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The Fondazione announced the 104th Arena di Verona Opera Festival on 10 April 2026 (arena.it; OperaWire). It opens with Beethoven's Ninth Symphony on 11 June 2027 and closes with La Traviata on 11 September. In between, the productions rotate, so on most weeks in July and August you can see three or four different shows on consecutive nights.
Casts had not been announced in October 2026: every production page still read "cast coming soon". This guide compares the productions themselves, the music and the practical things (length, dates, price band) that decide most bookings.
The quick answer
For a first visit, see Aida: the opera the Arena opened with in 1913, and the one built for this space. Choose the 1913 production for grand traditional spectacle in June and July, and Stefano Poda's modern "crystal" Aida in late August and September. Carmen is the best second night; Nabucco is the shortest opera, at about 2 hours 45 minutes.
What is on at the Arena di Verona in 2027?
Five operas in six productions (Aida twice), the Romeo and Juliet ballet, two Roberto Bolle galas, Jonas Kaufmann, Beethoven's Ninth and three concerts.
Dates and running times from each production's page on arena.it. Running times include the intervals.
| Production | Dates 2027 | Running time | Sung in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 (opening) | 11 June | Concert | German |
| Aida ed. 1913 (Verdi; de Bosio) | 12 June to 7 August, 9 nights | About 3 h 40, two intervals | Italian |
| Romeo and Juliet (Prokofiev, ballet) | 18 and 26 June, 15 July, 20 August | About 2 h 50, two intervals | Ballet |
| La Traviata (Verdi; Paul Curran) | 25 June to 11 September, 10 nights | About 3 h, two intervals | Italian |
| Carmen (Bizet; Zeffirelli) | 2 July to 10 September, 11 nights | About 3 h 45, two intervals | French |
| Roberto Bolle and Friends (dance gala) | 8 and 21 July | Gala | Dance |
| Nabucco (Verdi; Stefano Poda) | 29 July to 9 September, 6 nights | About 2 h 45, one interval | Italian |
| Jonas Kaufmann in Opera | 8 August, 20:15 | About 2 h, one interval | Arias |
| Aida ed. Stefano Poda (Verdi) | 12 August to 8 September, 5 nights | About 3 h 10, one interval | Italian |
| Viva Vivaldi / Paganini Paradise / Carmina Burana | 24, 25 and 29 August | Concerts | Instrumental / Latin |
The operas have Italian and English subtitles. Performances start at 21:15 in June and July and at 21:00 from August, so a long opera ends well after midnight.
Which Aida: the 1913 production or Stefano Poda's?
The 1913 Aida for tradition, pyramids and a cast of hundreds; Poda's for a modern, abstract show of light and costume. Both are the same opera, a month apart.
Aida is the Arena's opera. It was the first one staged here, on 10 August 1913, for the centenary of Verdi's birth, and the festival has returned to it more than to any other work. In 2027 there are two productions and they do not overlap:
| Aida ed. 1913 | Aida ed. Stefano Poda | |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 12 June to 7 August | 12 August to 8 September |
| Style | Historical: revives the 1913 staging, costumes after Mariette's designs, Verdi's own stage directions | Modern "crystal" Aida made for the 2023 centenary: light, transparencies, high fashion |
| Director | Gianfranco de Bosio (choreography Susanna Egri) | Stefano Poda (sets, costumes, lights, choreography) |
| Length | About 3 h 40, two intervals | About 3 h 10, one interval |
| Nights | 9 | 5 |
| Price band | Opening on 12 June; regular after (7 August not in early booking) | Premiere on 12 August; regular after |
| Pick it if | You want the Aida your grandparents saw | You have seen a traditional Aida, or want a shorter night |
Our view: first time at the Arena, take the 1913 production. It fills the stage the way people imagine the Arena, and the triumphal march with the full chorus is the reason the Arena exists as an opera house. Poda's version divides opinion, and the half-hour it saves is welcome on the stone steps.
Carmen, La Traviata or Nabucco?
Carmen is the biggest show, La Traviata the most intimate story, Nabucco the shortest and the one with Va' pensiero.
Carmen is Franco Zeffirelli's production: a crowded, colourful Seville with flamenco by Compañía Antonio Gades and choreography by El Camborio. It runs about 3 hours 45 with two intervals and has the most dates (11). If you are coming with someone who has never seen an opera, Carmen's tunes do half the work.
La Traviata is Paul Curran's staging, set in the Moulin Rouge of early twentieth-century Paris, about 3 hours with two intervals. It is an intimate story of three people in a very large space, and the most emotional night of the season. It has dates from late June to the closing night.
Nabucco is Stefano Poda's production, with light effects, labyrinths and sword fights, and the chorus Va' pensiero at its heart. At about 2 hours 45 with one interval, it is the shortest opera of the summer and the easiest on the steps. Its premiere is 29 July, and the 15 August performance is excluded from early-booking prices.
Why is the Romeo and Juliet ballet a big deal?
The Fondazione bills it as its first full-length ballet at the Arena since 1993, a new production of Prokofiev's score, in the city where the story is set.
The Fondazione calls it the return of ballet after a 34-year wait. Romeo and Juliet is a new Fondazione Arena production with the Arena's own orchestra and ballet company. In October 2026 neither the choreographer nor the dancers had been named. It runs about 2 hours 50 minutes with two intervals, on four nights only: 18 June (the premiere, 21:30), 26 June, 15 July and 20 August.
It is priced in the gala and ballet band, which is lower on the steps than a regular opera night: €35 on the 5th sector and €52 on the 4th. For a Verona trip it is hard to beat: Juliet's balcony by day, Prokofiev's balcony scene in a Roman amphitheatre by night.
What are the one-off galas and concerts?
Beethoven's Ninth opens the season, Roberto Bolle dances twice, Jonas Kaufmann sings one night, and three concerts fill late August.
These single nights sell out first, and you cannot pick another date if you miss them:
| Date 2027 | Event | What it is | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 11 June | Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 | Opening night, orchestra, chorus and soloists | Opening (6th steps €38, front row €420) |
| Thu 8 and Wed 21 July | Roberto Bolle and Friends | World dance gala led by the Italian star dancer | Gala |
| Sun 8 August, 20:15 | Jonas Kaufmann in Opera | Opera gala of arias with the German tenor, about 2 hours | Premiere |
| Tue 24 August | Viva Vivaldi | The Four Seasons as an immersive concert | Gala |
| Wed 25 August | Paganini Paradise | Immersive "superlive" concert | Gala |
| Sun 29 August | Carmina Burana | Orff with large orchestra, chorus and children's choir | Gala |
Kaufmann's evening starts earlier than the operas, at 20:15, and is one of the shortest nights of the season. It is the one to pick if you want a star voice and do not want to be out until one in the morning.
Can you see two or three operas in one trip?
Yes. Several weeks have a different production every night from Thursday to Sunday, so a long weekend can hold three or four shows.
The best runs in 2027, from the official calendar:
- 5 to 8 August: Nabucco (Thu), Carmen (Fri), Aida ed. 1913 (Sat), Jonas Kaufmann (Sun).
- 12 to 15 August: Aida ed. Poda premiere (Thu), Carmen (Fri), La Traviata (Sat), Nabucco (Sun). Four operas in four nights, over the Ferragosto holiday.
- 26 to 29 August: La Traviata (Thu), Carmen (Fri), Aida ed. Poda (Sat), Carmina Burana (Sun).
- 2 to 5 September: Aida ed. Poda (Thu), Nabucco (Fri), La Traviata (Sat), Carmen (Sun). Cooler nights and 21:00 starts.
Remember that each night ends late. Two operas in a row on the steps is plenty for most people; if you plan three, put the shortest (Nabucco or Kaufmann) in the middle, and spend a day off the stone, at Lake Garda for example. On the nights the Arena is dark, a palace opera concert gives you an hour of arias with a glass of prosecco. The tickets guide has the prices for every band.
On a free evening between Arena nights: arias from Carmen, La Traviata and more in an Art Deco palace near Piazza Bra.
Check datesFrequently asked questions
What is the best opera to see at the Arena di Verona?
Aida, for a first visit. It was the first opera staged at the Arena in 1913 and it suits the space best. In 2027 the traditional 1913 production runs from 12 June to 7 August, and Stefano Poda's modern version from 12 August to 8 September.
How long are the operas at the Arena di Verona?
Between about 2 hours 45 minutes (Nabucco) and 3 hours 45 minutes (Carmen), intervals included. With a 21:00 or 21:15 start, the long operas finish after midnight.
Is there ballet at the Arena di Verona in 2027?
Yes. Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, a new production the Fondazione bills as its first full-length ballet at the Arena since 1993, plays on 18 and 26 June, 15 July and 20 August. Roberto Bolle and Friends dance on 8 and 21 July.
Are there subtitles at the Arena di Verona?
Yes. The 2027 operas are sung in the original language (Italian for Verdi, French for Carmen) with subtitles in Italian and English.
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Book a concert or tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Opera Concert in a Verona Palace with Prosecco
- 60-minute concert: tenor, mezzo-soprano and pianist
- Glass of prosecco on arrival
- Seats assigned on arrival in the palace hall
Opera Concert with a Welcome Drink
An hour of arias and duets: tenor, mezzo-soprano and piano
Orchestra Concert with I Virtuosi Italiani
Vivaldi and the baroque by a professional chamber orchestra
