Grand Reopening Stadtcasino Basel

After four years of construction work, the Stadtcasino Basel is ready to reopen with a carnival fantasy for Basler drums.

In September 2020 the Stadtcasino in Basel will reopen in new splendour. After renovation by the world-famous Basel architects Herzog & de Meuron, the beautiful hall dating from 1876 will once again be used by the Sinfonieorchester Basel under its principal conductor Ivor Bolton. With a carnival fantasy for Basler drums and large orchestra we will test the acoustics of the renovated concert hall.
Rolf Liebermann composed his “Phantasies about Basel”, the Geigy Festival Concerto for Basler drum and orchestra, in 1958 in memory of Johann Rudolf Geigy Gemuseus, who had first founded a company in Basel in 1758 that began trading in “materials, chemicals, and dyes”.
The barefoot playing Patricia Kopatchinskaja will meet Helena Winkelman, who will premiere her own composition “Gemini, Concerto for two violins”.
Johannes Brahms made frequent stops in Basel on his travels to the Bernese Highlands. His First Symphony was premiered in 1876, the year the Stadtcasino Basel opened. Brahms had spent 21 years composing on his symphonic first work. Compared to this, four years of casino reconstruction are no more than a footnote in music history.

Live at Arte Concert. Distributed by EuroArts Music.

Recording location Stadtcasino Basel
Recording date 10 September 2020
Duration approx. 90’
Video format HD
TV Director Andreas Morell
Producer EuroArts & SWR in collaboration with ARTE
English title of music work Johannes Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 68 (1855-1876)
English title of music work Helena Winkelman: Gemini, Concert for two violins and orchestra (2020, premiere)
English title of music work Rolf Liebermann: Geigy Festival Concerto for Basler drum and orchestra (1958)
Orchestra / Band Sinfonieorchester Basel
Soloist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, violin
Soloist Helena Winkelman, violin
Conductor Ivor Bolton