2026 / CIVILISATION

“Civilisation”, the theme accompanying this edition, is a broad, vibrant word that invites us to engage in dialogue with tradition and, at the same time, to look ahead with enthusiasm and vision. To fully experience the essence of civilisation means listening, recognising the value of encounter, and building relationships capable of shaping the future. 

It is civilisation to create a choir open to all those who, even without musical experience, wish to discover themselves through dialogue and sharing. It is civilisation to experience the encounter with a children’s orchestra journeying together with their families, in the belief that music is a precious asset for the growth of a community. Civilisation means welcoming young people from all over the world to bring to life an orchestra capable of transcending borders and barriers, believing deeply in the civic value of working together.

Music sets things in motion: it shifts the source of sound, creates waves, generates energies that propagate like beams of light laden with emotions and feelings. Through this movement, the Festival aims to bring different generations together, fostering an intimate and profound dialogue akin to that which arises within a string quartet.

The eternal message of the great masterpieces lives within us, close to our most authentic human experience. ‘Civiltà’ therefore aims to be an opportunity for growth, through music that speaks powerfully and profoundly to our times: Respighi, on the centenary of his death; Rameau and Handel, with their intense and luminous harmonic vision; Schubert, with his nostalgic and sombre depths; Pärt, whose spiritual purity permeates every one of his creations; Tavener, who expands the sonic space; Weinberg, who cuts into the soul with dramatic force; Vaughan Williams and Elgar, looking to the past but with different perspectives; Poulenc, capable of giving form to the soundscape of childhood with delicate purity; Matteis, Telemann, von Biber and Bach, whose fantasies will resonate in the living nature of the lake. And finally Beethoven, who, with his string quartets, has given humanity an inexhaustible source of nourishment for centuries to come.

In this profound encounter with music and with one another, we can then rediscover ourselves, rediscover our identity, our sense of belonging and our vision. In this spirit, we wish you a wonderful Festival!

Francesco Senese

Artistic Director of the Festival Musica sull’Acqua

There is a strong link between the Festival’s music and ‘Civilisation’, the theme chosen for the 2026 edition; the common ground is ‘Humanity’.

That which inhabits a territory together and gives value to the host space.

That which breathes and moves to the same rhythm, breaking down social, age and background barriers, and building relationships that grow stronger over time.

The Music on the Water Festival becomes an emotional geography, an experience of sharing.

It becomes a collective ritual, a shared listening experience and an intercultural bridge.

I wish the organisers, the musicians and the audience good music!

Monica Gilardi 
Major of Colico