Cervo's International Chamber Music Festival: its history since 1964, the 2026 edition, the concert venues and tips for the audience.
The International Chamber Music Festival of Cervo is one of the longest-running summer music festivals in Liguria. Every year, between July and August, it brings Italian and international musicians to the square in front of the Corallini church, a terrace over the sea in the heart of the village of Cervo. Here you will find its history, how the 2026 edition went and tips for attending a concert.
The festival was born in 1964 from an insight of Sándor Végh, a great violinist, chamber musician, conductor and teacher. In Cervo he discovered almost by chance that the concave façade of the Corallini church, designed at the end of the 17th century by Giovanni Battista Marvaldi, creates natural acoustics on the square that suit chamber music. Since then the square has become an open-air concert hall every summer, with the sea behind the audience.
Over the decades the festival has spread to other venues in the village and to other genres, adding training activities for young musicians alongside the concerts. The link with Végh remains central to the programme: in 2026 a whole strand was dedicated to him and to the violin today.
The 63rd edition, curated by the new artistic director Michel Balatti, had the theme “L’arte del dialogo” (The art of dialogue) and brought together classical music, jazz, singer-songwriters, theatre, literature and electronic music. The programme was divided into three strands:
The guests also included the violinist Aozhe Zhang, winner of the Paganini prize, and the pianist Chi Ho Han, who closed the festival on 28 August.
Almost all the evenings take place in the square in front of the church of San Giovanni Battista, known as “dei Corallini” because it was built with the proceeds of coral fishing. The audience sits facing the Baroque façade, with the Golfo Dianese all around.
The 13th-century Romanesque oratory, just below the Castello dei Clavesana, hosts the more intimate concerts. In 2026 the violinist Fabiola Tedesco played here.
A park dedicated to the Mediterranean landscape, used for the more experimental evenings: in 2026 Alessandro Santacaterina performed here with guitars, lap steel and electronics.
In the village there are mainly B&Bs and holiday homes, handy for walking back after the concert. For a wider choice look at San Bartolomeo al Mare and Diano Marina, a few minutes away. On the evenings of the most popular concerts the area fills up, so book ahead.
FAQ
Every summer between July and August. The 2026 edition ran from 10 July to 28 August. The 2027 dates will be published on the official website.
Mainly in Piazza dei Corallini, in front of the church of San Giovanni Battista, and on some evenings in the Oratorio di Santa Caterina and the Parco del Ciapà.
The Hungarian violinist Sándor Végh, in 1964, struck by the acoustics created by the concave façade of the Corallini church.
Online, from the festival’s official website. There are discounts for young people and residents.
No. Chamber music remains at its heart, but the programme also includes jazz, singer-songwriters, theatre, literature and electronic music.
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Riviera di Ponente › Riviera dei Fiori
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