** Umbria Jazz delivers two major final acts for Perugia’s nights of exceptional music, featuring contemporary pop sensation Mika on Saturday and legendary R&B icon Lionel Richie on Sunday.
The Santa Giuliana Arena hosts Mika on Saturday, offering audiences a chance to experience the charismatic songwriter’s magnetic stagecraft. Known for blending infectious pop melodies with intense, immersive arrangements, Mika thrives in festival settings to forge authentic connections with crowds.
Sunday’s grand finale spotlights the festival’s most anticipated act: Lionel Richie. The Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe winner—with over 125 million records sold globally—brings four decades of timeless anthems like “Hello,” “All Night Long,” and “We Are the World.” Renowned for energizing multi-generational audiences, Richie promises a masterclass in nostalgia and showmanship. Blues-rock pianist Mitch Woods opens the evening.
As Umbria Jazz’s main stage, Santa Giuliana Arena continues drawing massive crowds, including over 3,500 attendees on Thursday for multi-instrumentalist Jacob Collier’s dance-filled set and bass virtuoso Marcus Miller’s electrifying funk performance.
While diverse genres enrich the festival, jazz remains its cornerstone. Historic Perugian theaters Morlacchi and Pavone will spotlight pure jazz for the closing weekend. At Morlacchi, Saturday features the revered Enrico Rava-Fred Hersch duo, followed Sunday by trumpeter Paolo Fresu and Cuban pianist Omar Sosa.
The restored 18th-century Teatro del Pavone reopens with two landmark tributes: Saturday honors Oscar Peterson’s centenary with a trio including pianist Sullivan Fortner and Peterson’s longtime collaborators John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton. Sunday celebrates bass legend Ray Brown via a trio led by Christian McBride, with pianist Benny Green and drummer Greg Hutchinson.
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