Programming William Walton's and Edith Sitwell's once provocative work with Graham Valentine as narrator is a pleasure for Ensemble Phoenix Basel in various ways. The English poet Edith Sitwell became an icon of the lesbian-gay movement not only through her poems, but also through her eccentric lifestyle and uncompromisingly non-conformist views, provoking many a scandal with her appearance as early as the early 1920s. At the premiere of «Façade», she spoke her surrealist verses invisibly behind a painted screen with a hole cut out for a huge megaphone.
In combination with the commissions to the two young composers Asia Ahmetjanova from Latvia and Charlotte Torres from France, both living in Switzerland, current artistic dynamite is guaranteed.
19:00 Concert introduction with the composers and Jürg Henneberger
Graham Valentine (Speaker), Ensemble Phoenix Basel, Jürg Henneberger (Musical Direction)
Asia Ahmetjanova (*1992): «Bats and Icons» for ensemble (2023/24, premiere, commissioned by EPhB) 15'
Charlotte Torres (*1979): «Ton tonton tond ton thon et d'autres tons» for ensemble (2023/24, premiere, commission EPhB) 20'
William Walton (1902-1983): «Façade - an Entertainment» after poems by Edith Sitwell (1887-1964) for speaker and ensemble (1922) 38'
115 minutes, with break
CHF 35.-/25.-/15.- (free choice at the box office or in advance)
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Guests can now choose their own admission price between three different price levels.
CHF 35.- / 25.- / 15.-
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Persons with a residence permit N, F or S.
Prices freely selectable CHF 350.- / 250.- / 150.-
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