After the great success of the opening concert of the Locarno Film Festival , the Orchestra della Svizzera italiana (OSI) is preparing to make its long-awaited Open Air return: the appointment is set for Thursday 27 August 2026, at 19:30 pm , in Piazzale Remo Rossi, right in front of the PalaCinema in Locarno.
The event, part of the innovative and dynamic OSI be connected format , will not be a simple evening of the summer season, but an event of high social and cultural value: a completely free open air concert dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Unitas , the Association of the Blind and Visually Impaired of Italian-speaking Switzerland.
An immersive, barrier-free listening experience
What makes this evening truly exceptional is the initiative's strong inclusive nature. In a gesture of profound closeness and artistic sharing, blind and visually impaired Unitas members will have the extraordinary opportunity to attend the concert seated directly inside the orchestra , alongside the musicians themselves.
Alongside violins, wind instruments, and percussion, special guests will be able to experience the instruments' vibrations, the breath of the music, and the conductor's gestures from an intimate and captivating perspective, enjoying a 360-degree sensory and emotional experience.
The program Open Air OSI in Locarno: great overtures from Mozart to Haydn
Leading the OSI musical ensemble on the Locarno podium will be the refined Italian Maestro Michelangelo Mazza . To celebrate Unitas's achievement, the program will feature a brilliant and evocative selection of historic overtures from the classical repertoire:
-
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Don Giovanni , La clemenza di Tito , Così fan tutte and The Marriage of Figaro.
-
Franz Joseph Haydn: The Uninhabited Island and The World of the Moon.
A lively and immediately engaging musical itinerary, ideal for resonating in the square and engaging audiences of all ages.
Seats sold out, but the square welcomes everyone
The response from residents and fans was immediate: the reserved stalls seats are already sold out . However, this remains excellent news for anyone wishing to enjoy the evening: it will be possible to spread out and wander freely around the spaces surrounding the concert venue on Piazzale Remo Rossi to listen to the OSI's music in the open air.
The concert enjoys the valuable support of the Ernst Göhner Foundation, the Beisheim Foundation, and the City of Locarno. In case of bad weather or rain, the event will not be canceled but will be moved indoors to the Palexpo (FEVI) spaces at the same time.
Info and Agenda:
-
Event: Open Air OSI for the 80th anniversary of Unitas ( be connected )
-
When: Thursday, August 27, 2026, 19:30 PM
-
Where: Locarno, Piazzale Remo Rossi (in front of the PalaCinema) — In case of bad weather, at Palexpo (FEVI)
-
Performers: Orchestra of Italian Switzerland, Michelangelo Mazza (conductor)
-
Free admission
-
Official website: www.osi.swiss
