L’Aquila will officially host the opening of the 34th edition of the Smarano International Academy. From 20 to 22 July, the Abruzzese city will welcome the opening stage of the long-established international summer academy dedicated to early music and historically informed performance, marking the renewed collaboration between the Smarano International Academy and the Società Aquilana dei Concerti “Barattelli.” This collaboration takes on an even greater significance in the year in which L’Aquila is the Italian Capital of Culture 2026, reaffirming the shared commitment of the two institutions to develop a joint project that combines advanced musical training, artistic production, and the promotion of Europe’s musical heritage. For three days, faculty members and students from numerous countries will gather in L’Aquila to begin the Academy’s educational programme. Alongside individual lessons, seminars, workshops, and lectures devoted to the performance practice of early music, the programme also includes two concerts presented as part of the Società Aquilana dei Concerti “Barattelli” concert season, offering participants the opportunity to experience performances by internationally acclaimed artists. On Monday, 20 July, at 9:15 p.m., the David Brutti – Alessandro Albenga Duo will perform at the Oratorio di Sant’Antonio dei Cavalieri de Nardis with the programme …a “immitatione della voce humana”, an exploration of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire inspired by the dialogue between instruments and the human voice.  On Tuesday, 21 July, also at 9:15 p.m., internationally renowned organist William Porter will present a recital featuring works by Frescobaldi, Giovanni de Macque, Tarquinio Merula, Johann Sebastian Bach and Bernardo Storace, concluding with an improvisation on the Bergamasca. Please note that, due to organisational and logistical reasons beyond the control of the artists and the organising institutions, the schedule of the two concerts has been revised from the one previously announced. The David Brutti – Alessandro Albenga Duo will now perform on Monday, 20 July, while William Porter’s organ recital has been rescheduled to Tuesday, 21 July. The venue, starting times and artistic programmes remain unchanged.

On 23 July, the Academy will move to its historic home in Smarano, in Trentino, where activities will continue until 1 August with an intensive programme of masterclasses, individual lessons, lectures, concerts and research sessions, involving some of the world’s leading specialists in early music. Now in its 34th edition, the Smarano International Academy has established itself as one of Europe’s longest-running and most distinguished centres for advanced training in early music. Each year it brings together internationally renowned faculty, performers and young musicians from around the world, fostering an ongoing dialogue between musicological research, historically informed performance and artistic creation. The decision to launch this year’s Academy in L’Aquila reflects the strength of the partnership established with the Società Aquilana dei Concerti “Barattelli”, a key collaborator in developing a project that extends well beyond individual concerts to become a platform for cultural exchange between territories, institutions and artistic communities.

In such an important year for the city of L’Aquila, this collaboration represents a meaningful contribution to the programme of L’Aquila Italian Capital of Culture 2026, highlighting music as a vehicle for dialogue, education and international cooperation, while strengthening the bond between two institutions committed to excellence in research, advanced musical training and cultural production.