El Jem International Festival of Symphonic Music
The 39th edition of Tunisia's only festival dedicated to symphonic music returns to the Roman amphitheatre of El Jem on 15 July, with the season's premium concert at 10 pm under the summer stars.
The Festival International de Symphonie d'El Jem stages one of its July concerts on Wednesday 15 July 2026, beginning at 22:00, inside the UNESCO-listed Roman amphitheatre of El Jem, in the Mahdia Governorate.
Now in its 39th year, the festival is the only event in the Arab world dedicated exclusively to symphonic music. International and Tunisian orchestras perform works from the classical and symphonic canon — Beethoven, Mozart, Ravel, Rossini — in an open-air arena built around 238 AD. The 15 July performance carries the highest ticket price in the July run, at 42 TND, against 37.5 TND for the other dates, pointing to a premium programme, though the specific programme for this night had not been announced at time of writing.
El Jem sits roughly 60 km south of Sousse and is accessible by road or on the main rail line from Tunis. Concerts begin after dark when the heat of the Sahel day has eased. Arrive early to explore the monument in daylight before the music starts. Tickets sell quickly for the marquee nights.
Tickets: 42 TND · Available at teskerti.tn