama in three Acts
Conductor Stefano Ranzani
Director Lorenzo Mariani
CAST
Lucia Nina Minasyan / Ruth Iniesta
Edgardo Lawrence Brownlee / Ivan Ayón Rivas
Enrico Artur Rucinski / Markus Werba
Raimondo George Andguladze
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A Production of the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genova
March 23-24-25-26 (double bill)-27 2027
IL GRANDE GATSBY
Ballet
Music George Gershwin, Benny Goodman, Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein
Coreographer Leo Mujić
Director Maria Seletskaja
Guest Étoiles Marta Petkova and Nikola Hadjitanev
Teatro Massimo Ballet and Orchestra
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
A New Production of the Teatro Massimo
April 18-20-21-22-23-24-27-28-29 2027
Giacomo Puccini
TOSCA
Melodrama in three acts
Conductor Umberto Clerici
Director Mario Pontiggia
CAST
Tosca Nicole Car
Cavaradossi Adam Smith
Scarpia Alexey Markov
Teatro Massimo Orchestra, Chorus and Youth Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A Production of the Teatro Massimo
May 16-18-19-20-21-22-23 2027
(celebrating the 130th Anniversary of the Teatro Massimo Inauguration)
Giuseppe Verdi
FALSTAFF
Lyric Comedy in three acts
Conductor Francesco Lanzillotta
Director Ruggero Cappuccio
CAST
Falstaff Ambrogio Maestri
Ford Markus Werba
Fenton Marco Ciaponi
Alice Roberta Mantegna
Quickly Teresa Romano
Meg Francesca Di Sauro
Teatro Massimo Orchestra, Chorus and Youth Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A New Production of the Teatro Massimo
June 17-18-19-20-22-23-24-25 2027
Leo Délibes
SYLVIA
Ballet in three acts
Coreographer Andrew MacNicol
Conductor Filippo Conti
A new creation for the Teatro Massimo Ballet
Guest Étoile Florent Melac premier danseur of the Opéra de Paris
Teatro Massimo Ballet and Orchestra
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
A New Production of the Teatro Massimo
September 15-16-17-18-19-21-22-23 2027
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
DIE ZAUBERFLÖTE (The Magic Flute)
Singspiel in two acts
Conductor Diego Matheuz
CAST
Sarastro Manuel Fuentes
Regina della notte Maria Kokareva
Papageno Markus Werba
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A New Production of the Teatro Massimo
October 9-10-12-13-14-15 2027
BALANCHINE – ČAIKOVSKIJ
Dance Performance
Serenade
Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux
Allegro Brillante
Music by Pëtr Il’ič Čaikovskij
Coreographer George Balanchine
Coreography restaged by Megan Fairchild (Serenade and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux)
and by Christian Tworzyanski (Allegro Brillante)
Conductor Mojca Lavrencič
Teatro Massimo Ballet and Orchestra
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
October 31, November 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 2027
Giuseppe Verdi
ERNANI
Lyric Drama in four acts
Conductor Giacomo Sagripanti
A Production with Scene Designs and Costumes by Francesco Zito
CAST
Elvira Pretty Yende
Ernani Riccardo Massi
Silva George Andguladze
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A Production of the Teatro Massimo
November 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, December 1, 2 2027
Georges Bizet
CARMEN
Opéra-comique in four acts
Director Pier Francesco Maestrini
Teatro Massimo Orchestra, Chorus and Youth Chorus
Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A New Production of the Teatro Comunale in Bologna
In co-production with Teatro Massimo
December 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23 2027
Pëtr Il’ič Čajkovskij
LO SCHIACCIANOCI
Ballet in two acts
Coreography and Dramaturgy Jean-Sébastien Colau and Vincenzo Veneruso
Teatro Massimo Ballet, Orchestra and Youth Chorus
Ballet Director Jean-Sébastien Colau
Youth Chorus Master Salvatore Punturo
A Production of the Teatro Massimo
CONCERTS 2026-27 CALENDAR
December 4 and 5 2026, 7pm
NUOVO CINEMA PARADISO
Videoprojection of Giuseppe Tornatore‘ film by the same title
with music by Ennio Morricone performed live
Teatro Massimo Orchestra
January 1 2027, 6:30pm single-tickets event
NEW YEAR’S CONCERT
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
January 17 2027, 8.30pm
FABIO BIONDI
Conductor Fabio Biondi
Teatro Massimo Orchestra
February 14 2027, 8.30pm
LOVE DUETS – RECITAL
Soprano Nina Minasyan
Tenor Lawrence Brownlee
February 16 2027, 8.30pm
NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF THE CONSERVATOIRES
Conductor Antonino Fogliani
Mezzosoprano Marianna Pizzolato
National Conservatory Symphony Orchestra
A project of the Ministry of Universities and Research
In collaboration with the Ottorino Respighi Conservatoire in Latina
February 20 2027, 8.30pm
BEETHOVEN
Conductor Gaetano D’Espinosa
Teatro Massimo Orchestra
March 14 marzo 2027, 8.30pm
NATIONAL BAROQUE ORCHESTRA OF THE CONSERVATOIRES
Conductor Ignazio Maria Schifani
Oboe Gioacchino Comparetto
Basson Alessandro Nasello
National Baroque Orchestra of the Conservatoires
A project by the Ministry of Universities and Research
In collaboration with the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatoire in Palermo
April 4 2027, 8.30pm
GABRIELE FERRO
Conductor Gabriele Ferro
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
May 2 2027, 8.30pm
SCARLATTI CONSERVATORY ORCHESTRA
In collaboration with the Alessandro Scarlatti Conservatoire in Palermo
May 10 2027, 8.30pm
HOMMAGE TO SALVATORE SCIARRINO
To mark the composer’s 80th birthday
Ensemble Klangforum Wien
In collaboration with the Accademia Chigiana in Siena
May 28 and 29 maggio 2027, 8.30pm
GAETANO D’ESPINOSA
Conductor Gaetano D’Espinosa
Teatro Massimo Orchestra and Chorus
June 5 giugno 2027, 8.30 pm
ROBERT TREVIÑO
Conductor Robert Treviño
Orchestra e Coro del Teatro Massimo
September 20 settembre 2027, 8.30 pm
DANIIL TRIFONOV
Piano Daniil Trifonov
In collaboration with the Sicilian Association of Friends of Music
September 26 2027, 8.30pm
SICILIAN JAZZ ORCHESTRA – THE BRASS GROUP
Conductor Domenico Riina
Sicilian Jazz Orchestra
In collaboration with the Sicilian Jazz Orchestra Foundation – The Brass Group
September 29 2027, 8.30pm
SOLLIMA / BEETHOVEN
Conductor Giovanni Sollima
Teatro Massimo Orchestra
November 13 2027, 8.30pm
FERRO / EROICA
Conductor Gabriele Ferro
Teatro Massimo Orchestra