Beirut International Opera Festival & Competition
Under the High Patronage of the Lebanese Ministry of Culture
September 2026
Official Host Zouk Mikael
A landmark evening, in the making
On 8 September 2026, the Roman Amphitheatre of Zouk Mikael. 2,500 seats under the open Mediterranean sky, hosts the inaugural Gala of the Beirut International Opera Festival & Competition.
Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti headlines, joined by Les Solistes de Beyrouth and French tenor Ambroise Divaret, under the direction of founder Maesteo Fernando Afara.
It’s a cultural homecoming
The Festival responds to a cultural necessity: to restore a structured operatic presence in Lebanon and to offer a serious professional platform for the region’s voices. It is regional and international. It is not temporary. It is structural.
"Opera is not a luxury for Lebanon, it is a universal art form that transcends borders and cultures"
Marina Viotti
Grammy Award winner. Honored by France as Chevalière de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. A voice heard at La Scala, the Opéra National de Paris, the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival and, in the summer of 2024, before a global audience at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games. Now, in Beirut!
Les Solistes de Beyrouth
A leading professional opera vocal ensemble in the Middle East. Founded and led by Fernando Afara, uniting professional singers and dedicated students. A voice heard at the Beirut Chants Festival, the Rhodes Music Festival in Greece, Victoria Hall Geneva and the Temple de Lutry in Lausanne, carrying Lebanon’s operatic excellence across Europe and the region. Now, on the inaugural stage.
Despite the region’s hardships, we believe this Festival can be a beacon of hope and resilience, proof that our greatest strength lies in culture and music.
Despite the region’s hardships, we believe this Festival can be a beacon of hope and resilience, proof that our greatest strength lies in culture and music.
Press & Announcements
Radio Classique: Marina Viotti to Open Beirut’s New Opera Festival
Radio Classique presents BIOFC as a beacon of hope for Lebanon, with Marina Viotti opening the new international opera festival in Zouk Mikael.
Radio Classique: Marina Viotti to Open Beirut’s New Opera Festival
Radio Classique presents BIOFC as a beacon of hope for Lebanon, with Marina Viotti opening the new international opera festival in Zouk Mikael.
Slipped Disc: Not Bayreuth, Beirut has an opera festival
Norman Lebrecht introduces BIOFC to Slipped Disc’s international classical-music readership under the headline “Not Bayreuth: Beirut Has an Opera Festival.”