Festivals Over The Years

Since 1981, the biennial Boston Early Music Festival has been one of the most important events for Early Music in North America. Learn more about the groundbreaking opera productions that have earned BEMF its reputation as the “world’s leading festival of early music” (The Times, London).

2023 Festival | A Celebration of Women
Centerpiece Opera: Desmarest’s Circé
June 4–11, 2023 | Learn more »

2021 Virtual Festival | Music of Solace & Joy
Centerpiece Opera: Campra’s Le Carnaval de Venise
June 6–13, 2021 | Learn more »

2019 Festival | Dreams & Madness
Centerpiece Opera: Steffani’s Orlando
June 9–16, 2019 | Learn more »

2017 Festival | Carnival
Centerpiece Opera: Campra’s Le Carnaval de Venise
June 11–18, 2017 | Learn more »

2015 Festival | Invention & Discovery
Centerpiece Opera: The Monteverdi Trilogy
June 7–14, 2015 | Learn more »

2013 Festival | Youth: Genius & Folly
Centerpiece Opera: Handel’s Almira
June 9–16, 2013 | Learn more »

2011 Festival | Metamorphoses: Change and Transformation
Centerpiece Opera: Steffani’s Niobe, Regina di Tebe
June 12–19, 2011 | Learn more »

2009 Festival | The Power of Love
Centerpiece Opera: Monteverdi’s L’incoronazione di Poppea
June 6–14, 2009| Learn more »

2007 Festival | Feast of the Gods
Centerpiece Opera: Lully’s Psyché
June 11–17, 2007 | Learn more »

2005 Festival | East Meets West: Germany, Russian, The Baltic
Centerpiece Opera: Mattheson’s Boris Goudenow
June 13–19, 2005 | Learn more »

2003 Festival | Germany: A Melting Pot of French, Italian, Eastern European and Regional Influences
Centerpiece Opera: Conradi’s Ariadne
June 9–15, 2003 | Learn more »

2001 Festival | The French Influence in Europe
Centerpiece Opera: Lully’s Thésée
June 11–17, 2001 | Learn more »

1999 Festival | Music of the Mediterranean
Centerpiece Opera: Cavalli’s Ercole Amante
June 8–13, 1999 | Learn more »

1997 Festival | France & Italy: A Tale of Two Countries
Centerpiece Opera: Rossi’s L’Orfeo
June 10–15, 1997 | Learn more »

1995 Festival
Centerpiece Opera: Purcell’s King Arthur
June 13–18, 1995 | Learn more »

1993 Festival
Centerpiece Opera: Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo
June 15–20, 1993 | Learn more »

1991 Festival
Opera in Concert: Mozart’s Le Nozze di Figaro
June 1–9, 1991 | Learn more »

1989 Festival
Opera in Concert: Mozart’s Idomeneo
May 28–June 4, 1989 | Learn more »

1987 Festival
Learn more »

1985 Festival
Centerpiece Opera: Handel’s Teseo
June 3–9, 1985 | Learn more »

1983 Festival
Centerpiece Opera: Rameau’s Zoroastre
May 24–30, 1983 | Learn more »

1981 Festival
Centerpiece Opera: Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea
May 26–31, 1981 | Learn more »