A magical setting at the Ravello Festival – Photo by Pino Izzo

The stage is set, the lights are ready, the gardens perfectly manicured and the 2014 Ravello Festival is ready to begin! With the spectacular Amalfi Coast and Bay of Salerno as the backdrop, many performances will take place in the Villa Rufolo on a stage that seems to cling dramatically to the very edge of the mountainside. This specially built stage, along with the modern Auditorium Oscar Niemeyer, will host another outstanding series of concerts and events for the Ravello Festival 2014, which runs from June 21st to September 20th, 2014.

This season brings luminaries from the world of music–of a wonderful variety of genres–theater and dance, along with events with writers and artists from around the world. Highlights of this year’s Ravello Festival will be the already sold out show by Italian musician Pino Daniele, along with performances by Chick Corea and Stanley Clarke, Chrysta Bell, Burt Bacharach, the Kronos Quartet, Chanticleer and the Orchestra del Teatro “Carlo Felice in Genova for the stunning Concerto all’Alba held as the sun rises over the Amalfi Coast.

Pino Daniele will perform at the Ravello Festival on July 6th, 2014

Each spring I look forward to the publication of the Ravello Festival program of events to see what will be on. We attend at least one show each summer, but this year was a tough choice with all the great options! If you’ll be visiting the Amalfi Coast this summer, I highly recommend checking out the Ravello Festival program and booking your tickets in advance. They have a Box Office right by the entrance to the Villa Rufolo in Ravello or you can find out how to book tickets online here.

The Concerto all’Alba at the Ravello Festival – Photo by Piero Cioffi

It’s an incredible feeling walking through the entrance of the Villa Rufolo for a concert. The gardens are an enchanting setting for art of any kind, and this year they also host an exhibition of work by British artist Tony Cragg. Arriving for the concern, you can stroll through the gardens, admire the cloister with its intricate arches and find your seat overlooking the stage and the sea beyond. With lights twinkling along the coastline, the artists and musicians take center stage.

Visit the Ravello Festival website for more details on concerts, events and booking tickets. I hope you’ll be here this year to experience the magical setting of Ravello and attend the Ravello Festival 2014!

(Image Credits: Photos used with kind permission of the Ravello Festival)