15 July-4 Aug. This festival in Martina Franca specialises in rare and seldom performed works. To celebrate its 41th birthday it presents the new opera Le Braci by Italy's prolific composer Marco Tutino at its opening night. The opera has been commission in conjunction with Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

The second opera is Don Checco by Nicola De Giosa in conjunction with the Teatro S. Carlo di Napoli and the third is a return to the belcanto of the mid 19^th century with Medea in Corinth by Giovanni Simone Mayr.

Conductor Fabio Luisi, principal conductor at New York's Metropolitan Opera, has been confirmed as the musical director of the festival.