TriesteLovesJazz

Twenty years of jazz in the heart of Trieste

There is a sound that accompanies Trieste evenings every summer: it is TriesteLovesJazz, the festival that for two decades has transformed the Julian city into one of the jazz hubs in the Northeast. Promoted by the Municipality of Trieste as part of TriesteEstate and organized by Casa della Musica / Scuola di Musica55, the festival is an eagerly awaited event for enthusiasts and the curious, capable of uniting big international names with Italian and European talents. In 2026, it reaches its twentieth edition.

The venues: squares, museum gardens, and the sea

The beauty of TriesteLovesJazz also lies in its geography. Concerts take place in the very central Piazza Verdi, in the evocative gardens of the Sartorio Museum and the Winckelmann Museum, and on the Molo Audace (Audace Pier), where one of the most poetic moments of the festival unfolds each year: a sunrise concert by the sea. The artistic direction is entrusted to Gabriele Centis, who each year designs a program capable of alternating overseas stars, European ensembles, and voices from the local scene.

A lineup between big stars and new voices

The festival's history has seen some of the most representative names in world jazz perform on Trieste's stages. Recent editions have featured artists such as pianist Bill Evans, American vocalist Lori Williams, singer Sarah Jane Morris, and the youth orchestra JM Jazz World Orchestra, in a program that ranges from classic jazz to contemporary fusions.

A celebration for the city

All concerts have free admission subject to availability: a choice that makes TriesteLovesJazz a true popular celebration, capable of bringing great music into direct contact with the public, amidst the Habsburg architecture and the sea air that make the Trieste summer unique.