VII Amigdala Concert Season
2026/2027
Music does not stop with the competition: it continues to live through concerts, encounters with audiences, and in the artistic journeys of young talents.
The Amigdala Concert Season, established in 2014, was born precisely with this spirit: to create opportunities for listening, to highlight musicians of great sensitivity, and to offer new opportunities to the talents who have emerged over the years from the Amigdala International Music Competition.
After a pause, in 2026 Amigdala presents its 7th Concert Season, opening with the three summer concerts of the series "Notes under the Constitution", held under the patronage of the Municipality of Aci Bonaccorsi and included in the broader summer cultural program of this Etna foothill town.
The season will continue through autumn and winter with new musical events featuring distinguished artists alongside some of the most outstanding winners of our competition.
A musical journey that continues in the spirit of quality, sharing, and the promotion of new generations of artists.
Programme
NOTES UNDER THE CONSTITUTION – Summer 2026
Festival of Operatic and Classical Excellence
Piazza della Regione / Constitution Wall – Aci Bonaccorsi
🗓️ July 4, 2026
"The Magic of Bel Canto: Famous Arias, a Brilliant Atmosphere"
Stars from Japan
LINA SUMITOMO, SEIKA HIROSAWA, KASUMI HIYANE, REINA ASAKAWA
Concert Master: DAMIANO DAVIDE
🗓️ July 11, 2026
"The Most Beautiful and Beloved Opera Arias of All Time"
Passion and elegance in the voice of soprano GONCA DOGAN (Turkey)
Piano: EMANUELE SCHINOCCA
🗓️ July 18, 2026
"The Accordion of Wonders… Under the Stars"
PIETRO ADRAGNA (Erice – Palermo)
4-time World Champion
The "Notes under the Constitution" festival brings classical and operatic music directly among the people, outside the traditional temples of classical music, transforming the town square into a place of shared beauty.
The choice of the space in front of the Constitution Wall gives the initiative a unique symbolic value: each concert becomes an ideal dialogue between art and constitutional principles, where music expresses freedom, equality, and the dignity of the human person.
In this context, opera – recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity – becomes a powerful instrument for encounter, cohesion, and dialogue among cultures and generations, bringing music closer to citizens and turning the square into a true stage for cultural sharing.
The Stars of the Summer 2026 Festival
July 4, 2026
STARS FROM JAPAN – This concert features a group of young sopranos from Japan, all graduates of prestigious music universities in their home country, with the exception of Kasumi Hiyane, who graduated from the "Vincenzo Bellini" Conservatory in Catania, and Reina Asakawa, who graduated from the "Santa Cecilia" Conservatory in Rome.
In Italy, Kasumi Hiyane has already participated in several opera productions, including La Traviata, La Bohème, Madama Butterfly, Le Nozze di Figaro, Così fan tutte, Gianni Schicchi, and Cavalleria Rusticana.
Currently, these young artists are in Italy to deepen their study of the Italian language – the mother tongue of opera – and to continue their artistic development under the guidance of tenor Maestro Giuseppe Costanzo and soprano Maestro Orie Tanaka at the Opera Academy of Catania.
Their presence once again demonstrates the universal value of opera and the enduring power of the Italian musical tradition, capable of attracting young talents from all over the world.
Concert Master: DAMIANO DAVIDE
Learn more
July 11, 2026
GONCA DOGAN – an internationally renowned soprano, she trained in Ankara and further perfected her technique with some of the greatest names in opera. Winner of prestigious competitions, she performs in theaters and festivals both in Italy and abroad, covering a repertoire that ranges from opera to chamber and sacred music. Her awards and recognitions testify to her talent and her dedication to the promotion of operatic music.
Discover more on her website.
July 18, 2026
PIETRO ADRAGNA – a Sicilian accordionist of international fame, multiple-time world champion. As a soloist and arranger of opera arias for accordion, he performs in major theaters and festivals across Europe, the United States, and Asia. Artistic director of the World Accordion Festival and the "Vito Fazio Allmayer" Youth Symphony Orchestra, he brings classical and contemporary music to audiences worldwide.
Discover more on his website.
