Männerstimmen Basel
Basel, Switzerland
Oliver Rudin - conductor
Competition Concert
| Title | Composer | Lyrics |
|---|---|---|
| Light and Gold | Eric Whitacre | Edward Esch |
| Incantation for a Stormy Sea | Veljo Tormis | Text from the Latin translation of Kalevala |
| Ouverture to The Magic Flute (first part) | Wolfgang Amadé Mozart | |
| Oj Javore | Kiril Makedonski |
Folk Concert
| Title | Composer | Lyrics |
|---|---|---|
| Basel | Rudolf Jaggi | Blasius |
| The Mountain Lady | Toni Ortelli | Toni Ortelli |
| Somewhere in the world | Werner Richard Heymann | Robert Gilbert |
Concert of Sacred Music
| Title | Composer |
|---|---|
| Lamb of God | André Campra |
| O great mystery | Morten Lauridsen |
| O Trinity of Blessed Light | Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy |
The Männerstimmen Basel choir was founded in 2008 by former singers of the Knabenkantorei Basel boys’ choir. Their first successes were not long in coming: at the 2008 Swiss Federal Singing Competition, the Männerstimmen Basel was rated “excellent“. Soon after, the choir was awarded a prize for best male choir at the International Choir Festival “Tallinn 2009”. The bestowal of the prize took place in the Estonia Concert Hall, where it was presented by jury member Bob Chilcott, a former singer of the King’s Singers.
In the same year, the Männerstimmen Basel participated in radio broadcasts for the Swiss radio stations DRS 1, Radio Suisse Romande and Radio Rumantsch. Thereafter, the choir cooperated in several concerts with the Collegium Musicum Basel orchestra, under the artistic direction of Simon Gaudenz: in December 2009, Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony was performed at the Mosel Music Festival in Trier, as well as at the Stadtcasino Basel; in March 2010 they sang Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody with the alto soloist Ann-Katrin Naidu.
The choir has gained a loyal audience through many concerts given in Switzerland. It continually strives to delight with its unique stage presence and by performing a diverse and varied programme ranging from the world’s classic choral works to modern music from various periods and styles.
Past awards:
- Rating “excellent” at the 2008 Swiss Federal Singing Competition
- Best male choir at the International Choir Festival “Tallinn 2009” (Estonia)
About Basel
The Swiss city of Basel lies in the heart of Europe, on both banks of the Rhine River. The city is the centre of the idyllic border triangle of France, Germany and Switzerland. Basel enjoys the warmest climate in Switzerland, and has the least fog and rain.
Basel has around 190.000 inhabitants and sparkles with an incomparable programme of culture and leisure activities. Whether going for a swim in the Rhine, spending an evening at the theatre, visiting the beautiful historic Old Town or one of the forty museums, Basel offers an unforgettable stay.
The Basel area is Switzerland’s second most important business centre, and enjoys the country’s fastest rate of economic growth. The business backbone is made up of corporations in the pharmaceutical, chemical, mobility and finance industries. Architecture and design also play an important part in the city’s thriving economy. All these factors help underpin Basel’s high standard of living.
Pro Helvetia, Schweizer Kulturstiftung
