Donizetti Opera 2025
International festival dedicated to the famous composer from Bergamo which brings to life the theatres of the ‘City of Gaetano Donizetti’ from November 14 to 30
The Donizetti Opera festival focuses mainly on the operatic repertoire of the great Bergamo composer Gaetano Donizetti starring renowned performers, alongside rising artists as well as students from the Bottega Donizetti. The festival also includes chamber music concerts, special Under 30 performances designed to bring opera to younger audiences, special events, and family activities.
The 2025 edition of Donizetti Opera will be the first under the leadership of Riccardo Frizza, who takes on the dual role of Artistic and Music Director for the international festival dedicated to the celebrated composer from Bergamo, Gaetano Donizetti. The festival will bring to life the theatres of the "City of Gaetano Donizetti" from November 14 to 30, and will present, over three consecutive weekends, four operas in three new productions.
At the Teatro Donizetti, Caterina Cornaro will be staged in its modern premiere, featuring the complete poetic text set to music by Donizetti and ending as the composer originally intended (on Friday 14th, Saturday 22nd, and Sunday 30th November), as well as Il furioso nell’isola di S. Domingo, in musical score’s full version, dated 1833 (on Sunday 16th, Friday 21st, and Saturday 29th November).
At the Teatro Sociale, in the “Città Alta”, audiences will see a double bill of two one-act operas: Il campanello, in the 1837 version, and Deux hommes et une femme, in its original French version (on Saturday 15th, Sunday 23rd, and Friday 28th November).
The Donizetti Opera festival will host renowned performers such as Carmela Remigio, Mariangela Sicilia, Paolo Bordogna, Alessandro Corbelli, Vito Priante, Enea Scala, and Bruno Taddia, alongside rising artists like Riccardo Fassi and Giulia Mazzola, as well as students from the Bottega Donizetti. On the podium, in addition to artistic and musical director Riccardo Frizza, two young talents: Alessandro Palumbo and Enrico Pagano. The productions are directed by Francesco Micheli, Manuel Renga, and Stefania Bonfadelli.
By airplane: via Milan Bergamo International Airport (Orio al Serio), located approximately 3 miles from the city centre. There are shuttle bus services like ATB bus line 1.
By train: from the Bergamo station reach the Teatro Donizetti on foot, or by buses on urban public transport (the stop is Porta Nuova), or reach the Teatro Sociale in 15 minutes by urban public transport Line 1 buses (the stop is Colle Aperto, then it is less than a 10-minute walk).
By car: to the Teatro Donizetti follow the signs to the city centre, once at Porta Nuova leave the car in the underground parking lots (Piazza della Libertà or Via Borfuro). For the Teatro Sociale take the Line 1 bus to Città Alta or continue by car and park in the paid parking lots within the city walls.
In the proximity of the Teatro Donizetti there are hotels, bed and breakfasts, and apartment rentals; it is best to book the accommodation in advance during the festival period.
Bergamo is rich in art and culture. Bergamo Alta (Upper Bergamo, the historic heart of the city) features the Teatro Sociale, the Gaetano Donizetti’s Casa Natale (the composer's birthplace), Piazza Duomo with the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, Piazza Vecchia, and the Rocca di Bergamo fortress, as well as numerous museums such as the Museo delle Storie di Bergamo (history museum) and the Biblioteca Angelo Mai (historical library).
In lower Bergamo (city center), among others: the Accademia Carrara and GAMEC (art galleries), the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and the Church of Santo Spirito.
The Teatro Donizetti (located in lower Bergamo) and the Teatro Sociale (located in the Città Alta, the Upper City) are places full of interest and rich in history. These theatres are usually open to the public during performances or on guided tours. For performances at Teatro Sociale, the Fondazione Teatro Donizetti and ATB are offering a shuttle service to Città Alta and return. Alternatively, for the regular public transportation, presenting the ATB staff with the entrance ticket for the festival taking place at Teatro Sociale will provide free access to ATB public transportation (including funicular), exclusively on the urban service lines, to and from Città Alta on show/concert days, starting 2 hours before the beginning of the show/concert and up to 1 hour after leaving the theatre.
Elegant attire is kindly recommended, especially for opera premieres.
The Teatro Donizetti has a bar open during performances, offering also an aperitif dedicated to the 2025 festival. Bergamo, both near the Centro Piacentiniano along the so-called “Sentierone” (in the lower town) and in the historic and charming Upper Town, offers many venues, so there is a wide choice to suit all tastes.
