Located in one of the most characteristic streets of Upper Bergamo, the S. Andrea Theater has a special history, full of surprises, faith and culture.
It is located in the crypt of the church of the same name, built between 1840 and 1847 on the basis of an eighth-century AD building. During the work, the floor level was raised above the road, and in parallel, an excavation on the side of the hill allowed for additional depth, thanks to which the hypogeous environment under the church could be obtained.
The space was used for about a century to store works from other places of worship, in addition to the pre-existing one.
An early version of the St. Andrew Theater was built at the behest of parish priest Antonio Galizzi, who, in 1951, had a cine-theater built in the crypt complete with stage, wings, curtain plus a booth for film projections.
Over time, however, the cine-theater activity declined and the space was put to other uses, mainly oratory and sports space, until its closure in the 1990s.
Only in 2018, thanks to a lucky meeting, the University Theater Center of Bergamo accepted the difficult challenge and took on the restoration and management of the hall.
Thanks to the personal efforts of teachers and CUT members but also to the pastor of St. Andrew’s himself and some sponsors, finally the underground environment of the church has once again become a theater for all intents and purposes.
The hall can accommodate up to 100 people and is developed according to a unique layout: the apse and chancel of the church above corresponds to the stalls, while the curtain and stage are developed under the nave.
On either side of the curtain stand decorations depicting the masks of Harlequin and Punchinello, made by Albano Pressato in the 1950s.
Since 2020, another exceptional piece has joined the decor: the 1932 Steinway grand piano, formerly owned by Giorgio Zaccarelli and donated to the theater by his sons, and placed in the apse section.
Since its reopening, the theater has been the home of the acting school and student association CUT Bergamo, as well as of fine shows and musical performances such as the 4Hands Piano Festival, appointments of the seasons organized by the Donizetti Foundation, and, since 2022, also the Bergamo Jazz Festival.
Sant’Andrea Apostolo is famous for the remarkable paintings preserved inside.
Among the names of the artists who decorated it are Salmeggia, Bassano, Padovanino, Moretto da Brescia, and Jacopo Palma il Giovane, to name but a few.
The church also boasts a Museum of History and Sacred Art (from 2021), as well as the premises of the St. Andrew’s University Center with the ‘James A. Podboy’ library.