Full Breakdown
Ushpizin Music Festival Returns to Ashdod for Its 11th Edition
8/13/2026, 2:35:27 AM
Festival Overview
The 11th annual Ushpizin Music Festival will take place in Ashdod during the intermediate days of Sukkot, running from September 24 through October 1. The week-long celebration spans three of the city’s main cultural sites: the Ashdod Amphitheater, the Ashdod Performing Arts Center, and the Yad Labanim auditorium. Night-time concerts are slated for the open-air Ashdod Amphitheater, while daytime programming fills the other venues.
Schedule and Venues
- September 24 – Opening day at the Performing Arts Center, featuring the final round of the 18th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition.
- September 27 – Fully staged production of Verdi’s *La Traviata* by the Ashdod Chamber Opera Orchestra, the Tel Aviv Philharmonic Choir, and international soloists under conductor Vahagn Papian, held at the Performing Arts Center.
- September 28 – Concert by Paraguayan ensemble Los Muchachos Paraguayos, joined by Paraguayan-Israeli harpist David Karlsberg, at the Performing Arts Center.
- September 29 – Triple-headliner rock concert with Evyatar Banai, Amir Benayoun and Berry Sakharof at the Ashdod Amphitheater; the same evening the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra presents an “Israeli Soundtrack” concert featuring Avi Toledano.
- September 30 – October 1 – Two-night run of the Hebrew Theater’s production of *My Fair Lady* at the Amphitheater.
Headlining Artists and Ensembles
The festival blends Israeli rock royalty with international acts. Rock veterans Shalom Hanoch, Eifa HaYeled and punk icon Rami Fortis appear on September 30, while classical and operatic offerings include the Ashdod Chamber Opera Orchestra and the Tel Aviv Philharmonic Choir. The lineup also features veteran pop star Avi Toledano and the Israeli Andalusian Orchestra, underscoring the event’s genre-spanning scope.
Cultural Impact
By concentrating a diverse program—rock concerts, opera, piano competition finals, and theater—within a single week, the Ushpizin Festival aims to position Ashdod as a major cultural hub during the holiday period. The inclusion of both local icons and international performers highlights the city’s growing role in Israel’s broader arts scene.
