Franco Battiato honored with Italian concert and touring instrumental tribute

On 5 August 2026, the town of Sovicille will host a free outdoor performance titled “Il Mare nel Cassetto – La via di Franco Battiato” as part of the Sovicille d’Estate 2026 programme. The show, directed by Elisabetta Mazzullo and staged in Piazza Marconi, will feature journalist Silvia Boschero as narrator, singer‑songwriter Giua on vocals, guitar and bass, and violinist‑electronicist Anaïs Drago, presenting a musical journey through Battiato’s iconic songs and his recurring question of identity.

Meanwhile, Italian violinist and composer Federico Mecozzi has launched a national tour called “Traiettorie impercettibili”, offering instrumental reinterpretations of Battiato’s repertoire. The project blends violin, strings, keyboards, accordion, guitar, percussion and electronics, and includes a fragment of Battiato’s original voice on the track “Voglio vederti danzare”. Guest artists such as Morgan, Simone Cristicchi, Juri Camisasca and Thea Crudi appear, with artwork by Davide Toffolo. The tribute has been welcomed by Grazia Cristina Battiato, president of the Franco Battiato Foundation, and by the late maestro’s longtime manager Francesco Cattini.