Bergamo Jazz Festival

A Sixty-Year History

Founded in 1962, Bergamo Jazz Festival is one of the longest-running and most prestigious jazz events in Italy. Promoted by the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti with the support of the Municipality of Bergamo and the Ministry of Culture, the festival has hosted legends such as Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Keith Jarrett, and Pat Metheny over the years, building a loyal audience and an international reputation that extends beyond the Province of Bergamo.

Joe Lovano's Direction

For the third consecutive year, the artistic direction is entrusted to world-renowned saxophonist Joe Lovano, who has titled the 47th edition: Setting the Pace. The common thread for 2026 is the double centenary of the birth of Miles Davis and John Coltrane, two figures who forever changed the language of jazz.

The Festival Venues

The heart of the event beats within the recently restored Teatro Donizetti and the Teatro Sociale in Città Alta. These are joined by venues spread throughout the city: clubs, associations, churches, and squares host jam sessions, talks, and concerts as part of the "Around Jazz" project. For four days, Bergamo transforms into a grand open-air stage.

An International Lineup

The 2026 edition features over eighty musicians in about twenty events. Among the announced headliners are bassist Dave Holland in a duo with guitarist Lionel Loueke, Steve Coleman with his Five Elements returning to Bergamo after twenty years, and a special evening with The Bad Plus. The closing night at the Donizetti hosts an unprecedented project conceived by Lovano to honor Davis and Coltrane, featuring an ensemble comprising Avishai Cohen, George Garzone, Shabaka Hutchings, Jakob Bro, Leo Genovese, Drew Gress, and Joey Baron.

Much More Than a Concert

Bergamo Jazz is not just about big names on stage: the festival includes artist talks, film screenings, exhibitions, and projects dedicated to young audiences. It's an opportunity to experience Bergamo at its most vibrant cultural level, discovering the Lombard city during one of its most intense moments of the year.