Rome’s summer opera season takes place under the stars at the Circus Maximus in 2026.
Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning epic Gladiator will be screened at the Circus Maximus on 3 and 4 July as part of Rome’s summer opera festival organised by the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
The screening will be accompanied by the Rome Opera Orchestra and Chorus, performing Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard’s score live.
The movie, which stars stars Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius and Joaquin Phoenix as the emperor Commodus, will be projected in Italian with English subtitles.
The Gladiator in Concert will be conducted by Ludwig Wicki and will also feature a rare appearance by Lisa Gerrard herself, whose haunting vocals are synonymous with the film’s emotional power.
The event is central to Rome’s annual open-air summer programme, which runs from 29 June to 31 July.
The 2026 edition moves from its traditional venue at the Baths of Caracalla, to facilitate restoration work, and will see the festival’s seat allocation rise to a capacity of 6,000 spectators per evening.
For full details including tickets see the official Teatro dell’Opera di Roma website.
Photo Fabrizio Sansoni – Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.