Star pianist Alexander Lonquich inaugurates the festival this year with a recital in the abbey of Fossanova. The sophisticated event has its origins in the 1960s when Lelia Caetani and her husband Hubert Howard founded a chamber music festival in the Castle of Sermoneta in honour of the memory of musician Roffredo Caetani. They invited young musicians from across the globe to participate in a series of workshops and master classes and in the festival itself. In 1972, the Campus Internazionale di Musica stepped in to become the main promoter of the festival, transforming it into one of the most exciting local music events. The Castle of Sermoneta remains at the heart of the festival, but nearby historic venues in Fondi, Lenola and Sperlonga are also involved. Over the years the festival has seen the participation of many big names and it was presided over by composer Goffredo Petrassi until his death in 2003. It is an important occasion for musicians to meet and exchange ideas. For information Campus Internazionale di Musica, tel. 0773605551, www.campusmusica.it.