Teatro Niccolini: the new season

Canadian pianist Hershey Felder's artistic direction brings an international season to Florence with high-caliber stars

The new 2026-2027 season of Florence's Teatro Niccolini , – the city’s oldest theatre, built in 1648 just steps from the Duomo – is in full swing. For the third time, under the artistic direction of Canadian Hershey Felder and through his organisation FirenzeOnStage, the theatre is embracing a distinctly international outlook, welcoming performers from across the globe. From music and thought-provoking conversations to evenings inspired by the sophisticated atmosphere of downtown New York, the programme aims to fill a gap in Florence’s cultural scene, appealing also to the large international community that lives in and loves the city.

Teatro Niccolini ph. Filippo Manzini

The ambition is to establish the theatre as a world-class cultural hub, bringing leading figures from around the world into the heart of Florence: musicians, actors, innovators, directors and influential voices from a wide range of disciplines. Hershey Felder introduces a fresh approach to the performing arts at Teatro Niccolini, where stars do more than simply take to the stage: they engage directly with their audiences, creating a dialogue that draws spectators into the expressive power of words and music.

Hershey Felder

The season offers an exceptionally rich and varied programme. It opened on 12 October 2026 in true New York style, with Jim Belushi, star of the hit television sitcom According to Jim and numerous films, including Red Heat alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, taking centre stage as one of the leading names of Teatro Niccolini’s 2026–2027 season.

MUSIC

Tony Award winner and acclaimed opera singer Paulo Szot, celebrated on Broadway for his performance in South Pacific, joins conductor Luke Frazier for a musical journey FROM BROADWAY TO PUCCINI (24 November).

On 5 January 2027, Florence hosts the world premiere of Felder’s latest production, LOVE NOTES — A Musical Romance, exploring the intertwined lives of Johannes Brahms, Clara Schumann and Robert Schumann. Felder takes on the role of Brahms, performing music by all three composers live at the piano, alongside Sally George as Clara Schumann and Jonathan Silvestri as Robert Schumann. Following its world premiere in Florence, LOVE NOTES will travel to the United States for its West Coast debut.

From 15 to 28 April 2027, Florence’s Teatro Niccolini hosts the Broadway Superstar Festival, a celebration of leading stars from the worlds of musical theatre, jazz and international vaudeville, hosted by Billy Stritch and Jim Caruso. The line-up features award-winning performers, alongside My Year with Tony Bennett and New York’s celebrated Cast Party, which brings the festival to a close on 28 April.

Broadway Superstar Festival program:
15 APRIL — Santino Fontana & Jessica Fontana Festival Opening Night
17 APRIL — Gunhild Carling International Vaudeville Star
18 APRIL — Peter Strauss Film and Television Star (Soldier Blue)
20 APRIL — Billy Stritch MY YEAR WITH TONY BENNETT International Jazz Star
21 APRIL — Max von Essen Broadway Star Tony Award Nominee (An American in Paris)
22 APRIL — Christine Ebersole Broadway Diva Two-time Tony Award Winner
26 APRIL — Norm Lewis Broadway’s Superstar Baritone
28 APRIL — Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch CAST PARTY New York’s Celebrated Cast Party

THEATRE

Some of the biggest names in Italian theatre also feature in the programme.

Italian stage icon Lucia Poli stars alongside Dear Friends in Oscar Wilde’s THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (L’importanza di chiamarsi Ernesto, 2–5 December).

To ring in the New Year, the much-loved Florentine operetta L’ACQUA CHETA returns to the stage (31 December, 3 and 6 January).

Neapolitan theatre legend Peppe Barra presents BUONASERA A TUTTI – dai miei disordinati appunti (Good Evening, Everyone – From My Scattered Notes, 8–9 January 2027).

MAGIC

Illusionist Mattia Boschi presents SOGNI (Dreams, 23 January 2027).

DANCE

Compagnia Opus Ballet performs LE QUATTRO STAGIONI (The Four Seasons, 29 January 2027)