Spoleto – 59th Season “Experimental Opera of Spoleto” – 13th August to 9th October

The theatre for experimental opera has been running for 59 years in Spoleto, Umbria and is a place of study for the perfection and advancement of careers of young opera singers, with specialised courses for, conductors, repetiteurs and piano tuners as well.


The season opens with “Eine Kleine Casbamusik”, then proceeds to more classical repertoire, with Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor”. Late September sees “Cleopatra” by Cimarosa and to close the season “La Boheme” by Puccini.

Perugia – Sacred Umbrian Music – 15th September to 24th September

The 60th edition of the Perugian Sacred Music Festival takes place in the main theatre at Perugia, “Teatro Morlacchi”, The Basilica of Saint Peter, and churches in nearby medieval Umbrian towns.


The season opens with the Orchestra and Chorus of “Maggio Musicale Fiorentino”, conducted by Zubin Mehta and concludes with a piano concert by virtuoso Maurizio Pollini.

Foligno – Festival of Baroque Signs – 27th August to 17th September

The Festival of Baroque Signs has been organised yearly since 1981 by the City of Foligno. Including concerts, exhibitions, parades in costumes, displays by men at arms, theatrical spectacles and cinematographic exhibition,s the core theme is "Baroque" and the influences of this artistic movement in the centuries following the 17th century.

With baroque musical ensembles, a Spanish baroque song and dance company, Shakespeare, ballet and cinema, there is a feast of culture which takes place in churches, Piazzas and historic houses in and around Foligno.

The medieval towns are treasures of Renaissance art and architecture

The medieval towns are treasures of Renaissance art and architecture. The Etruscan remains in the museum in Cortona should be seen; it has the best display in Europe. Cortona is the Italian city with the longest uninterrupted human habitation, so they say. Roman sculptures and medieval buildings provide further architectural joys. Look for the huge building blocks on the lower parts of the walls: these are the Etruscan ones. Ice creams are good too: go along the main street away from the Comune, Town Hall, towards the Theatre, about fifty paces, ices on the right.
The weekly markets for food, clothing and household goods in Cortona, Umbertide, Città di Castello and all the other towns and cities are very colourful, and many bargains can be found. There are monthly second-hand markets in Perugia, Arezzo, Città di Castello, Pissignano, Passignano - two separate towns - and Castigleone del Lago.

(For more see - www.propertiesumbria.com)