58° Festival delle Nazioni

58th Festival delle Nazioni

Città di Castello, August 28 – September 12, 2025

A Tribute to France

The 58th edition of the Festival delle Nazioni, held in Città di Castello from August 28 to September 12, 2025, marks the beginning of a new three-year thematic cycle dedicated to European cultural traditions. This year’s edition pays tribute to France, the first of three featured nations, followed by Germany in 2026 and a celebration of Europe as a whole in 2027, the Festival’s 60th anniversary.Under the artistic direction of Massimo Mercelli, the Festival reaffirms its commitment to bridging international excellence and local heritage. The focus on France explores its rich artistic and cultural influence on Italy—what Mercelli calls the "French-Italian dialogue"—from the post-war avant-garde to the poetic modernism of Debussy and Ravel, culminating in a homage to Pierre Boulez, on the 100th anniversary of his birth.This year’s edition stands out as “The Festival of the Oscars”, opening with a by Oscar-winning composer Nicola Piovani and closing with a new composition by Oscar-winner Rachel Portman. Piovani’s Preludio al Cantico, written in honor of the 800th anniversary of Saint Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of the Creatures, will inaugurate the Festival in the evocative setting of San Domenico Church.The Festival will conclude with a Portman’s "Filmscapes" for flute and strings, performed by I Solisti Veneti conducted by Giuliano Carella, featuring flutist Massimo Mercelli.The Festival’s program includes others: Chamber concerts themed around French impressionism and romanticism. A saxophone tribute with the Italian Saxophone Quartet; a refined dialogue between French and Italian styles in the Italiens à Paris piano series, with performances by Marco Scolastra and Alessandro Marangoni.Richard Galliano, jazz icon, celebrating 50 years of career with a post-war Paris-inspired program.A cinematic evening dedicated to François Truffaut combining film, jazz, and live music, directed by Maria Teresa De Vito with Rita Marcotulli, Javier Girotto, Ares Tavolazzi, and others great jazz player.The Little Prince performed by Vanessa Gravina with music by Bacalov, Nyman, Glass, and Satie — an homage to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry; a tribute to Pier Paolo Pasolini, combining narration by Guido Barbieri with music by Bach, Nyman, Sollima play by Orchestra Calamani soloists.The Festival continues to support emerging musicians with a special focus to the Alberto Burri Competition, now in its 8th edition. The Trio Rinaldo, winners of the 2024 edition and the prestigious Premio Abbiati, will perform this year works by Fauré and Ravel.