The San Filippo Church-Theater, a Baroque complex dating back to the mid-17th century and closed since 2009 following the earthquake that struck the city, has been reopened in L’Aquila. The reopening is part of the program of L’Aquila Italian Capital of Culture 2026 and is one of the events planned in the calendar of initiatives related to the cultural year.
The inauguration took place on April 17, 2026 in the presence of Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli, L’Aquila Mayor Pierluigi Biondi, Director of Religious Affairs and for the Administration of the Worship Buildings Fund Alessandro Tortorella, as well as artists Caterina Caselli and Giuliano Sangiorgi. Lorenzo "Jovanotti" spoke remotely. The event was one of the central moments of the program connected to L’Aquila Capital of Culture.
The complex underwent restoration work(we talked about it here) overseen by the Territorial Superintendence and the City of L’Aquila, with support also from the Artists United for Abruzzo initiative. The building is owned by the Fondo Edifici di Culto (FEC) of the Ministry of the Interior, while management has been entrusted to the City of L’Aquila for the next six years. The reopening comes 17 years after the 2009 earthquake, in a context still marked by the gradual return of its cultural places to the city.
The opening day began at 10 a.m. with a presentation to the press featuring Minister Giuli, Mayor Biondi, Alessandro Tortorella, Caterina Caselli, Giuliano Sangiorgi, and remote liaison Lorenzo “Jovanotti.” During the meeting, issues related to the recovery of the theater and its prospects for future use were recalled, also in relation to the completion of the restitution of the city’s main cultural spaces, including the Municipal Theater, expected to be handed back by the end of the year.
During the presentation, the genesis of the musical project Domani, created in 2009 in the aftermath of the earthquake, was also retraced. The initiative, promoted by Sugar Music and Macù Edizioni Musicali, with the involvement of Caterina Caselli and Mauro Pagani, Giuliano Sangiorgi and Lorenzo “Jovanotti,” had seen the participation of 56 artists from the Italian music scene. Proceeds from the song had been earmarked for the recovery of cultural assets affected by the earthquake, including the San Filippo complex itself.
At the end of the conference, Giuliano Sangiorgi performed a few stanzas of the song Domani on the theater stage at the piano. Afterwards, at 11 a.m., the official opening took place with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in San Filippo Square, which was well attended by the public. On this occasion, Sangiorgi again performed the song together with those present. The structure then remained open for special tours, allowing citizens to access the restored spaces and view the architectural complex.
The reopening of the San Filippo is also part of the launch of the activities of CostellAzioni, a widespread festival involving 27 hamlets and neighborhoods in the L’Aquila municipal area, with the stated goal of extending cultural initiatives beyond the historic center. The project is funded as part of the Extraordinary Program of the Prime Minister’s Office for the redevelopment of the suburbs, the result of a call for proposals won by the City of L’Aquila. The program integrates performing arts, music, sports and nature in a calendar distributed throughout the territory.
The festival’s activities are spread over a three-day schedule of events with free admission, also organized according to the limited capacity of the host facility. The initiatives sold out quickly. Planned performances include Io Marte, tu Mercole with Federica Camba and Gianluca “Scintilla” Fubelli, Energia. A Human Story with Alessio Boni and Roberta Di Mario, Out Of Office by Giorgia Fumo and the Massimo Lopez Show. Also scheduled are two performances of the show Attacchi d’arte contemporanea by Giovanni Muciaccia and the reading Letture semiserie e tragicomiche by Edoardo Leo.
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| L'Aquila, San Filippo Church-Theater reopens 17 years after earthquake: opening with song |
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