Barbuti Salerno Festival – XLI edition

Barbuti Salerno Festival – XLI edition

“The magic continues”: with this slogan was presented the 41st edition of the “Barbuti Salerno Festival”, which will take place from 2 August to 9 September 2026 in Largo Santa Maria dei Barbuti and from 11 to 26 September at Apollonia Hub with “La notte dei Barbuti”, edited by Brunella Caputo.

The event, which over time hosted over 2100 performances, almost 6300 actors, singers, dancers, cabarettists, comedians, marionettists, dancers, is led by Chiara Natella, who emphasizes the commitment to continue a historical exhibition, which has now had several gems: “With the classical theatre, dance, experimental theatre, walks in the historic center – explains Natella – the billboard has enriched more and more. I would also like to emphasize the leveraging of the winners who, over time, will be awarded the award titled Peppe Natella. I am pleased, then, that in recent years we have chosen women, as in this edition that will see the arrival in Nunzia Schiano city”.

La Rassegna dei Barbuti thanks the institutions that, with different means of support, make possible the event: the Municipality of Salerno, the Campania Region, the Chamber of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture, the Cna, the Foundation of the Salernitana Community and the Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio Salernitana.

Varied as always the billboard

Many names on the billboard for this edition 2026 (all shows will start at 21.15).

It begins on August 1 with “Shakespeare was born in Naples”, written by Francesco Ronga.

On August 6, for Foglie di Teatro, in the national premiere, debut of “But waiting to beat our hands” – that is the Buffo Mystery of Dario Fo, starring Gaetano Stella.

On 7 August Salerno Animo del Mediterraneo presents “Di voce e di vento” – quiet and storm of a woman, with Cristina Mazzaccaro.

On August 8 the comedy “Amori, vizi e sfizi”, by and with Raffaele Milite.

On August 13 “The rule of third parties”, split by Marco De Simone.

On 14 August will be the turn of the inevitable Peppe Barra, always present in the historical exhibition, in concert with “Vurria addeventare”.

On August 20, space at the classical theatre with Edipo Re di Sofocle, directed by Andrea Carraro.

On August 21, live music with “6 in Jazz – tribute to Lucio Battisti”: Sandro Deidda sax tenor & soprano, Alessandro Castiglione guitar, Guglielmo Guglielmi piano, Pierpaolo Bisogno vibrafono, vibrandoneon and percussion, Aldo Vigorito double bass, Peppe La Pusata drums.

On August 22, Veronica Gonzales presents “There was twice a foot”.

On August 27 still a national first with Anna and Roberto Nisivoccia and Giovanni Caputo in “Tre di fiori o il giuoco delle tre carte” – “Cecè” – “The other son” – “L’uomo dal fiore in bocca” Luigi Pirandello.

On August 28, the Peppe Natella Prize in Nunzia Schiano will be staged with his show “Femmene”.

On 29 August Maria Bolignano with “A milf of too much”.

The Prize “Peppe Natella” to actress Nunzia Schiano

The “Peppe Natella” Award, dedicated to the memory of the founder of the exhibition, comes this year to its eleventh edition. It will be the Neapolitan actress Nunzia Schiano, protagonist of long time both of the theater and of the cinema and of the television, to receive the scope recognition, after the show that will take on stage in Salerno: “Femmene”, Friday 28 August.

For the theatre, Schiano began in the 1970s between popular music and street theatre. It consolidates its formation by interpreting the great classics (Pirandello, Scarpetta, Viviani, De Filippo) with directors such as Renato Carpentieri and Lucio Angiulli. He recently took part in major national productions directed by L. De Fusco (Antigone), M. Ghini (Operation San Gennaro), G. Gleijeses (So he spoke Bellavista) and A. Siani (Welcome to the house Esposito, 2025).

It has a constant presence in over twenty years of Italian cinema, working with masters of comedy and internationally renowned directors. The partnerships with Matteo Garrone (Reality, Dogman) and Luca Miniero (Welcome to the South, Welcome to the North), and the collaborations with C. Vanzina, L. Pieraccioni and A. D’Alatri, until recent work with V. De Biasi and the international project I don’t understand you. There are no shortage of actors in different television series.

Known Face of the greatest Italian and international success series. He has performed in historical productions Rai and Mediaset (The team, Don Matteo, The bastards of Pizzofalcone) and in real global cults: he is Nunzia in Gomorra 5 and is in the cast of L’amica geniale and From Scratch. Among the most recent works are Commissioner Ricciardi, Lolita Lobosco, Imma Tataranni and productions of 2025 as La dolce villa (direction of M. Waters).

The Natella Prize consists of “The Lombard”, original ceramic sculpture created by artist Nello Ferrigno.

Dance under the stars

From 5 to 7 September, the protagonist returns the dance with the exhibition “Incontri”, artistically directed by Antonella Iannone.

Saturday 5 September Akerusia Danza will climb on the stage with the show “Stirpe di Sirene”.

On September 6, Mandala Dance Company will propose “Trame in the Wind” – a tribute to the Futurism of Giannina Censi and in the second part Nziria will propose “Ubi tu ibi ego”.

Monday, September 7 will be the turn of Uda Company/Production Gdo with “The manipulation”.

Salerno Day

It will not miss the traditional sembrian appendix, with the “Salerno Day” that commemorates the historic landing in Salerno of the Allies on 9 September 1943. Just on September 9th, in a show curated by Eduardo Scotti, will go on stage “My eyes leave me” by Corradino Pellecchia with Gaetano Fasanaro, musical commentary by Marida Niceforo and Daniela Somma, cura e adaptation scenice by Marcello Andria.

The Night of the Barbuti

Back to the Barbuti Night, a parallel exhibition curated by Brunella Caputo, director and actress. The ad hoc location will be the space of Apollonia Hub, all shows will begin at 21.

The billboard opens Friday, September 11 with the show “Guernica Bombing” by Tram – Teatro dell’osso, interpreted by Orazio Cerino for the direction of Mirko Di Martino (p. 1).

Saturday, September 12, the Grimaldello Theatre brings on stage “MITO – The White House”, a work of collective dramaturgy edited by Elvira Buonocore and directed by Antonio Grimaldi (p. 1).

The next weekend begins on Friday 18 September with the same artistic director Brunella Caputo, who writes, directs and interprets “The Bride of the Wind”, alongside María José Álvarez between flamenco and Spanish dance (p. 1).

Saturday, September 19th follows “The Ass of the World”, a show written and interpreted by Davide Speranza with the music of Gian Marco Volpe, the photos of Valentino Petrosino and the direction curated in couple by Hope and Fox.

The last appointments of the month are held on Friday, September 25 with “I am… lei”, text, direction and interpretation of Maria Rosaria Selo together with Gabriella Vitiello (p. 1), and finally Saturday, September 26 with the theatrical company Le Ombre, which presents “Malamuri”, a work freely inspired by Le Bel Indifférent by Jean Cocteau, interpreted by Mazza Cristinaccaro and directed by Gianni D’Amato.

Cultural walks

On the Thursdays indicated, starting at 20.30, there will be guided walks-visits in the historical center, by the cultural association Erchemperto.

Bonus Lecturers and Bonuses 18 Apps

Also this year tickets will be available with the Teacher Bonus on the app and directly at the Botteghino. Same speech with 18 student apps.