June 2026 / News, Press Releases
JazzAscona: Casparis’s farewell honored with the Sister Cities Award
This year, the JazzAscona Sister Cities Award remains within the festival’s own ranks. Since the establishment of the official sister city relationship between New Orleans and Ascona in 2022, the award has honored individuals who have distinguished themselves in strengthening the artistic, cultural, and human ties between the two cities. This year’s award was presented to JazzAscona President Guido Casparis, who, as is well known, will be stepping down after 14 years at the helm of the festival at the end of this edition.
The brief award ceremony took place Monday evening on the Elvezia stage, followed by a magnificent concert by New Orleans soul-jazz singer Angélique. Joining Guido Casparis on stage were Giorgio Gilardi, the mayor of Ascona; Alana Harris, deputy director of the New Orleans Department of Culture; and Adonis Rose, JazzAscona’s curator of the New Orleans-themed music program. The three highlighted Casparis’s exceptional contribution to the festival’s development over the past 14 years and to the establishment of the official sister-city relationship between Ascona and New Orleans, which is expected to further strengthen the already close ties between the two communities.
“Guido, you’re not just a tall man,” said Adonis Rose, referring to the president’s two-meter height, “but also a great man,” he concluded, emphasizing how Casparis’s dedication and vision have left an indelible mark not only on the history of JazzAscona, but also on the special relationship that connects Ascona and New Orleans today.
