GAZES ON THE LAKE

Collective Photo Exhibition

Have you ever seen Varenna through the eyes of those who live it?

Come in, Lake Como was waiting for you.

A collective photography exhibition dedicated to Varenna and Lake Como, seen through the eyes and photographs of people who live in and know this beautiful area.

📍 Where

Santa Marta Church
Piazza San Giorgio, Varenna
Varenna – Lake Como

📅 When

18 September – 4 October 2026

🕐 Opening Hours

• Monday – Friday: 3:00 PM – 6:30 PM
• Weekend: 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM

🎟️ Admission

Free admission

📸 Photographers

The exhibition features photographs by:

• Luisella Aliprandi
• Serena Compagnoni
• Elisa Sorce
• Enrico Corti
• Aldo Gallo
• Giuseppe Mastrolomo
• Domenico Manfreda
• Celestino Panizza

ℹ️ Contacts

Photografi Mandello del Lario

Enrico: +39 338 5646387
Valentina: +39 346 0465873
Email: fotografimandello@gmail.com

Scan the QR code on the poster for further information.

LOCATION

DATE AND OPENING TIME

from 18 September 2026, 15:00 to 4 October 2026, 18:30

Scheduled Art and culture Events News

Chiesa di S. Marta Map

ADRESS

from 18 September 2026, 15:00 to 4 October 2026, 18:30

Scheduled Art and culture Events News

Chiesa di S. Marta Map

Saturday, September 19, the evocative setting of Chiesa di Santa Marta will host the Italian Academy Chamber Orchestra, featuring solo pianist Noemi Cappi, conducted by Maestro Maurizio Colasanti.

The evening will present a captivating programme featuring three masterpieces by Fryderyk Chopin, Gioachino Rossini and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, taking the audience on a musical journey through different sensibilities, eras and styles.

The concert will open with Fryderyk Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, one of the most romantic works in the repertoire, presented in its version for piano and string orchestra. This will be followed by Gioachino Rossini’s Sonata a quattro No. 1 in G major, while the programme will conclude with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s celebrated Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525.

At the piano will be Noemi Cappi, who began her musical training at the Istituto Civico Musicale di Dongo under the guidance of Maestro Maurizio Moretta. After obtaining her Level II piano certification at the Conservatory of Como, she continued her academic studies at the same institution, earning a degree in Piano Performance. Throughout her career, she has performed in numerous concerts and international piano competitions, receiving several second- and third-place awards. Alongside her performing career, she is also active in music education and teaches piano at the Istituto Civico Musicale di Dongo, where she has also served as Artistic Coordinator since 2023.

The orchestra will be conducted by Maurizio Colasanti, conductor, composer and university lecturer, whose international career has taken him to major concert halls and institutions around the world, from Carnegie Hall in New York to the Seoul Opera House, and from the Royal Academy of Music in London to the Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari. He is Professor of Orchestral Conducting at the “Claudio Monteverdi” Conservatory in Bolzano, and alongside his concert career he is deeply committed to music education and the promotion of musical culture.

The September 19 concert offers a new opportunity to experience classical music in an exceptionally evocative setting, reaffirming the Varenna Festival’s commitment to presenting high-quality events and celebrating the connection between music, culture and the local area.

Admission is free.

LOCATION

DATE AND OPENING TIME

20 September 2025 from 21:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Chiesa di S. Marta, Varenna Map

ADRESS

20 September 2025 from 21:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Chiesa di S. Marta, Varenna Map

VARENNA FESTIVAL VII Edizion – The Madness of the Red Priest

The 7th edition of the Varenna Festival continues with an evening dedicated to Antonio Vivaldi.

On Saturday, September 12th, at 9:00 p.m., in the beautiful setting of Santa Marta Church, the audience will have the opportunity to attend the concert “A. Vivaldi: The Madness of the Red Priest”, performed by the Vivaldiano Quartet, an ensemble with extensive experience on the Italian and international concert scene.

The performers will be:

Stefano Maffizzoni – flute
Riccardo Malfatto – violin
Claudia Cecchinato – cello
Lorella Ruffin – harpsichord

The programme is entirely dedicated to the great Venetian composer and includes the performance of Concerto in F major, RV 100, Concerto in D minor, RV 96, Trio in G minor, RV 103, Concerto in G minor, RV 106, and the famous “La Follia”, Sonata in D minor, Op. 1 No. 12, RV 63, featuring theme and variations.

The Vivaldiano Quartet is one of the most established ensembles on the Italian concert scene. Throughout its career, the group has performed for important institutions and festivals, including the Accademia Filarmonica di Bologna, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, GOG in Genoa, Società dei Concerti di Milano, Unione Musicale di Torino, as well as numerous prestigious concert halls and theatres in Italy and abroad. The ensemble has also made recordings for major radio broadcasters and released CDs with prestigious record labels.

The concert will also provide an opportunity to explore the Paths of the Baroque, through the interpretation of the Vivaldiano Quartet, which explores its distinctive characteristics, styles and schools, with particular attention to historically informed performance practices and their evolution up to the present day.

Free admission.

LOCATION

12 September 2026 from 21:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Chiesa di S. Marta Map

DATE AND OPENING TIME

12 September 2026 from 21:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Chiesa di S. Marta Map

INDIRIZZO

12 September 2026 from 21:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Chiesa di S. Marta Map

BETWEEN LAKE AND MOUNTAINS: 39th MUSIC FESTIVAL – TWO WORLDS

The 39th “Between Lake and Mountains” Music Festival continues in Varenna.

Wednesday, September 9 at 9:15 PM, at Villa Cipressi, there will be a concert entitled “Two Worlds”.

A now traditional event within the Between Lake and Mountains Festival, this concert offers a fascinating and unique fusion of the sounds of the saxophone and guitar, featuring reinterpretations of lesser-known masterpieces from the classical tradition alongside 20th-century works, with particular attention to the international world of tango, nuevo flamenco, and the music of The Beatles.

JACOPO TADDEI – saxophone
ROBERTO PORRONI – guitar

“To Primarosa and Giuliano”

M. MUSORGSKY – The Old Castle
A. PIAZZOLLA – Nuevo Mundo
Los Pájaros Perdidos
Tzigane Tango
SVP
B. STROZZI – Che si può fare
D. M. PUJOL – Pompeya
F. SCHUBERT – Frühlingsglaube
Bagatelle Op. 13 No. 9 – The Bee
B. HERRMANN – Taxi Driver
R. DI MARINO – Tango I & II
V. AMIGO – Roma
R. PORRONI – For Two
J. SIBELIUS – The Spruce
LENNON/McCARTNEY – Yesterday
Eleanor Rigby

Free Admission

LOCATION

9 September 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Villa Cipressi Map

DATE AND OPENING TIME

9 September 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Villa Cipressi Map

INDIRIZZO

9 September 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Villa Cipressi Map

Tuesday, September 1, starting at 2:00 PM, Piazza San Giorgio will host INTER FEST, an event dedicated to fun, sports and entertainment.

Throughout the afternoon, visitors can enjoy drinks, hot food, table football and inflatable games, offering something for everyone to enjoy.

The event will continue at 7:00 PM with dinner, followed at 9:00 PM by a lively DJ Set with DJ Gigi.

An event for all ages, combining music, great food and plenty of fun.

In case of  bad weather, the event will be postponed.

LOCATION

DATA E ORARIO

1 September 2026 from 14:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

San Giorgio Square, Varenna Map

INDIRIZZO

1 September 2026 from 14:00 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

San Giorgio Square, Varenna Map

Solo Exhibition in Varenna

IRIS DELL’ORO – Contemporary Artist

From 29 August to 6 September, visitors will have the opportunity to explore the solo exhibition of artist Iris Dell’Oro, originally from Valmadrera (LC). The exhibition offers a chance to discover her artistic journey and her distinctive sensitivity as a painter.

A love of art has accompanied Iris Dell’Oro throughout a path of continuous research and experimentation. Her artistic training began with the third-fire technique on porcelain panels, before moving on to charcoal drawing, pastel painting, and finally oil painting—the medium through which she has found her most natural and expressive artistic voice.

Over the years, she has deepened her knowledge by attending the school of Maestra Brioni, a teacher at the Brera Academy, and later continuing her artistic development under the guidance of Maestra Ros Borges and Maestro Filipe Pereira.

Portraiture has become the central focus of her artistic research. For Iris Dell’Oro, the human face represents one of the most complex and fascinating forms of artistic communication. It is not simply about reproducing a person’s likeness, but about capturing their expression, personality, and the deeper dimension hidden behind their gaze.

Her painting emerges from the meeting of meticulous study of anatomical structure, knowledge of pigments, and a careful exploration of light. Each face thus becomes an investigation into the individual and their emotions—an attempt to transform an image into a story.

For the artist, creativity is also a meditative act: painting means concentrating, allowing oneself to be guided by emotions, and translating feelings and sensations into images. It is through painting that Iris finds her own ideal of freedom and happiness.

Her artistic journey has been enriched by participation in numerous solo and group exhibitions, seminars, and national and international competitions, earning her important recognition and awards.

Among these achievements are the Third Prize in San Giorgio Canavese in 2022 for the exhibition “Miti e leggende” (Myths and Legends), the Third Prize in Olten, Switzerland, in 2024 for the competition “Il tempo che passa” (The Passing of Time), and the First Prize in Limoges, France, in 2024, for the competition “Mia immaginazione” (My Imagination). In 2025, she also received the Fourth Prize in the “Sguardi” competition in Oggiono and the Premio del Cuore at the Italia Show “Geometrie” in Abbiategrasso.

In 2026, her international journey continued with her participation in “Star dell’Arte Montecarlo” in the Principality of Monaco, accompanied by a review by art critic Sandro Serradifalco. In the same year, she took part in several exhibitions, including “Nella bottega di Leonardo” (In Leonardo’s Workshop) and “Arte al femminile” (Women in Art) at Villa Sironi in Oggiono, the group exhibition “L’Arte del terzo fuoco” (The Art of the Third Fire) in Varenna, and other important events dedicated to contemporary art.

The Exhibition

This exhibition represents a significant moment in Iris Dell’Oro’s artistic journey: a voyage through different techniques, experiences, and sensitivities, with particular attention to the human figure and portraiture.

Her works invite visitors to pause not only before the image they see, but above all before what it is able to convey:

a gaze, an emotion, a character, a story.

An event dedicated to all art lovers and to anyone wishing to discover a painter who has made research, sensitivity, and a passion for portraiture the heart of her artistic expression.

LOCATION

DATE AND OPENING TIME

from 29 August 2026, 10:00 to 6 September 2026, 19:00

Scheduled Art and culture Events News

Church of S. Marta, Varenna Map

ADRESS

from 29 August 2026, 10:00 to 6 September 2026, 19:00

Scheduled Art and culture Events News

Church of S. Marta, Varenna Map

MAX MANIA 883 TRIBUTE BAND – Varenna Festival VII Edition

The Varenna Festival continues with one of the most eagerly awaited events of its seventh edition. Thursday, August 27, at 9:15 p.m., the beautiful Piazza San Giorgio will provide the setting for an evening dedicated to the greatest hits of Max Pezzali and 883, thanks to a performance by the Max Mania 883 Tribute Band. Admission is free.

For years, among the most appreciated tribute bands on the national scene, Max Mania have won over Italian audiences with a show that faithfully recreates the atmosphere, sound and energy of Max Pezzali’s concerts. Season after season, the project continues to attract thousands of spectators in squares and venues throughout Italy.

Led by frontman Andrea, the band pays close attention to every musical and visual detail, creating a show capable of moving both those who experienced the golden years of 883 and the new generations who continue to sing along to their songs.

The concert will be a journey through the songs that have marked more than thirty years of Italian music: from Hanno ucciso l’Uomo Ragno to Sei un mito, from Come mai to Nord Sud Ovest Est, through to the great hits from Max Pezzali’s solo career. A repertoire that continues to bring together different generations, turning every concert into a great collective celebration.

Admission is free.

LOCATION

27 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

DATE AND OPENING TIME

27 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

INDIRIZZO

27 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

DJ SET Freddi Barri – Varenna Festival VII Edition

In place of the OI&B Band – Zucchero Celebration concert, scheduled for Saturday, August 22, and cancelled due to personal reasons concerning the singer, the Varenna Festival presents:

DJ FREDDY BARRY: Experience, Professionalism and Music for Everyone

A professional in the field since 2011, Freddy Barry has turned a passion that began almost as a hobby, during his early experiences at Lido di Gera Lario, into a successful career in the world of musical entertainment.

Over the years, he has collaborated with numerous clubs, discos, beach resorts, bars, restaurants and accommodation facilities throughout Valtellina, Valchiavenna and the Lake Como area.

In 2016, he further developed his professional experience by working for two consecutive seasons at a holiday resort in Tuscany as a DJ and musical entertainer. This important experience allowed him to perform for an international audience and further develop his versatility and ability to engage the crowd.

Since 2018, Freddy Barry has specialised in musical entertainment for weddings, private events, corporate parties, public events and outdoor celebrations, distinguishing himself through his ability to create the right atmosphere and engage audiences with a dynamic and personalised musical selection.

With an average of around 50 events per year, Freddy Barry is now an established presence in the local entertainment scene, thanks to his professionalism, experience and ability to adapt his music selection in real time to the energy and tastes of the audience.

The event will therefore go ahead as scheduled on Saturday, August 22, in Piazza San Giorgio, Varenna, with DJ Freddy Barry.

We thank the public for their understanding and invite residents, visitors and tourists to join us for another enjoyable evening of music and entertainment in the stunning setting of Varenna.

Saturday, August 22, 2026 – 9:15 PM – Piazza San Giorgio, Varenna

LOCATION

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

DATE AND OPENING TIME

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

INDIRIZZO

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:00

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

The event is cancelled!

Zucchero Celebration OI&B Band

Varenna Festival – 7th Edition

On Saturday, August 22, at 9:15 p.m., Piazza San Giorgio will host one of the most eagerly awaited events of the Varenna Festival 2026. The evening will feature OI&B – Zucchero Celebration Band, one of the most acclaimed and well-known Zucchero tribute bands in Europe.

The event is free admission and is part of the Varenna Festival – 7th Edition’s modern music programme. It is promoted by the Municipality of Varenna, with artistic direction by Maestro Maurizio Moretta.

More Than Twenty Years of Music Celebrating Zucchero

With more than twenty years of experience and thousands of concerts across Italy and Europe, OI&B (Oro Incenso & Birra) are considered a leading name on the international tribute scene dedicated to Zucchero Fornaciari.

The band delivers a show designed to recreate the sound and energy of the celebrated Italian singer-songwriter, exploring the blues, rock and soul influences that have defined his long career.

Leading the band on stage will be Christian Garbinato, a frontman renowned for his vocal and visual resemblance to Zucchero and for his ability to engage the audience from the very first moments of the show.

From “Baila” to “Diamante”: All the Greatest Hits

The concert will take the audience on a musical journey through some of Zucchero’s most iconic songs.

The setlist will include hits such as “Baila (Sexy Thing),” “Diavolo in me” and “Per colpa di chi?”, alongside more atmospheric and emotional songs such as “Diamante,” “Dune Mosse” and “Così Celeste.”

It will be a show designed to bring together different generations and turn the concert into a true celebration, blending blues, rock, soul and the unforgettable melodies that have made Zucchero one of Italy’s most internationally renowned artists.

The Concert in Piazza San Giorgio

The setting will make the evening even more memorable. Piazza San Giorgio, in the historic heart of Varenna and just steps from the shores of Lake Como, will provide a spectacular backdrop for the performance.

The combination of OI&B’s music and the enchanting scenery of this lakeside village promises to make the concert one of the highlights of the summer in Varenna.

The concert will take place on Saturday, August 22, at 9:15 p.m. in Piazza San Giorgio, Varenna. Admission is free.

LOCATION

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:15

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

DATE AND OPENING TIME

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:15

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

INDIRIZZO

22 August 2026 from 21:15 to 23:15

Scheduled Events Music News

Piazza San Giorgio Map

🍽️ Pizzoccherata di Pino –

Tuesday, 18 August 🎶

From 7:30 p.m. in the Pino neighbourhood, come and enjoy pizzoccheri, a delicious traditional dish from the Valtellina region.

The evening will also feature live music by Area 51! 🎸

✨ Good food, great music and a lovely summer evening — don’t miss it!

LOCATION

DATE AND OPENING TIME

18 August 2026 from 19:30 to 22:30

Scheduled Events News

Piazzale di Pino Map

ADRESS

18 August 2026 from 19:30 to 22:30

Scheduled Events News

Piazzale di Pino Map