CHURCH AND CATHEDRAL CONCERTS IN ITALY
This is the shortlist you would send a friend who asked what to book: 9 church and cathedral concerts in Italy, each with its price, its audience verdict and the one thing to know before committing an evening.
Spend 90 minutes with Interpreti Veneziani in Venice’s Church of San Vidal. Expect Baroque concertos by Vivaldi, Bach, and Handel, strong acoustics, animated soloists, and an intimate church setting. Arrive 30 minutes early for better seating. A CD is available if you select that option.
“the place and the concert were amazing. We loved it and highly recommended”
Spend one hour with professional opera singers and a pianist inside Florence’s Santa Monaca Church, a 1400s building with frescoes and striking acoustics. Hear familiar pieces by Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, Bellini, and Mascagni in an intimate setting. A short intermission gives you time to buy wine, then continue your evening near Santo Spirito.
“The evening was well organised and the church was rustic and charming. We have never been to the opera before and we loved it. The singer and the pianist were superb. Something to note was there didn’t seem to be a washroom so make sure you go before you arrive and it was a very warm evening inside and out; neither of those things spoiled our evening and we would thoroughly recommend! Pure class…”
Attend a live performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by the Vivaldi Baroque Ensemble inside Santa Maria della Visitazione, known as the Vivaldi Church. You’ll hear the music in the church where Antonio Vivaldi played, composed, and conducted. Arrive 45 minutes early for the best seats, and dress suitably for a church.
“Everything was incredible, the venue, the performers and the performance.”
Spend 90 minutes at St. Paul’s Within the Walls on Via Nazionale, hearing tenors Francesco Fortes, Alessandro Fortunato, and Stefano Sorrentino with a string quartet and piano. The program moves from Puccini and Verdi to O Sole Mio and Torna a Surriento, with humor, audience interaction, and excellent church acoustics.
“It was an amazing experience to see the three best tenors in the world. I was not expecting their engagement with the audience, and their antics with each other. The venue was perfect, the centuries old church had wonderful acoustics.”
Attend a 70-minute evening concert in Florence’s former Santa Monaca Church, where professional singers and a pianist perform arias from La Traviata, Tosca, La Bohème, The Marriage of Figaro, and more. The 9:15pm program is intimate, smart casual, and easy to add after dinner.
“Simple but enjoyable… all three (the pianist and the two opera singers) are very professional, very relaxing night out!”
Spend 90 minutes with I Virtuosi dell’opera di Roma at St. Paul’s Within the Walls Church. The concert pairs violin, cello, piano, flute, clarinet, and horn with soprano, tenor, and baritone voices in highlights from Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, Rossini, Bizet, and others. Choose Category A, Category B, or VIP seating.
“Brilliant evening with amazing singers in a wonderful setting.”
Attend an 80-minute performance of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by the Vivaldi Baroque Ensemble inside the Church of the Pietà, also called Santa Maria della Visitazione. You’ll sit in the historic church linked with Vivaldi’s work, so arrive 45 minutes early for better seats. English-speaking staff are available, but this is a concert ticket, not a guided tour.
“The concert was an incredible experience. The church was a beautiful setting and the musicians were so talented and passionate.”
Join provider Elena Pinciaroli for a three-hour Florence evening pairing a Tuscan dinner at Trattoria Napoleone with live opera in Santa Monaca Church. Expect Italian arias by Puccini, Verdi, Rossini, Mozart, and Bellini, sung by professional performers with piano accompaniment. Dinner begins around 7:00 or 7:15 pm, while the concert may start later.
“We could not have asked for a better experience. First, the Dinner. I think this was the best meal we had in all of Tuscany. The wine was fantastic, the food was amazing! the service was exceptions (we adored talking with Irjs). The first course was a typical charcuterie board, followed by vegetarian appetizers (don't worry, you won't miss the meat!). Then a sampling of 3 types of pasta, one of which we enjoyed so much we asked for seconds! Then dessert was chocolate salami. We liked it so much they gave us the recipe (the owners grandmother's recipe no less!!). We had a wonderful experience. Which then led to…”
Spend an evening with MandolinVenice at St. George’s Church in Campo San Vio. The 90-minute concert follows Italian classical music from Vivaldi to Rossini, pairing original mandolin works with specially arranged pieces. It begins at 8:30 p.m., and you can meet the musicians afterward.
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