The Stresa Festival 2026 celebrates its 65th edition, bringing classical music, jazz, and baroque to Lago Maggiore from July 16 to September 9. Beyond the concert hall in Stresa itself, the venues include Isola Bella, Isola Madre, and Isola dei Pescatori, as well as the medieval Rocca di Angera perched high above the southern tip of the lake. For those already visiting the region, the combination of music and landscape offers a distinctly personal way to experience the northern Italian summer.
Concerts on the Borromean Islands
The three islands of the Borromean Bay are among the most celebrated excursion destinations on Lago Maggiore. For the festival, they become concert stages in the open air and in historic interiors. Particularly the Isola Bella with its baroque Palazzo Borromeo and terraced gardens, creates a backdrop unlike anything found in a conventional concert hall. Further information about the region is available at visit-lakemaggiore.com.
Also Rocca di Angera, an almost entirely preserved medieval fortress, will serve as a performance venue. In its Sala della Giustizia, adorned with frescoes from the late 13th century, music, history, and art merge into an experience that goes well beyond an ordinary concert visit. For those who have never visited the Rocca, this offers two compelling reasons to make the trip.
Four Musical Worlds
As in previous years, the festival is organized into four series: Jazz, Young, Antiqua, and Classic. Each one speaks to a different audience while simultaneously building bridges across eras and styles. Those with a classical orientation will find Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Shostakovich presented side by side, often in unusually crafted programs.
One highlight is a performance by Turkish pianist Fazıl Say with the Kammerorchester Basel under the baton of young conductor Bar Avni. Another major event is the Belcea Quartet, presenting Beethoven's early and late string quartets in a single arc, offering a panoramic view of the Viennese master's complete output.
A cena con Traviata and Bach & Beyond
Among the more unconventional formats is "A cena con Traviata" on Isola dei Pescatori. At Restaurant Il Verbano, a specially created menu follows the three acts of Verdi's opera, with soloists from the Ensemble Musica a Palazzo singing the most celebrated arias between courses. Wines and dishes are selected to complement the musical dramaturgy.
Pianist Francesco Tristano dedicates his project Bach & Beyond to the connection between baroque music and contemporary soundscapes. Giovanni Sollima joins Il Pomo d'Oro to explore what Italian baroque composer Francesco Zappa and American rock musician Frank Zappa have in common, while Lukas Geniušas and Anna Geniushene place works by Rachmaninoff and Gershwin in dialogue.
Antiqua, Jazz, and Young Formats
The Antiqua series focuses on historically informed performance practice and rarely heard instruments. Sergey Malov interprets Bach's cello suites on a historic violoncello da spalla, and the Trio Lisci, Spagnolo, and Pascal revives the romantic sound of the harp in chamber music from the early 20th century.
The Jazz series ranges from Italian pianist Raphael Gualazzi and German jazz pianist Luca Sestak to Tunisian oud master Dhafer Youssef, who weaves together Eastern traditions and modern jazz. The Young series functions as a festival within the festival, showcasing contemporary electronic music and new forms of musical creativity.
Symphonic Finale at La Scala
Among the symphonic highlights are Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto featuring young soloist Andrea Cicalese, Dvořák's Cello Concerto, Beethoven's "Eroica," and Dvořák's Seventh Symphony, performed by renowned European orchestras. Major works define the second half of the program and connect it to the concert tradition of the region.
The festival concludes with a guest performance at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, where the Mahler Academy Orchestra under the direction of Philipp von Steinaecker interprets Gustav Mahler's Ninth Symphony on period instruments. For those planning a longer stay on the lake, the Lakeview Cannobio Camping Resort is well worth considering.
