XENOS performance festival 2026

The Antico Ospedale Santa Maria della Scala Foundation presents the third edition of XENOS, an international festival dedicated to contemporary performance, conceived by Cristiano Leone with the artistic direction of Anna Lea Antolini.

This year's theme is the relationship: between body and space, artist and spectator, between those who watch and those who act.

Friday 13 and Saturday 14 November the museum complex becomes a route to be traversed, between itinerant performances, site specific works and virtual reality.

Protagonists of the third edition, the National Choreographic Center / Aterballetto, the only CCN in Italy appearing in Siena for the first time as part of XENOS; and Marcos Morau, a Spanish choreographer and director among the most prominent figures of the contemporary international scene.

CCN /Aterballetto presents DANSITE, a selection of virtual reality experiences dedicated to the relationship between dance, technology and cultural heritage; and MICRODANZE, an itinerant route entrusted to choreographers such as Francesca Lattuada, Antonella Bertoni, Diego Tortelli and Philippe Kratz.

Marcos Morau with his company La Veronal offers with TESTAMENT a reflection on the relationship between life and death, presence and fading, fragility and spirituality in the hall of Il Pellegrinaio.

The program continues with CATALOG, project by Marco D'Agostin designed for Marta Ciappina, presented in a site specific version structured into three choreographic acts by Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten, Sotterraneo and Francesca Pennini / CollettivO CineticO.

In Corticella, the site specific performances of some local professionals, such as Simone Cristofori, Irene Stracciati, Francesca Duranti and the company MOTUS with the choreographies by Simona Cieri, intertwine and enrich the festival.

XENOS is organized in collaboration with the Municipality of Siena and with the financial support of SI.GE.RI.CO. while the executive production is entrusted to Impersive; with the support of Immagine studio.

The artists
National Choreographic Center / Aterballetto, Antonella Bertoni, Lara Guidetti, Dunja Jocić, Philippe Kratz, Francesca Lattuada, Diego Tortelli - Simona Cieri, Simone Cristofori Francesca Duranti, Irene Stracciati - Marco D’Agostin, Emio Greco | Pieter C. Scholten Sotterraneo, Francesca Pennini / CollettivO CineticO - Marcos Morau / La Veronal