Some spectacles just lend themselves to being performed in the great outdoors. A stunning backdrop can be just as crucial to the memory of the event as the performance itself. Because I happened to be in the area on business, I was lucky enough to see Luciano Pavarotti perform in the Pula Arena in Croatia in July 2004, an experience I won’t forget.

One venue that’s always appealed to me, yet I’ve never been lucky enough to attend a show there, is the Verona Arena. Built in the first part of the first century, it can seat up to 20,000 spectators. The 2008 season will see the staging of the operas “Aida,” “Nabucco,” “Tosca,” “Rigoletto,” and “Carmen.” Tickets for the poshest seats are a pricey 200 euros, but cheap seats, way up high, go for as little as 24.50 euros. Seeing the arena awash in the light of thousands of candles in the hands of the audience must be an unforgettable sight. For booking and prices, click here.

Pompeii gets into the act with a spectacle of its own. From now through November, a one-hour show titled "Sognopompei" will be performed Fridays through Sundays. Saturday’s shows will be in English. The spectacle, staged in the evening, aims to re-create the atmosphere of daily life in Pompeii through actors in period costume and the use of sound effects and light. The tours culminate with a simulation of the volcanic eruption.

A few years ago, a young intern from my office traveled to southern Italy in early August. She was befriended by an older couple who informed her they were in the area to attend an opera festival that ranked highly among aficionados of the genre. They couldn’t stand the idea of her missing out on that evening’s performance, so they provided her with a ticket and even a roof over her head afterward. The Festival della Valle d’Itria takes place annually in Martina Franca, Puglia (the “heel” of the “boot”) and specializes in reviving obscure works, some very old, over a three-week period from July 17 to Aug. 6.

These are only a few of the events and venues available to those based in or traveling to Italy. Eager for more? The Italian Government Tourist Board proposes a list of major music festivals throughout the year.