If you’re planning a trip to the Amalfi Coast, mark your calendars for June 20th to September 5th for the Ravello Festival. The 63rd edition of the popular festival dedicated to music, theater, opera, dance and the arts is set to be a blockbuster with an outstanding line up of performances. The Ravello Festival 2015 Program has been announced this week, and the selection is tempting. From world class ballet, classical performances and opera to the European exclusive concert by Philip Glass and Laurie Anderson or the lively Bobby McFerrin or Dee Dee Bridgewater, there’s a lot to choose from at this year’s Ravello Festival.
The season very appropriately begins and ends with the music of Wagner, who visited the Villa Rufolo in 1880. On June 20th there will be a ballet performance of Tristano e Isotta while the final concert of the season will be Parsifal, which is the opera Wagner was working on when he visited Ravello.
Each year the Ravello Festival presents a theme, and this year’s is InCanto, a word play that highlights the various ways the human voice is used as expressive instrument (as “canto” means “song”) and the word “incanto” meaning “enchantment.” The Italian artist Mimmo Paladino has created a striking image to represent the Ravello Festival this year. Some of you reading may have seen the incredible installation of many of his sculptures on the terrace of the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer in 2013. This year there will be an installation of work by the sculptor Augusto Perez throughout the Villa Rufolo and on the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer terrace.
Keep an eye on the Ravello Festival website as online ticket booking via their Box Office should be available soon. If you know your travel dates then it’s a good idea to book in advance as many concerts sell out well in advance. Also, it’s noted on the website, but I’d highly recommend paying a little extra for seats in the Tribuna Centrale – the central seating area. What’s the difference? Well besides being great seats it also secures you a seat should the concert have to be moved to the Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer due to bad weather. While the weather is usually good, I experienced this just last year. If I hadn’t paid a little extra for tickets then I would have missed the concert with Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, which had to be moved to the Auditorium. Although you’ll be reimbursed for tickets in the Tribuna Laterale in the case of bad weather, it’s a disappointment to miss a concert you’ve been looking forward to on holiday!
What concert would you like to see at the Ravello Festival this year?
Dr. Harald Bartos says
I am looking for tickets for the concerts iinn Ravello, Villa Ruffolo on 23 rd and 27 th August.
for two people each.
Could you please offer me tickets for these concerts – good seats!
Thank you,
Dr. Harald Bartos
Laura Thayer says
Hello Dr. Bartos, You can find all the information about the concert schedule and book tickets online on the Ravello Festival website. Have a great visit to the Amalfi Coast!