33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival 2026 Program Announced
The program for the 33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival has been announced. From 12 to 26 September 2026, Aspendos Ancient Theatre will once again welcome opera and ballet enthusiasts for a series of performances in one of the most impressive historical venues in the Mediterranean.
This year’s festival program brings together opera, dramatic ballet and monumental choral music. Verdi’s Attila will open the festival, followed by Anna Karenina, two performances of Carmina Burana and two performances of Spartacus.
All performances will begin at 21:00, when the evening atmosphere of Aspendos adds another dimension to the music, choreography and stage design.
Opera and Ballet in the Historic Atmosphere of Aspendos
Aspendos Ancient Theatre is not simply a venue where the performances take place. Its Roman architecture, stone seating and remarkable acoustics are an essential part of the festival experience.
Watching an opera or ballet beneath the open sky, surrounded by nearly two thousand years of history, creates an atmosphere that is difficult to reproduce in a conventional theatre. As daylight fades and the stage lights illuminate the ancient structure, the theatre itself becomes part of the performance.
For visitors spending September in Antalya and the surrounding holiday regions, the festival also offers an opportunity to experience a different side of the Turkish Riviera—one shaped by history, music and performing arts.
Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival 2026 Dates
The 33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival will be held between 12 and 26 September 2026.
Festival dates: 12–26 September 2026
Venue: Aspendos Ancient Theatre
Performance time: 21:00
Age limit: 7 years and over
12 September 2026, Saturday – Attila
The festival will open with Giuseppe Verdi’s Attila, performed by Antalya State Opera and Ballet.
Inspired by the historical figure Attila the Hun, the opera combines political ambition, conflict and personal drama with Verdi’s powerful musical language. Its grand choral scenes and dramatic orchestration make it a fitting opening production for the monumental stage of Aspendos.
Time: 21:00
Performed by: Antalya State Opera and Ballet
15 September 2026, Tuesday – Anna Karenina
The second performance of the festival will be Anna Karenina, inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s world-famous novel.
The ballet brings the emotional world of Tolstoy’s characters to the stage through choreography, music and visual storytelling. Anna’s struggle between personal desire, family responsibilities and the expectations of society forms the dramatic centre of the production.
The atmosphere of Aspendos Ancient Theatre is expected to give additional depth to this story of love, conflict and tragedy.
Time: 21:00
Performed by: Antalya State Opera and Ballet
19 September 2026, Saturday – Carmina Burana
Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana will be performed for the first time during the festival on Saturday, 19 September.
Known for its powerful rhythms, large chorus and instantly recognisable opening, Carmina Burana is one of the most frequently performed works of the twentieth century. The combination of orchestra, soloists, choir and stage movement is particularly suited to the scale and acoustics of Aspendos.
Time: 21:00
Performed by: Antalya State Opera and Ballet
21 September 2026, Monday – Carmina Burana
A second performance of Carmina Burana will take place on Monday, 21 September.
The additional date gives visitors another opportunity to experience the work in the historic theatre. With its dramatic contrasts, energetic choral sections and impressive visual potential, Carmina Burana is likely to be one of the most memorable productions in the 2026 festival program.
Time: 21:00
Performed by: Antalya State Opera and Ballet
25 September 2026, Friday – Spartacus
The final part of the festival will begin with Spartacus on Friday, 25 September.
Spartacus is one of the most powerful works in the classical ballet repertoire. The story of rebellion, freedom, sacrifice and resistance is presented through large ensemble scenes, demanding choreography and emotionally charged music.
The dimensions of the Aspendos stage make it an especially appropriate setting for the production’s battle scenes, group choreography and dramatic visual structure.
Time: 21:00
26 September 2026, Saturday – Spartacus
The second performance of Spartacus will close the 33rd International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival on Saturday, 26 September.
The closing evening will offer audiences one final opportunity to experience classical ballet in the extraordinary setting of Aspendos Ancient Theatre. With its strong narrative and large-scale choreography, Spartacus will bring the two-week festival to a dramatic conclusion.
Time: 21:00
Ticket-Only and Transfer-Included Reservation Options
Reservations for the 2026 Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival are available online through Vigo Tours.
Visitors who plan to travel to Aspendos independently can choose a [ticket-only reservation]. This option is suitable for guests arriving with their own vehicle, rental car or privately arranged transportation.
Transfer-included reservations are also available for visitors staying in the main holiday regions of Antalya. These packages include hotel pickup, transportation to Aspendos Ancient Theatre and return transfer after the performance.
Depending on where you are staying, you can review the relevant reservation option below:
Antalya Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival with Transfer
Alanya Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival with Transfer
Side Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival with Transfer
Belek Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival with Transfer
Kemer Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival with Transfer
Pickup details and approximate transfer times vary according to the hotel location and selected departure region. The exact arrangements are provided during the reservation process.
Planning Your Evening at Aspendos
Guests are advised to arrive with enough time to enter the theatre and find their seats before the performance begins. As all productions start at 21:00, transfer schedules are arranged according to the distance between the accommodation region and Aspendos.
The theatre is an open-air historical venue, so it may also be useful to consider the evening weather. Although September days in Antalya are generally warm, temperatures can feel cooler later at night, particularly after the performance.
Comfortable footwear is recommended because access to and movement around an ancient theatre may involve stone surfaces and steps.
A Festival Where History Becomes Part of the Performance
The International Aspendos Opera and Ballet Festival is distinguished not only by its program but also by the relationship between the performances and the venue.
Opera, ballet and choral music take on a different character when presented within the stone walls of Aspendos. The scale of the theatre, its natural acoustics and its historic surroundings allow the audience to experience each production in a setting closely connected with the long history of live performance.
With Attila, Anna Karenina, Carmina Burana and Spartacus included in the announced program, the 2026 festival offers a varied schedule for both devoted opera and ballet followers and visitors attending a performance at Aspendos for the first time.
