30 June- 5 Sept. When other summer festivals are winding down the Ravello festival is in full swing throughout August. Located in the lovely Villa Rufolo above Amalfi, where Wagner lived and drew his inspiration for Parsifal, it is Wagner's music that is he focus of this festival.

This year the theme is InCanto with both plenty of singing and plenty of enchantment (incanto). The festival, which opened with a performance of Tristano e Isotta in mid-June closes on 5 Sept with a star performance of Parsifal conducted by Velery Gergiev with the Mariinsky Orchestra and the S. Cecilia choir.

Several important youth orchestras are taking part this year, such as the Junge Wein Philarmonie, Orchestra dell' Accademia della Scala conducted by Susanna Mälkki (the first woman to conduct at La Scala), the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (21 Aug) founded by the late Claudio Abbado and the European Youth Orchestra conducted by Gianandrea Noseda (27 Aug). Soloists performing in August include Stefano Bollani piano (8 Aug), Luigi Piovano (cello) together with Antonio Pappano piano (16 Aug), Sol Gabetta cello (30 Aug). For all detail see the website.