Biennale Musica 2026: A Child of Sound

Biennale Musica 2026 in numbers

From 10 to 24 October, the International Festival of Contemporary Music presents 130 artists across more than 40 events. Its 23 new works — 18 world premieres — move between concerts, installations, performances, site-specific projects and Biennale College, with the Arsenale as one of the programme’s main hubs.

Ennio Morricone: Musica per una fine

One of the programme’s key moments is the world premiere of Musica per una fine, a previously unreleased work by Ennio Morricone, published posthumously and built around a poem by Pier Paolo Pasolini. It appears in a programme that also connects Morricone with Bach and a new commission for Sarah Davachi.

Keiji Haino, Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

Japanese noise pioneer Keiji Haino receives the 2026 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. At Biennale Musica he presents a site-specific concert for voice and string instruments as well as a career documentary directed by Kazuhiro Shirao, shown outside Japan for the first time.

Sarah Davachi, Silver Lion

Sarah Davachi receives the 2026 Silver Lion and appears in the programme with a new commission. She also performs a solo chamber-organ recital, a good example of the festival’s focus on close listening, timbre and formats that move beyond a conventional concert.

Musica Libera on Giudecca: two new events

La Biennale has added two special Musica Libera events to the official programme: 18 OCTOBER 2026 — 4:00 PM and 24 OCTOBER 2026 — 4:00 PM, both inside the Casa di reclusione femminile Venezia Giudecca. The project grew out of workshops involving the women at the institution together with the young composers, sound artists and performers of Biennale College Musica and their mentors. The result is a sound installation activated by a live performance, presented as an open rehearsal and part of the 70th Festival. Attendance requires online registration; the programme now states admission upon reservation, but as of 24 September 2026 no dedicated registration procedure or form has yet been published. Check the official La Biennale website before visiting.

Tickets vary by type of event

Online ticket sales are now open, and tickets and subscriptions may be purchased in advance exclusively through the official La Biennale di Venezia website. Standard concerts are €25 full price and €16 for students and/or under-26s; Biennale College (21 October) is €10; Origine, live concerts, listening sessions, screenings and encounters are €5; Arsenale installations use the €15 Speciale Musica ticket. Teatro Goldoni full-price tickets range from €15 to €30, with student/under-26 tickets from €12 to €20. A 3-performance subscription costs €60 instead of €75, or €36 instead of €48 for students and under-26s. The Art + Music formula costs €40 instead of €55 and combines one Biennale Arte ticket with one Biennale Musica ticket.

Online ticket sales are open: Buy tickets on the official La Biennale website.

Venues and planning your evening

The programme uses several venues including Teatro Piccolo Arsenale, Teatro alle Tese, Tese dei Soppalchi, Sale d’Armi and Ca’ Giustinian. For the Musica Libera events on 18 and 24 October only, the Casa di reclusione femminile Venezia Giudecca is an additional venue with specific access arrangements: it should not be treated like a standard Festival theatre, and attendance requires online registration through La Biennale di Venezia. Always check the exact venue and official instructions before setting out.