Belfort Theatre Festival & Campus

The Great Theatre Returns to the Ruins of Belfort: A New Summer Season of Literary Inspiration, Calvino and the Myth of Peter Pan

From 28 July to 2 August 2026, a rich programme of events will bring the monumental setting of Piuro and the Acquafraggia Waterfalls to life, extending across the nearby Swiss border.

Contemporary theatre and the great classics of world literature come together in the historic and natural setting of Piuro. From 28 July to 2 August, the evocative Belfort archaeological site – a symbol of the area’s rebirth – will provide the backdrop for a week of performances, staged readings and site-specific productions of outstanding artistic quality.
The events are presented as part of the Interreg Archeo ALPS programme.

This year’s festival, created in collaboration with leading production companies, draws an inspiring thread linking the profound poetry of Mariangela Gualtieri, the epic vision of Henrik Ibsen and an exploration of the literary imagination. Audiences will journey through Italo Calvino’s celebrated trilogy, with performances staged in the spectacular natural amphitheatre of the Acquafraggia Waterfalls and across the Swiss border at Nossa Dona, alongside a special programme dedicated to the myths and shadows of James M. Barrie’s Peter Pan.

PROGRAMME IN DETAIL

Tuesday, 28 July – 8:30 pm | BELFORT THE DELICACY OF LITTLE AND NOTHING
A staged reading from the works of Mariangela Gualtieri.
With Roberto Latini.
Produced by Compagnia Lombardi-Tiezzi.
A poetic opening of remarkable intensity, in which Latini’s voice brings Gualtieri’s verses and lyrical sensitivity vividly to life.

Wednesday, 29 July – 8:30 pm | BELFORT PEER GYNT / A BALLAD
Written and performed by Nicolò Parodi, based on Henrik Ibsen.
Produced by BTF.
An intimate and powerful reinterpretation of Ibsen’s masterpiece, transformed into a contemporary ballad exploring ambition, loss and the search for identity.

Thursday, 30 July OUR ANCESTORS – A Journey Through Italo Calvino’s Trilogy
Produced by Cieli Vibranti.
A special travelling event presenting Calvino’s three masterpieces across three extraordinary and evocative locations, each accompanied by live piano music:
○ 4:30 pm | Belfort: The Cloven Viscount (Luciano Bertoli, narrator; Giovanni Colombo, piano).
○ 6:30 pm | Acquafraggia Waterfalls: The Baron in the Trees (Filippo Garlanda, narrator; Giovanni Colombo, piano).
○ 9:00 pm | Nossa Dona (Switzerland): The Nonexistent Knight (Antonio Palazzo, narrator; Giovanni Colombo, piano).

Friday, 31 July – 9:00 pm | BELFORT EXIT LINE
Based on the Peter Pan novels by James M. Barrie.
Written and performed by Giuseppe Palasciano.
Produced by BTF.
The opening chapter of the festival’s focus on Barrie: a dramatic exploration of the literary origins of the boy who refused to grow up.

Saturday, 1 August – 9:00 pm | BELFORT THE CROCODILE’S HOUR
A study based on James M. Barrie.
Written and performed by Luca Micheletti, with Francesco Martucci.
Produced by BTF.
A theatrical study exploring time, the threat of growing up, and the darker, more compelling dimensions of the Neverland myth.

Sunday, 2 August – 5:00 pm | BELFORT PETER PAN: FLIGHT REHEARSALS
Open rehearsal with participants of the Belfort Theatre Campus 2026.
The festival concludes by returning the stage to the local community and emerging acting talents, celebrating the completion of a shared journey of artistic training and creative exchange.