Taormina, 22 May 2026
The festival is open to all types of folk groups, flag-wavers and historical parades.
The 4th edition will take place from May 22nd to 24th, 2026:
MORE INFO
www.facebook.com/TheSicilyFolkFestival
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
EXHIBITION
Ancient Theatre, from May 16th to June 30th 2026
is an Italian sculptor. He is known for a sculpture of Pope Benedict XVI that was modified to remove his clothing when he abdicated, named Habemus Hominem.
TICKETS
https://aditusculture.com/esperienze/taormina/mostre-eventi/gesti-scolpiti-jago-a-taormina
The exhibition is located inside the Ancient Theatre
MORE INFO
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
Excelsior Palace Hotel in via Toselli, Sunday 17 May 2026 @ 7:30
Entrance: € 25,00 (€ 20,00 for members of the Taormina Jazz Association)
Stjepko Gut: Trumpet
Rino Cirinnà: Sax
Angelo Cultreri: organo
Paolo Vicari: Drums
MORE INFO
www.facebook.com/TaorminaJazzFestival
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
C O N C E R T
Taormina Sporting Club / Taormina Tennis Club, Via Bagnoli Croci 71 @7:00pm
Free Entrance
Today The Taormina and the Taormina Plectrum Orchestra celebrate Chico Scimone who was a marathon runner, a pianist, an orchestra conductor and an athlete by vocation.
Born in 1911 in Boston (USA) from Sicilian emigrants he spent many years playing piano at trendy nightclubs in New York and Chicago and on cruise ships.
In Taormina he founded the “La Giara” nightclub, welcoming and playing to the Taormina jet set of the fabulous Dolce Vita: Sofia Loren, Liz Taylor, Richard Burton. And he kept playing piano bar throughot his life.
In 1974 he founded the Women’s Tennis Asssociation and lauched another symbolic feat: the January 1st dive into the sea, a gesture of renewal, courage, and hope that has become an annual event.
When his physical condition no longer allowed him to participate in marathons, he began climbing skyscrapers. For 17 consecutive years, from 1984 to 2005, he participated in the legendary Empire State Building Run-Up, the race that leads athletes to climb 1,576 steps to the 86th floor of Manhattan’s iconic skyscraper. Chico began this feat at 72 and finished it at 93 years old.
Upon his death, the skyscraper was illuminated with the colors of the Italian flag in his honor.
He died in 2005 at 94.
MORE INFO
https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chico_Scimone
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
Ancient Theatre, Friday 15th May 2026 @ 6:30pm
Free entrance
From Verdi to Puccini, Bizet to Brahms, Morricone to Bernstein, and eventually the Mameli Anthem, the Italian anthem, performed by the Band and Orchestra.
Journalist Desiree Ferlito will moderate the event.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
I T A L I A N O P E R A S E L E C T I O N
Teatro Nazarena (Via Fontana Vecchia, 3) Sunday 10th May 2026 @ 9:15pm
A free drink during intermission on theater’s terrace is included
On May 10, 2026, Tosca returns to Taormina as part of Opera Selection 2026, offering audiences an intense and immersive encounter with one of Puccini’s most dramatically powerful works. Performed at the intimate Teatro Nazarena, this production places the emotional core of the opera at center stage, emphasizing tension, passion, and psychological depth.
Rather than relying on spectacle, this interpretation highlights the human conflict that drives the drama forward: love under threat, power abused, and moral choices made under extreme pressure. Puccini’s score unfolds with relentless urgency, moving seamlessly from lyrical introspection to moments of overwhelming dramatic force.
Cast
Tosca: Dolores Granados
Cavaradossi: Moisès Molin
Scarpia: Graziano D’Urso
Jailer: Franco Tromba
(source: italianoperataormina.com)
TICKETS on italianoperataormina.com
Standard ticket € 50,00
MORE INFO
Italian Opera Taormina > www.italianoperataormina.com – info@italianoperataormina.com – T. +39 340 642 6230 – www.facebook.com/italianoperataormina
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
Sunday 10th May 2026, Florence Trevelyan Public Gardens of Taormina
Guided tours, dancers, photo settings, picnic and parades.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
Taormina, Thursday 30th April 2026
Free events
A worldwide celebration of jazz leading up to the 15th anniversary.
It is an International Day declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011 “to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.”
This year, the Taormina Jazz Association boost a high-quality artistic program:
– at 6:30 pm, the SIZE46 Street Band parades along Corso Umberto, our main pedestrian street
– at 9:00 pm, at the Congress Hall, a concert by pianist Gilda Buttà, an internationally renowned artist and interpreter of the music of Ennio Morricone, who will perform Keith Jarrett’s famous Köln Concert, one of the cornerstones of jazz history.
MORE INFO
Taormina Jazz Association – www.instagram.com/associazione_taormina_jazz – associazione@taorminajazz.it – Mob. 0039 338 2973 459
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
From Friday 24th to Sunday 26th April 2026
Free events
Taormina in bloom along the streets of the town centre
Friday 24
– Florence Trevelyan Public Gardens > from 11:00am to 4:00pm, gardening workshops for the little ones. Picnic for lunch
– Piazza IX aprile, from @6:00pm on > institutional toast and Simon Music Band
Saturday 25
– Piazza IX Aprile @7:30pm > Concert by the Orchestra Mandolinistica Gioviale
Sunday 26
– Florence Trevelyan Public Gardens @11:00 > Yoga and Make-up
– Corso Umberto @ 3:00pm > Spring parade
– Piazza IX Aprile @7:30pm > Concert by the Orchestra A Plettro Taormina
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
Teatro Nazarena, via Fontana Vecchia n° 3, Taormina @ 9.15pm
Entrance: strictly by 8.45pm
Performance Schedule:
APRIL > Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
From MAY to AUGUST > Monday to Friday
SEPTEMBER and OCTOBER > Every day except Saturday
NOVEMBER > Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday
A well-established format offering an unmissable selection of wonderful melodies by Puccini, Verdi, Donizetti, Rossini, and many other great composers, performed by extraordinary voices accompanied by piano.
TICKET – Ask your Hotel or click HERE :
Standard Ticket (€30) – includes a drink during the intermission | Entry at 8:45 PM
VIP Ticket (€50) – early entry, welcome drink, and reserved seating in the VIP area | Entry at 8:30 PM
👶 Free entry for children up to 6 years old
During the year, Italian Opera Taormina realises also two special events:
go to the International Music Festival
Program changes every night > click on the date!
(program is released few days before the date)
April
1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29
May
1,4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Opera Selection: Tosca, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
June
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30
July
1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
August
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31
September
1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30
October
1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
November
2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30
MORE INFO
Italian Opera Taormina > www.italianoperataormina.com – info@italianoperataormina.com – T. +39 340 642 6230 – www.facebook.com/italianoperataormina
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel La Pensione Svizzera – Hotel Villa Schuler – Hotel Villa Ducale – Hotel Villa Carlotta
