They were closely linked throughout life and did not long outlive each other—Fanny Hensel and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy were a prime example of appreciative sibling love without hubris. At age 14, he had already dedicated his very first symphony to his “dear Fenchel,” his beloved 19-year-old sister. The two had always had an intimate, almost symbiotic relationship, always asked each other for advice even in later years, and let each other share in their own lives. The imbalance in family and social support may seem strange to us today, but it was normal back then and unquestionable: Fanny, just as talented as her brother, accepted without complaint that she was only allowed to compose few and rather small-scale works, while her brother undertook extensive educational trips to Italy and England in order to establish contacts with publishers, the aristocracy, and an enthusiastic public. He blossomed into a citizen of the world and was inspired: during his travels, he wrote his Piano Concerto No. 1 (in Rome) and Symphony No. 3 (the "Scottish"). Fanny was at home in Berlin, writing a delightful overture.
The Kammerorchester Basel, with Philippe Herreweghe, the pioneer of historically informed performance practice, will be performing these three pieces on this evening. Additionally, they are now embarking on a new adventure, performing and recording all of Mendelssohn's symphonies.
Tickets are CHF 30-90 for adults and half price for students.

Website
kammerorchesterbasel.ch/de/spielplan/geschwisterliebe.html

Where
Stadtcasino Basel
Konzertgasse 1
4051 Basel

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