The festival LIEDBasel is a contemporary and interdisciplinary exploration of the art form of song. It's not just about the intimacy of voice and piano, nor solely about the past. The performers are people living in the present. The song is about life in a nutshell. It reflects everyday life across centuries and in its many diverse facets. It tells and sings of the individual trying to assert themselves within society.
Inspired by an annually changing theme, LIEDBasel works closely with the artists to curate a fascinating and rich program that encompasses far more than just classical song recitals. This year's edition, themed "All Just Stolen," explores how musical ideas are created, passed on, and transformed—and where the line between inspiration and plagiarism lies. Power relations will also come into focus: Who shapes the canon? Whose voices are passed down, and whose are ignored? These questions form a programmatic core of the 2026 festival edition. As duo in residence, Annette Dasch and Wolfram Rieger will shape the festival's artistic and pedagogical aspects, including the LIEDAcademy with five international song duos. In addition to the evening concerts, each of the festival days will also host workshops and classes; consult the website to peruse the whole program at https://liedbasel.ch/programm-2026/.
The song recital “Une Soirée volée” is inspired by a concert conducted by Johannes Brahms in Basel. The British soprano Carolyn Sampson joins a Basel ensemble with Tobias Schabenberger (fortepiano), Dmitry Smirnov (violin), and Alexandre Foster (cello). Works by Beethoven, Schubert, Haydn, Brahms, and Britten reflect different forms of creative borrowing.
The concert is preceded by an event entitled “Unheard of—Fanny Hensel” at 18:00. Fanny Hensel (née Mendelssohn) was denied the musical recognition and training that her brother Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy received. Musicologist Beatrix Borchard will explore how Hensel nevertheless found her own artistic path and why her works are finally receiving the attention they deserve today.
Admission to the event at 18:00 is free. Tickets for the concert at 20:00 are CHF 20-60.

Website
liedbasel.ch/programm-2026/

Where
Don Bosco Basel
Waldenburgerstrasse 34
4052 Basel

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