Savatage (support: Vision Divine), Este (Padova), Castello Carrarese, Italy

Savatage (support: Vision Divine)
Tuesday, July 28, 2026, 9:30 PM
Este (Padova) // Castello Carrarese // Italy

On July 28, 2026, the legendary pioneers of progressive and symphonic metal will take the stage at Castello Carrarese in the small town of Este near Padova, as part of the Este Music Festival. It’s one of just two Italian shows on the European “Prelude To Madness” tour.

After last year’s sold-out show in Milan, the band led by Zak Stevens returns to the stage with a spectacular gig packed with timeless classics and the biggest hits of their career. Italian power metallers Vision Divine will open.

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Ticket prices:
Standing “fan pit”: €65 + presale fee
Standing: €52 + presale fee
VIP package: €124.80 + presale fee
The VIP package includes:
• Access to the area in front of the stage (fan pit standing)
• Welcome drink in the VIP area
• Special entrance with priority access to selected parts of the venue
• Catering with local specialties
• Commemorative event card

You’ll find all the details at www.estemusicfestival.it

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Savatage, one of the most revered heavy metal outfits out there, have announced the long-awaited “Prelude To Madness” tour, which in summer 2026 will take in nine headline shows and a bunch of festival appearances all across Europe. The tour kicks off on July 19 in Istanbul, Turkey, continuing the band’s triumphant return to the stage that followed their successful 2025 European comeback after a break of almost twenty years. On select dates, Savatage will be joined by Armored Saint, Vision Divine and Nevermore. The band has plenty of fresh stuff in store for this run. Besides cities they’ve never played before, Savatage will perform within the walls of the famous amphitheater in Pompeii, where they’ll team up with an orchestra for an unforgettable spectacle.

Fans can already grab presale tickets at Savatage.com. Presale starts on November 4, with general sales kicking off on Friday, November 7.

The 2026 tour promises an explosive set, covering classic hits and lesser-known tracks from across the band’s whole catalog, as a tribute to their loyal “The Savatage Legion” fans. They can expect a one-of-a-kind mix of raw energy and musical mastery, and after so many years of waiting for the band’s return, expectations have only grown higher.

Savatage were founded in Tampa, Florida, by brothers Jon and Criss Oliva. Theirs is a story of many triumphs but also tragedies, marked by a string of outstanding albums, among which the groundbreaking “Hall of the Mountain King” from 1987 and the majestic 1991 rock opera “Streets” hold a special place. After the tragic death of Criss Oliva in 1993 (shortly after the success of “Edge of Thorns”), Savatage managed to gather their strength and carry on. In 1995, their vision reached a new artistic transformation and creative peak with the release of “Dead Winter Dead”.

Over their forty-year career, Savatage have built up one of the most passionate and cult-like fan bases in the metal world. During the nearly 20-year hiatus, their loyal fans never stopped campaigning for Savatage to get back on stage. Their unforgettable show (at the band’s reunion) at Germany’s Wacken Open Air in 2015 blew away 80,000 fans and reconfirmed both the band’s legendary status and the unwavering devotion of their audience.

Savatage rode the momentum of their 2015 triumph at Wacken and in 2025 returned to European concert stages, the first since their last tour in 2002. That tour brought together multiple generations: longtime “The Legion” faithful as well as new fans just discovering the band.

On the “Prelude To Madness” tour, Savatage will play with the following lineup: vocalist Zak Stevens, guitarists Al Pitrelli and Chris Caffery, bassist Johnny Lee Middleton and drummer Jeff Plate.