Baalbek International Festival
Arts and Cultures · Baalbek, Lebanon
The festival
Play against the columns of Jupiter and Bacchus: since 1956, the Baalbek International Festival has made the Roman Acropolis of the Bekaa the most majestic of the scenes. Classical music, opera, theatre, dance and jazz have been there talking with Lebanese creations — as early as 1957, Fairuz and the Rahbani brothers invented the "Lebanese Nights".
Interrupted by the war and resumed in 1997, the festival celebrated its return in 2025 under the sign of the "Voice of Resilience", then its 70th anniversary, opened on 24 July 2026 by a film-concert in tribute to Gabriel Yared, projected on the walls of the temple of Bacchus.
Good to know
SENSIBLE ZONE — first checked "to come", as requested: edition 2024 cancelled due to Israeli attacks on Lebanon (Xinhua, July 26, 2025); EFFECTIVE RETURN in 2025, inaugurated on July 25 at the capital of Baalbek (Carmen, theme "Voice of Resilience", until August 9); official press conference of the committee (President Nayla de Freige, Minister of Culture Ghassan Salamé) announcing the opening of the 70th anniversary edition on July 24, 2026 (ciné-concert Gabriel Yared, co-production Abu Dhabi Festival). Official website baalbeck.org.lb open (active home page). NO 2027 edition announced: simple "habitual period" July–August, without dated status—to be re-checked before any highlight, the Lebanese context remains fragile.