About THE SERIESLa Romantica Chamber Series is a new concert platform that strives to bring innovative, immersive chamber music concerts to Ticino, in the small lakeside town of Melide, Switzerland. In collaboration with the 5-star Swiss Diamond Boutique Hotel - La Romantica, the series combines world-class music with storytelling, dance, theater, and literature, creating weekends where artistry and hospitality meet.
Each concert is unique, exploring its own theme and blending classical masterpieces with contemporary interpretation. The first edition, “LivingLegacy”, celebrates tradition while giving musicians and artists a stage to premiere works, collaborate, and experiment, fostering dialogue between performers and audiences.
Located in the middle of Lake Lugano and surrounded by mountains, the hotel provides the series with a true refuge for creation and experiences, where audiences can immerse themselves in music, nature, and reflection. After each performance, artists and audiences engage directly, breaking traditional boundaries and creating a space for conversation, connection, and inspiration.
Through innovative programs, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to accessibility, the La Romantica Chamber Series brings world-class chamber music the local community and visitors alike. It reimagines what a concert can be: a transformative, shared experience where music, movement, and storytelling come alive.
Founder & Artistic Director
The series was founded in 2025 by Swiss-Japanese-American cellist Raphaela Paetsch, who was born in Lugano and raised in Melide. A graduate of the Universität der Künste Berlin and the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, she has performed in some of the world's most renowned halls, including Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Berliner Philharmonie, the Wiener Musikverein, and Carnegie Hall in New York. She has worked with top orchestras such as the Royal Opera House in London, Hamburg Staatsoper, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, and Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and has been a member of the Stuttgarter Philharmoniker since 2025. Raphaela always had a dream to bring world-class artistry to her hometown and invite top artists to Melide, and founded La Romantica Chamber Series in collaboration with the Swiss Diamond Boutique Hotel La Romantica to create immersive concerts where artists she has encountered on stages around the world come together to perform in her hometown of Melide.