Tradition and Modernity: Cagliari, the Sardinia of launeddas and song

Sardinia's voices, instruments, and musical traditions return to Cagliari with the new edition of the "Tradizione e Modernità Festival 2026." From October 4th to 18th, Piazza del Lazzaretto will host three Sunday events, all starting at 11:00 a.m., designed to showcase the island's cultural heritage and showcase its evolution. The festival, organized as part of "Cagliari dal Vivo 2026" with the support of the Municipality of Cagliari, offers a journey through some of the most authentic expressions of traditional Sardinian music. The program features performers and groups who preserve and pass on ancient repertoires, joined by folk groups and costumed dancers . The festival kicks off on Sunday, October 4th with the launeddas, the symbolic instrument of the island's musical tradition. The Cuncordia a Launeddas Association will officially open the festival with a performance dedicated to the profound and archaic sounds of one of Sardinia's most iconic instruments. A morning exploring melodies and repertoires rooted in the island's history.

The second event is scheduled for Sunday, October 11th, when the spotlight will be on cantu a tenore. The Tenores di Neoneli will be the guests of the festival, celebrating their 50th anniversary with a special celebration. The historic group will be the focus of a day dedicated to Sardinian vocal polyphony, enhanced by the presence of a folk group and traditional dance performances. The folk group I Nuraghi di Sestu will also participate, for a blend of song, music, and dance. The grand finale will be on Sunday, October 18th with cantu a chitarra, one of the most fascinating forms of Sardinian musical tradition.

Singers Emanuele Bazzoni and Daniele Giallara will take the stage, accompanied by Alessandro Carta on guitar and Alberto Caddeo on accordion. Rounding out the morning will be the colors and choreography of the folk groups Janas from Monastir and Campidano di Quartucciu, with their traditional costumes, instruments, and dancers. Three Sundays, therefore, to explore three expressions of Sardinian musical culture and create a dialogue between past and present. The "Tradizione e Modernità Festival 2026" thus brings to the heart of Cagliari the sounds, voices, costumes, and dances of a Sardinia that continues to tell its story through its traditions.