Autumn melodies

With the arrival of September, a new phase of the musical season begins in Bologna, with festivals and concerts in the streets and theaters, where the notes of jazz particularly stand out. The UNESCO Creative City of Music is ready to be heard.

Ottorino Respighi Festival

Bologna is dedicating a music festival to Ottorino Respighi, the great composer and one of the city’s most illustrious citizens. Throughout September, the city will serve as a stage for concerts, conferences, in-depth discussions, collaborations and cultural initiatives. From 21 September to 21 October 2026, the programme will feature events held across the city’s main arts and cultural venues, to retrace Respighi’s life and works, celebrating the composer’s fundamental role in 20th-century music whilst also exploring his lesser-known works and rediscovering the vibrant cultural and social climate of Italy at that time.

Bologna Jazz Festival

Jazz holds a special place in the heart of Bologna and its inhabitants. The history of jazz in this area has deep roots, and as early as the post-war period it became a must-visit destination for all the most famous American bands and soloists, such as Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Ella Fitzgerald.

Then the first local bands emerged, the first clubs opened and… the BJF arrived. Once again this year, from 13 October to 8 November 2026, the world’s most beloved artists will be performing in Bologna’s theatres and clubs for a month of great music.

Photo: Jazze