Accenti - – Festival of the Ancient Arts debuts at Castello Dal Verme in Zavattarello

On Saturday 26 September 2026, Castello Dal Verme in Zavattarello hosts the first edition of ACCENTI – Festival of the Ancient Arts, an event weaving together music, poetry and theatre in a journey that runs from the Renaissance to the present day. The evening offers two appointments designed to speak to one another: a talk with live musical examples devoted to a lesser-known side of Leonardo da Vinci, and a poetry-and-music recital that intertwines word and sound beyond time.

A festival born from dialogue between the ancient arts

ACCENTI was conceived by Il Palinsesto AltaValle, an organisation that promotes “Il Palinsesto, ancient art for a contemporary poetics” – a project that looks to the music, dance, theatre and poetry of the past as keys for reading the present. Castello Dal Verme, one of the best-preserved fortresses in the Oltrepò Pavese, provides the ideal setting for this first edition, hosting both appointments across the castle's conference hall and ballroom.

7:00 PM – Leonardo da Vinci, the Hidden Musician

Opening the evening, in the castle's conference hall, is the talk “Leonardo da Vinci, the Hidden Musician”, a lecture with live musical examples led by Samir Suez. It traces the relationship between music, poetry and improvisation in the Renaissance, drawing out a lesser-known side of Leonardo's genius: that of a musician and improviser, who brought the same experimental curiosity to sound and word that he applied to painting and science.

8:00 PM – Risonanze, Francesca Luciani's poetry-and-music dialogue

At 8:00 PM the evening moves to the castle's ballroom for “Risonanze”, a poetry-and-music dialogue written and performed by Francesca Luciani. The performance weaves together word and music “in a dialogue beyond time”, guiding the audience on a journey from the Renaissance to contemporary sensibility.

Practical information

Both appointments take place at Castello Dal Verme in Zavattarello, in the Province of Pavia, on Saturday 26 September starting at 7:00 PM. A single ticket covers both appointments (12 euros), with free admission for children under 12. Booking is recommended and can be made via WhatsApp at +39 339 241 5664. The full festival programme is available at www.palinsesto.org/accenti.

The event is organised by Il Palinsesto AltaValle in collaboration with Castello Dal Verme di Zavattarello, as part of the “Music, Dance, Theatre and Poetry” series.