A festival that weaves music, culture, sweeping landscapes, and Mediterranean lightness into a single experience.
More than 4,500 spectators attended in 2025
Festival Warm-Up Concert: Tra Mondi – Between Worlds | Cornèr Banca Preview
Inaugural Concert | Julia Lezhneva I | Per Constanze: Mozart’s Great Mass
Next Generation I | Cello Ensemble of the Conservatorio della Svizzera Italiana
Program 2026
Concerti d’Eccellenza
These are the highlights of the festival. Stars of the music scene perform in Ascona and Locarno: soloists, orchestras, choirs, and ensembles give the festival an international scope.
19 concerts in the Church of Collegio Papio in Ascona, San Francesco in Locarno and other churches in the region.
Terra d’Artisti – Sehnsucht Ticino
For centuries, Ticino, and in particular Locarno, has attracted artists from all disciplines. In interdisciplinary events held at iconic locations across the region, we aim to explore this sense of fascination through various themes.
These are 7 side events, for a maximum of 50-70 spectators. Their venues: Monte Verità, Brissago Islands, Castello Visconteo, Mario Botta Church in Mogno, Bordei.
classicAscona academy & Next Generation
Young professionals, ambitious amateurs, children, and youth participate in the classicAscona academy. In close cooperation with Ticino’s educational institutions, master classes and workshops are offered, with the results presented to the public as part of the Academy Concerts.
14 free Academy Concerts (registration required). The venues include Sala Sopracenerina, Chiesa dei Santi Pietro e Paolo, Lungolago Ascona, Collegio Papio, and many others.
About classicAscona
When the end of summer is tinged with gold, a special time begins in Ascona with an 80-year-old history.
Young professionals, ambitious amateurs, children, and youth participate in the classicAscona academy. In close cooperation with Ticino’s educational institutions, master classes and workshops are offered, with the results presented to the public at the academy’s concerts.
The Academy, therefore, is not a secondary program; it is a cultural mission.
3
Artists in residence
14
Concerts of the classicAscona academy
19
Concerti d'Eccellenza
15+
Event venues
23
Days of music
International stars, orchestras and choirs
Music & Pleasure
Combine the festival experience with moments of enjoyment, relaxation, and the discovery of the Ascona-Locarno region.
The region of Ascona and Locarno offers numerous museums, art galleries, and historic buildings that reflect its cultural diversity. The churches and monasteries are also worth a visit. The Lake, the valleys, and the mountains offer spectacular hiking destinations. For example, Cardada-Cimetta, the Brissago Islands, or the Monte Verità.
Yes, all master classes are open to the public.
There is no formal dress code for the festival, but elegant attire is recommended.
At our partner hotels, you can enjoy a 20 % discount on concert tickets for stays of two nights or more, as well as special offers and reduced prices for your overnight stay.
Light refreshments will be available before the concerts and during the interval, at both main venues – The Chiesa San Francesco and the Chiesa del Collegio Papio
