The Roman Theatre of Sagunt and eight other public spaces in the town will host the 43rd edition of Sagunt a Escena, an event presented as one of the most participatory, diverse, and inclusive events in its history. Organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Universities through the Valencian Institute of Culture (IVC), the festival will run from August 1st to 23rd, 2026, solidifying its position as a summer performing arts hub in the Valencian Community.
During the presentation of the official poster, designed by local artist Jennifer Pérez, the regional secretary of Culture, Marta Alonso, highlighted that the event exemplifies «the union between heritage, culture, and citizenship». The mayor of Sagunto, Darío Moreno, expressed his conviction that this year's offerings «will sell out the tickets for the Roman Theatre».
One of the key novelties of this edition is an investment of 165,000 euros dedicated to the conditioning and improvement of the Roman Theatre. These upgrades will increase the venue's capacity by approximately 200 seats for future editions, substantially enhancing its functionality and safety.
The program at the Roman Theatre will feature 8 major shows combining revised classics, music, and avant-garde proposals. The festival will open on August 1st and 2nd with ‘El Narciso en su opinión’, an IVC production based on Guillem de Castro's text. This will be followed by premieres such as ‘Original Greek’ by Marina Toniovic, ‘La ópera de los tres centavos’ starring Coque Malla, a version of ‘Hamlet’ featuring actors with Down syndrome, Lope de Vega's ‘La dama boba’, Sandra Monfort's ‘Terra de guapes’, ‘Fedra, en los infiernos’ starring Lydia Bosch, and a musical closing by Estrella Morente.
The 'Off Sagunto' cycle will offer 11 free Valencian performances in public spaces, including theatre, circus, and dance. Highlights include 'I si fem un clàssic?' by Visitants, 'Anudar' by Marea Danza, 'Bailarina a la carta' by La Siamesa, the itinerant piece 'Públic' by Fil d’Arena, 'Caso enterrado' by Colectiv Notknown, 'Rob' by Teatre de l’Abast, 'Quimera' by La Fam Teatre, 'Princeses, cavallers i dracs' by Escalante y Bramant Teatre, the poetic circus 'Koosha' by Cía. El Cruce, 'Juga' by La Trócola Circ, and the closing event 'Carrer 024' by Sol Picó.
Sagunt a Escena is reinforcing its social commitment through mediation projects for vulnerable groups. María José Mora, deputy director of Performing Arts at IVC, emphasized that the festival aims for inclusion «through specific workshops and accessible performances». An example is the dance workshop ‘Un lugar para danzar’, in collaboration with the InsProject Association, which will involve participants attending the 'Hamlet' performance.
