She was a sparkling star of the New York jazz scene. But she never stood on stage herself, didn’t play an instrument, and is still more famous than many virtuosos of the genre. She turned her back on the wealthy Rothschild family and became a patron of the New York jazz scene. Night after night – Round Midnight – she let the “Bebop Cats” jam in her hotel suite, at a time when Black musicians were only allowed to enter hotels through the back door. And some even call her one of the first feminists. Her name: Pannonica de Koenigswarter, née Rothschild, affectionately called NICA. She is the namesake of our NICA Jazz Club. The new concert piece by Volker Präkelt, who already thrilled audiences with “Chet on the Beach,” honors her in a unique way: a live radio show in the style of the ’60s with talk and music. Come and learn more about this incredibly fascinating personality.

NYC, 1960s: At Radio City Music Hall, Nica meets the then very famous host Walter Winchell, who at the time was considered the most well-known gossip journalist in the USA. However, he wasn’t exactly one of the Baroness’s friends. The audience can follow the verbal sparring between the two live, wonderfully performed by Nini Stadlmann and Sascha Rotermund. And they get to experience a musical string of pearls across jazz history, leading up to an iconic classic: 'Round Midnight.' As a special guest, trumpet player Ingolf Burkhardt will enrich the musical performance.