Four days in which the whole of Bergamo plays jazz. The 47th edition of Bergamo Jazz takes place from Thursday 19 to Sunday 22 March 2026 under the artistic direction of Joe Lovano, now in his third edition. It is titled Setting The Pace and celebrates the centenary of the births of Miles Davis and John Coltrane. The programme features more than 80 artists across the city’s theatres, museums and venues.
The concerts at Teatro Donizetti
- Friday 20 March: the duo of Dave Holland and Lionel Loueke, followed by Steve Coleman and Five Elements, back in Bergamo exactly twenty years after their last visit.
- Saturday 21 March: The Bad Plus in a special edition with Chris Potter and Craig Taborn, playing the music of Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet; followed by Lakecia Benjamin with her new album.
- Sunday 22 March: Joe Lovano’s centenary project, with Avishai Cohen, George Garzone, Shabaka Hutchings on flute, Jakob Bro, Leo Genovese, Drew Gress and Joey Baron.
Teatro Sociale and jazz around the city
On Thursday 19 March at the Teatro Sociale in Città Alta the festival opens with the new trio of Franco D’Andrea and the quartet of Melissa Aldana; on Sunday 22 at 17:00 it is the turn of Simona Molinari with La Donna è Mobile. The events spread across the city include the Aula Picta of the Palazzo Vescovile, the Accademia Carrara, the Sala Piatti with Norma Winstone and Kit Downes, and the Auditorium of the Istituto Palazzolo with the Jazz Passengers and Hedvig Mollestad.
Scintille di Jazz and the Dopo Festival
The series dedicated to new talent brings five concerts to the city’s venues, with free admission while places last (booking recommended). For those who want to stay out late there is the Dopo Festival at 23:00 at NXT Bergamo, on Friday 20 and Saturday 21.
Practical info
- When: from 19 to 22 March 2026; the evening concerts at the Donizetti start at 20:30.
- Where: Teatro Donizetti, Teatro Sociale and other venues in Bergamo.
- Tickets: single concerts at the Donizetti on sale from 28 January; details on the website of the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti.
Frequently asked questions
Who directs Bergamo Jazz 2026?
Joe Lovano, artistic director of the festival for the third time.
Are there free concerts?
Yes: the Scintille di Jazz concerts have free admission while places last.