Jazz Open Modena

Jazz Open Arrives in Modena

For the first time in its history, the Jazz Open festival crosses the Alps and chooses Italy: after over thirty years of programming in Stuttgart, where it has become a benchmark for great European music under the artistic direction of Jürgen Schlensog, the event debuts in Modena from July 13th to 18th, 2026. This is the first Italian edition, and it marks the beginning of a stable event for the city: the Municipality of Modena and Jazzopen Italia have indeed signed a five-year agreement that ties the festival to the Emilian capital until 2030.

The Jazz & Beyond Formula

The festival is not just a jazz event: its hallmark is the Jazz & Beyond formula, which dialogues between jazz, pop, soul, rock, and electronic music. For six days, the historic center of Modena transforms into a large open-air stage, capable of hosting both international stars and emerging talents, in a journey through different genres and musical languages.

Three Venues in the Heart of the City

• Piazza Roma: hosts the Main Stage, in front of the majestic Ducal Palace, with a large stage dedicated to concerts by international headliners.
• Giardino Ducale Estense: a green setting that hosts the Open Stages, a series of free admission concerts reserved for emerging artists.
• Il Baluardo della Cittadella: a more intimate and enclosed space, with a program strongly focused on jazz.

The Big Names of 2026

The lineup for the first Modena edition brings together some of the most celebrated names on the international scene: Diana Krall and Gregory Porter open the festival on July 13th in Piazza Roma, followed by Moby (July 14th), Parov Stelar with MEUTE (July 15th), Jamie Cullum and Joss Stone (July 16th), Luca Carboni (July 17th), and the closing act by Jean-Michel Jarre (July 18th). At Il Baluardo, artists such as Emma Smith, Francesca Tandoi, Andrea Sabatino, Mammal Hands, Aaron Parks, and Hervé Samb will perform.

A New Event for Modena and Emilia-Romagna

With this festival, Modena aims to become one of the musical capitals of Emilia-Romagna, a region already rich in major events. The agreement until 2030 guarantees continuity for the initiative and places it firmly on the city's summer calendar, alongside the cultural and gastronomic heritage that makes Modena famous worldwide.