The Opening Ceremony of Matera 2026 Mediterranean Capital of Culture and Dialogue will take place in Matera on Friday, 20 March 2026, together with the International Day of Happiness.
The event will unfold in three main moments, moving from the city centre of Matera to the heart of the ancient Sassi districts.

Below are the first details of the opening ceremony schedule.

The ceremony will begin at 5 PM with the extraordinary reopening of the construction site of the historic Teatro Duni, an architectural jewel of the city, which will host the institutional ceremony in the presence of representatives of the Italian Government and institutional representatives of the Basilicata Region and the City of Matera.

Starting from 6:30 PM, the city will transform into a widespread performative laboratory, embracing the philosophy of the “Cantiere-evento” (“Event Construction Site”) along the route from Piazza Vittorio Veneto to Piazzetta Pascoli, where scaffolding, balconies and urban spaces will become stages for cultural activation animated by music and performances.

Starting from 8:30 PM, attention will shift to the rupestrian landscape: the Gravina will become a “luminous mirror” through a spectacular drone, light and sound show, bringing the millenary stone landscape into dialogue with technological innovation.