Aspendos Opera Festival Returns to Ancient Roman Theater in June
The Aspendos International Opera and Ballet Festival returns this summer to one of the ancient world’s best-preserved performance venues: the Roman theater at Aspendos, located 47 kilometres east of Antalya in southern Türkiye. The festival runs across June and July 2026, bringing opera and ballet productions to an open-air stage beneath the stars of the Mediterranean sky.
The Aspendos theater is among a very small number of Roman-era amphitheaters still used for major live performances. Built in the 2nd century AD during the reign of Marcus Aurelius, the horseshoe-shaped auditorium seats up to 15,000 spectators. Its towering scaenae frons — the ornate stone stage backdrop — reflects sound toward the audience with an effectiveness that modern acoustic engineers have studied and admired. The structure survived largely intact through the Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman periods, and remains in exceptional condition today.
What to expect at the festival
Performances are staged by the Ankara State Opera and Ballet alongside visiting international companies and soloists. Full opera productions and ballet evenings alternate throughout the programme. All performances begin after nightfall — typically around 9:00–9:30pm in June — with the illuminated stage set against a dark sky and the ancient stone of the theater glowing behind the performers. It is a setting no indoor venue can replicate.
Tickets are sold through the Turkish State Theatres booking platform and from authorised agencies in Antalya city centre. We recommend booking ahead: popular productions sell out, particularly at weekends.
Getting to Aspendos from Antalya
The theater at Aspendos is approximately 45 minutes by car from Antalya’s city centre. Organised tours from Antalya frequently combine a visit to the theater with the nearby Köprülü Canyon National Park. Taxis and rental cars are the most flexible options for festival-goers.
Antalya Airport receives direct flights from dozens of European cities throughout summer, making it one of the most convenient entry points in Türkiye for international travellers heading to the festival.
For those travelling from Istanbul, our Istanbul to Antalya transport guide covers flights, overnight buses, and coastal ferry options. For a broader look at what June brings across the country — weather, events, and regional highlights — see our Turkey in June guide.
Those building a week-long trip around the festival should look at our 7-day Turkey itinerary, which pairs Antalya with Istanbul and Cappadocia and can be adjusted to slot in an Aspendos evening.