CHRISTMAS EVENTS • HORSE-JUMPING SHOW • INDOOR CYCLING EVENT • DISNEY ON ICE • BLUE MAN GROUP

Volume 8 Issue 4 CHF 6 6

A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel December 2019 / January 2020 11 min. from Basel SBB

Saturdays & Evenings

Prevention Dental Hygiene Dentures & Implants Dental Restorations Smile Makeovers Urgent Appointments

+49 7623 469 240 Hebelstraße 19a, 79618 Rheinfelden,

cliniusdentalcare.com

2 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Dear Readers, Basel is particularly magical in December, with the shimmer of Christmas lights on houses, storefronts, streets, and bridges; decorated Christmas December 2019 / January 2020 Volume 8 Issue 4 trees and store windows; the smell of mulled wine in the air; and the crowds of people busily moving about the city and enjoying the festive atmosphere. TABLE OF CONTENTS Turn to our special “Christmas in Basel” section for details about Christmas markets in and around Basel, as well as about the abundance of Special Feature: Christmas in Basel 4–10 ­Christmas-related activities. You can choose from special concerts and ­theater; take a ride on the Christmas ferry or tram; treat the family to a Christmas circus or variety show; join a Christmas tour; view the lights and Events in Basel: December 2019 / January 2020 11–15 decorations from the Münster towers; experience Theater Basel’s daily ­musical and literary Advent calendar; discover this year’s English-language Panto production of “The Little Mermaid;” take in the magic of the “Nutcracker” and Recreation 16–18 ballet; discover the special Christmas exhibits at several local museums; or take the kids to meet the St. Nicks who will be riding through town on Harley Calendar: December 2019 / January 2020 19–22 Davidson motorcycles, visiting the Basel zoo and Lange Erlen animal park, and even paddling down the Rhein in dozens of kayaks and canoes! And be sure to crown this holiday season with the magnificent fireworks display over Information Desk: Why Learn German in Basel? 23 the Rhein to ring in the New Year! The month of January is also filled with traditions, greeting us with delicious crowns of sweet bread in all the bakeries to commemorate Three Kings’ Day Workshops, Tours, and Education 24–25 and the ever so strange medieval tradition of the Vogel Gryff festival. The month is equally rich in culture and excitement, with an international horse Did You Know? 26–27 show; a youth book event hosted on a ship on the Rhein; a chess festival; a cheese festival; the ever popular Museums’ Night; and a wide variety of ­children’s theater, musicals, and ballet classics. Entertainment: Night on the Town 28–39 The Indoor Cycling World Championships will be held in Basel this December, featuring the one-of-a-kind action of cycle-ball and the stunning but elegant Ticket Office: Get Your Tickets Now! back page feats of . The sports section is also filled with plenty of sugges- tions for winter-sports fun like ice discos, family ski days, and the grace and strength of speed skating. Additionally, you can read about what to do in case of a winter-sports knee injury, as well as about the new rules regarding tax refunds from shopping in Germany and the many benefits of learning ­German in Basel.

Your Basel Life Magazine team wishes you a wonderful holiday season, safe travels, and all the best for 2020! Christine Pesold

Gift Basel Life Magazine this Holiday Season! Are you still looking for the perfect gift for a friend, neighbor, colleague, or employee this holiday season? Basel Life Magazine Staff: Why not give a one-year subscription to Basel Life Editor-in-Chief: Magazine? They will be reminded of your thought- Christine Pesold ful gift each month when they receive their copy and learn about all the great things this beautiful Advertising & Subscription Manager / Editor: city on the Rhein has to offer. Susanne Hiller It couldn’t be easier—simply go to Design & Print: www.basellife.com, click on the “Subscriptions” tab, and enter the name PRINTHOUSE by jobfactory, Basel and address of the person you wish to delight. Enter your own information in the “Billing address” box and indicate that it is a gift. For more information about subscribing or advertising – please contact us: [email protected] Your gift will start with this December/January issue (or later if you prefer) www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine and will be accompanied by a letter indicating that they have received this gift courtesy of you! www.basellife.com

BASEL LIFE MAGAZINE / BASEL FAMILY GmbH © Copyright 2019. All rights reserved. It is our goal to provide valuable, timely information to our readers. The opinions expressed in the articles in this magazine are those of the contributing authors and do not reflect those of other members of the editorial staff and of any organizations or agencies distributing this magazine. Though we make every attempt to provide accurate information, we cannot be held respon- sible if any event is cancelled, postponed, or modified. We encourage readers to contact the event organizers or their websites to obtain the most current event information. Please note: No part of this periodical may be duplicated in any fashion, or redistributed in any written language, without permission from the executive staff at Basel Family GmbH. If you have any questions, contact Basel Family GmbH staff at: [email protected].

photo credit: © dietrich varaklis (cover) December 2019 / January 2020 3 EventsSpecialEvents in Feature:in Basel: Basel: November ChristmasFebruary 2015 2019in Basel (continued) The Christmas Season in Basel

The whole month of December is a beautiful and exciting­ time filled with a plethora of Christmas-related activities. You can stroll through the charmingly decorated old town with its festively decked-out storefronts and its quaint alleys and squares adorned with hundreds of illuminated Christmas trees. Extended shopping hours, open Sundays, and a jazz lounge set up on the Marktplatz make for a magical and memorable visit. Be sure to take in the special atmosphere of the Christmas markets as you browse for unique wares and enjoy seasonal specialties and a cup of mulled wine while the kids are entertained with holiday-fun activities at the fairy-tale forest at the Münsterplatz. Basel also hosts a multitude of Christmas events, including concerts, theater, circuses, variety shows, public singing, festive tram and ferry rides, Christmas-related exhibits, as well as visits with St. Nicholas in parks, squares, on Harleys, and in canoes.

Advent Alley in Rheingasse, Until December 23: Advent magic comes to Christmas Markets Rheingasse, the quaint little area of Kleinbasel just over the Mittlere Brücke, in the form of a festively decorated street food festival, with out- Basel door seating on fur-lined seats and open fire pits to add to the warm atmo- Basel’s Christmas markets have been enchanting visitors for over 40 sphere. Here you can find Christmas trees for purchase; an entertaining years! With their warm lights, charming decorations, the smell of spiced children’s program with a circus cart, exciting activities, and Christmas cakes and mulled wine, and the hustle and bustle of people browsing the stories; and, from December 20–22, the “Gässli-Märt” market with many 160 small rustic wooden chalets where retailers and craftsmen sell their stands. The Advent Alley is all about de-stressing and cozy get-togethers goods, it is no surprise that they attract nearly one million visitors to Basel over some exotic foods and warm drinks, from the traditional mulled wine each year. The two main Christmas markets can be found at Barfüsser- to the legendary Hot Jamie and incomparable Tequila Cinnamon Toddy. platz and Münsterplatz. In addition, visitors can cross the festively lit Mitt­ There will also be some special events this year, including a concert in the lere Brücke to the Kleinbasel side of the Rhein to indulge at the fondue/ square and a Christmas hits party on December 13. The Advent Alley is raclette hut set up in Claraplatz or enjoy some holiday spirit in the Rhein- open from 17:00–22:00 Monday to Friday, and from 14:00–22:00 on Satur- gasse—a beautifully decorated street lined with outdoor seating to enjoy day and Sunday. www.advaentsgass.ch traditional Swiss holiday food and drinks by an open wood fire. In addition to having the reputation of being the most beautiful and largest Christmas Christmas Markets near Basel city in , Basel can now also boast that their Christmas markets Many of the smaller towns close to Basel also host Advent or Christmas have been ranked in 15th place on the list of the 100 “Best Christmas Mar- markets, normally for a couple of days in November or December. While kets in Europe 2019” as voted by European Christmas travelers! smaller scale than Basel’s markets, they too have their charm and years of (www.europeanbestdestinations.com/christmas-markets) tradition that make a visit a wonderful experience. The following list in- www.bs.ch/Portrait/maerkte/Basler-Weihnachtsmarkt.html cludes Christmas markets within 20 minutes from Basel. Note that park- ing is often scarce, so taking public transportation is highly recommended.

Barfüsserplatz, Until December 23: The market at Barfüsserplatz is marked www.marktverband.ch by the large illuminated star right at the front. It hosts hundreds of deco- LOCATION DATE rated Christmas trees, lights, and 118 stands offering anything from Aesch November 29 (18:00–21:00) Christmas ornaments and wooden toys to candles, hand-carved puzzles, (Mühle-, Kirch-, and November 30 (12:00–20:00) jewelry, scarves, and many other hand-made crafts. You can also enjoy Pfarreihausplatz) December 1 (12:00–18:00) some local delicacies and warm up with a cup of mulled wine or hot cider. Dornach December 7 (11:00–20:00) Don’t miss the favorite tradition of making your own candle in the wooden (Around Heimatmuseum) December 8 (11:00–17:00) house at the front of the market! The market is open from 11:00–20:30 daily (until 20:00 on December 23). Laufen December 7 (12:00–20:00) (Old town) December 8 (11:00–18:00) Münsterplatz, Until December 23: The Christmas market at Münsterplatz is December 11–13 (11:00–20:00) Liestal absolutely magical with the beautifully decorated giant Christmas tree and December 14 (9:00–20:00) (Rathausstrasse) snowflake-like lights hanging from the chestnut trees throughout the December 15 (11:00–18:00) square. It is also lined with goods and food stands, making it a great place December 5–15 to look for gifts and indulge in some of the traditional foods, such as Lörrach (DE) (Weekdays: 10:00–20:00 crêpes, fondue, raclette, Flammkuchen (a type of Alsatian topped (Alter Marktplatz) Saturdays: 10:00–21:00 with thick cream, onions, and bacon), and “Kartoffelpuffer”—a type of po- Sundays: 11:00–20:00) tato pancake served with either applesauce, chili sauce, or garlic sauce. Muttenz December 14 (11:00–20:00) This market is open daily from 11:00–20:30 (until 18:00 on December 23). (Muttenz Dorf) December 15 (12:00–18:00) Christmas Fairy Tale Forest, Until December 22: Also at Münsterplatz, Reinach December 11 (12:00–21:00) ­Robi-Spiel-Aktionen is organizing a variety of activities for the whole (Around Gemeindehaus) ­family. Kids can make, pour, and decorate candles and tin figures; decorate November 29 (16:00–21:00) Rheinfelden (DE) gingerbreads; bake cookies; mint coins; make torches; forge metal, and November 30 (11:00–21:00) (Kastanienpark) much more. They can also take a ride on the little Christmas train, try their December 1 (11:00–18:00) luck on the wheel of fortune, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, or bake bread on Riehen November 30 (11:00–17:00) a stick over an open fire. Each activity costs CHF 5–15 (discounts with Fam- (Wettsteinhäuser) December 1 (11:00–17:00) ilienpass); you can buy tickets at the on-site ticket booth. There is also an Therwil adjacent Christmas tree market where you can buy freshly cut trees. Open December 4 (10:00–20:00) (Dorfplatz) Monday to Friday from 13:30–19:00 and weekends from 12:00–19:00.

4 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com The Nativity Scene in its Diversity Until February 9 This year, the Spielzeug Welten Museum’s (Toy World Museum) annual Christmas-themed exhibit is dedicated to the nativity scene in its diversi- ty—from the Baroque to modern times. The tradition started in the 13th century with St. Francis of Assisi. In the Middle Ages, the events of the Holy Night were illustrated using life-size figures in chapels or behind altars. From the 16th century, small figurines were growing more common, which could be used to re-enact scenes of the Christmas story again and again. By the end of the 19th century, serial production of nativity figures made Christmas Ferry from relatively inexpensive materials such as terracotta and papier-mâché Until December 23 allowed less affluent people to purchase a nativity scene for their home. A family nativity scene might start with just Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus The Klingental ferry near Kaserne will be transformed into a Christmas and be expanded over the years with new figures—such as ox, donkey, ferry during the festive season. You can enjoy a ride across the river on this shepherd and sheep, the Three Wise Men, and the Annunciation angel— magical ferry with its special atmosphere and admire the city’s lighted and a lovingly developed and embellished scenery. Come to the Spielzeug decorations from a different perspective. The Christmas ferry can also be Welten Museum at Barfüsserplatz for this unique insight into the world of booked for private apéro or fondue events. nativity scenes. www.spielzeug-welten-museum-basel.ch Basler Wunschbuch und Wunschbaum (Basel’s Book and Tree of Wishes) Until January 2 This is a great time of the year to reflect and con- jure up wishes and thoughts—things you are thankful for; lists to San- ta Claus; or wishes for peace, love, and health. There is a public “Wunsch­ Gospel Night 2019 buch” located in the front December 1 courtyard of the city hall The gospel night in the Basler Münster (cathedral) is an established part of at Marktplatz. For the 27th year, everyone is invited to write down their Basel’s Christmas calendar. Starting at 20:00, the program ranges from thoughts, as well as read what other people are wishing for! After January traditional gospel to modern pop hymns and attracts people of all ages. 2, the book will be kept in the Basel archives for years to come—a sort of Entrance is free, but there will be a collect. modern-day wish time capsule. Another option is to write your wishes on a card that you decorate and place on the designated “Wunschbaum” located www.gospelchorammuenster.ch in Rümelinsplatz, just behind the Marktplatz. St. Nicholas at the Tierpark Palazzo Colombino December 1 Until January 5 Samichlaus (St. Nicholas), his helper Schmutzli, and their donkey will greet kids from 15:00–17:00 in the Erlebnishof at Tierpark Lange Erlen. For the 18th year, the Palazzo Colombino has set up their tent at the Good little boys and girls are invited to recite a verse or poem to Sami­ Rosentalanlage near the Messeplatz in Basel. Experience this high-class chlaus in exchange for a small goodie bag. There will also be hot chocolate variety show of a different kind. Spoil yourself with a four-course and Grättimänner (person-shaped pastries from sweet dough; while sup- ­candle-light dinner prepared by master chef Peter Moser in the mirrored plies last). The Erlen-Kids will have their own stand offering crêpes, mulled tent while enjoying a mixture of fascinating artistry brought to you by acro- wine, tea, and coffee, starting at 13:00. bats, clowns, jugglers, magicians, musicians, singers, and much more. The show lasts about 3.5 hours, and guests are expected to arrive about 30 www.erlen-verein.ch minutes before start time (19:30 on Tuesday to Saturday, 18:00 on Sunday and holidays). Tickets range from CHF 160–220; visit their website for a complete line-up of the artists and shows, as well as to buy your tickets Winter Circus online. December 1–12 www.palazzocolombino.ch Circus Go is presenting their Christmas circus entitled “Sterne im Zirkus” (Stars in the Circus) with traditional circus acrobatics, juggling, and clowns. Christmas Park at St. Claraspital They will be pitching their tent in Aesch at Parkplatz Löhrenacker. Check their website for dates and times; there are afternoon and evening presen- Until January 6 tations. Tickets are CHF 30–65 for adults and CHF 20–40 for kids ages Stephan Primus has designed this enchanting Christmas park that is open 2–11; they can be purchased online through www.ticketmaster.ch or in daily from 10:00–20:00. All are welcome to enjoy the festive atmosphere person at their box office (open from 10:00–21:00). Seating is at tables for with all their senses. Claraspital is located at Kleinriehenstrasse 30 in Ba- four, and you can also order a meal from the à la carte menu. For more sel and can be reached by trams 2 or 6 (“Hirzbrunnen” stop). information, go to their website. www.claraspital.ch www.circus-go.ch photo credits: © dietrich varaklis (christmas markets); © canton basel-stadt/juri weiss (book of wishes); © christine pesold (christmas ferry, tree of wishes); December 2019 / January 2020 5 © spielzeug welten museum basel (nativity scenes) SpecialEvents Feature:in Basel: ChristmasFebruary 2015 in Basel (continued) (continued)

Vitrine D’Or (Golden Store Window) Starting on December 1 The Buy-Local Schweiz organization is holding a competition for the most beautiful Christmas store-window display in Basel, voted for by custom- ers. Participating shops are marked with a “Vitrine d’Or” sticker in their windows. Voting cards are available at all participating shops as well as the Basel Tourist Information offices and can be sent by post until ­December 28, or you can vote online until that day. The lucky winners will be announced in mid-January. There are two types of prizes: three ­attractive cash or material prizes for the best participating stores, as well as special “Vitrine d’Or” vouchers for the voters, which can be ­redeemed in all participating shops. So when you stroll through town en- joying the decorations and Christmas window displays, why not look for the “Vitrine d’Or” sticker in the windows and cast your vote?! www.vitrinedor.ch

Christmas Tree Exhibit December 1 – January 5 The Christmas season is always Em Bebbi sy Adväntsbox (Jazz on the Marktplatz) special at the Mu- seum für December 5, 12, and 19 Wohnkultur (Mu- On these three Thursdays, Basel will be a cultural and shopping seum for Home hotspot, with stores open until 20:00 and a concert lounge set up at Decor). From the the Marktplatz. In cooperation with “Em Bebbi sy Jazz,” seasonal jazz first Sunday of Ad- music will be presented from 17:00–20:00 on an illuminated star- vent, the various shaped stage to enhance the holiday atmosphere for shoppers and floors of the build- visitors. ing will be deco- https://proinnerstadtbasel.ch/news/veranstaltungen/ rated with histori- cal and modern Christmas trees. Visitors will see how Christmas trees have changed in the Literary and Musical Advent Calendar at Theater Basel past 200 years—from small table-top trees that were decorated with nuts, apples, and baked goods, to those decorated with figures modeled with December 1–23 pastry dough or with inedible religious and secular tree ornaments. The Theater Basel is presenting a special Advent calendar daily from 17:00– exhibit at Elisabethenstrasse 27 is open Sunday to Friday from 10:00–17:00 17:30 in the entrance foyer. Members of Theater Basel’s choir, ballet and Saturday from 14:00–17:00. troupe, musical, and acting ensemble as well as guests will present sto- www.hmb.ch ries, poems, or songs—sometimes classically Christmas and sometimes quite different and even comical. Each presentation will last about 30 min- utes; entrance is free. Visit the Towers at the Basler Münster www.theater-basel.ch December 2–20 The towers of the Basler Münster offer breathtaking views of Basel as well Wiehnachts–Drämmli (Christmas Tram) as neighboring and Germany. You can climb the 250 steps to the top of the towers any time of the year for a cost of CHF 5 per person. Entrance December 1, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, and 22 to the towers closes 30 minutes before the cathedral closes. The view from Every year, Basel’s public transport the towers can be especially beautiful during the Christmas season, when system (BVB) sponsors a Christ- the city sparkles with holiday lights. For three weeks before Christmas, the mas tram just for kids. One of the towers can be visited until 18:00, and the stairs leading up to the top are lit old trams is decked out with from 16:00–18:00. Note that the last entry is at 17:30, and you always need Christmas decorations and driven a minimum of two people. by Santa himself! The tram rides www.baslermuenster.ch around Basel for 65 minutes while Santa and his “angels” tell Christmas stories (in German). The kids can also recite Christmas verses to Santa, and all are given a treat. The kids St. Nicholas Visits the Basel Zoo must be mature enough to travel without a parent (no adults allowed) and December 6 must remain on the tram for the entire ride, so be sure that the event is age-appropriate for your child (there is no official age limit). The rides are St. Nicholas and his helper Schmutzli will be visiting the Basel Zoo from free, but tickets must be picked up at Pfauen Coop City (Freie Strasse) on a 14:00–17:00. Children can recite a verse or sing a song for them to receive first-come-first-served basis. The tram leaves from the water fountain at a small gift. There will be Grättimänner and hot chocolate served in the Fischmarkt (near Schifflände) at 15:05 and 16:10 on Wednesdays and at and cafeteria. Admission to the zoo is free for children up to 14:00, 15:05, and 16:10 on Saturdays and Sundays. age 15 on this day and reduced for adults. www.tramoldtimer-basel.ch/weihnachtstram2.html www.zoobasel.ch

6 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com The Panto—The Little Mermaid Santas on Motorbikes (Harley Niggi Näggi) December 5, 6, 7, and 8 December 7 The Basel English Panto Group proudly presents this year’s production, For the 21st year, a group of about 50 Santa Clauses will gather at the “The Little Mermaid,” a traditional panto with a new take on an old favorite. Messeplatz at 16:00, where spectators can admire their festively decorated Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story, the panto contains all Harley-Davidson motorbikes. Shortly before 17:00, the Santas will depart the traditional elements—an outrageous Dame, a dashing prince and from Messeplatz and ride their Harleys through the city, ending at Markt- beautiful princess, dim-witted sidekicks, and some very nasty villains. Be- platz, where they will distribute little goodie bags to children in exchange fore his investiture as ruler of the land, Prince Stefan sets sail on his boat for a verse. Parents can purchase mulled wine and Grättimänner; all pro- to enjoy his last taste of freedom before settling down to a life of royal duty. ceeds go to Theodora, an organization of clowns that bring laughter to chil- When a storm hits, the boat sinks, and Stefan is rescued by a beautiful dren at the Kinderspital (children’s hospital). mermaid. In true fairy-tale fashion, they fall in love at first sight, but can a https://hognws.ch/content/nigginaeggievent/ mermaid princess ever find happiness with a terrestrial prince? With the intervention of an octopus sorceress and despite the best attempts of the villainous Archduke Boris and his equally evil daughter Ingrid to thwart Guided Christmas Tours of Basel their plans, the couple steer towards their happy ending. Of course, as with December 7, 14, and 21 any panto, there is a modern-day twist: The Dame, Queen Hypochondria, is Take an English-language walking tour of Basel to get the best views of beset by (mostly imagined) ailments and is addicted to medication—particu- Christmas trees, lights, ornaments, and angels, as well as stories about larly appropriate for a panto performed in a city whose wealth is based on the history, customs, and traditions of Christmas in Basel. The tours start the pharmaceutical industry! The six performances, including two at 16:00 each Saturday and last approximately 90 minutes. They meet at ­matinées, will be held at the Scala Basel on Freie Strasse 89. Tickets for all the main portal of the Münster (cathedral) and end at the Christmas mar- performances cost CHF 35 for adults and CHF 25 for kids and are available ket in Barfüsserplatz. Places are limited, so reserve your spot early at the at www.ticketino.com and Bider & Tanner. The profits from the show are Basel Tourist Information office at Barfüsserplatz; cost is CHF 25 for adults used to support disadvantaged students at the Starehe Girl’s Centre in Nai- and CHF 12.50 for children up to age 16. robi, Kenya, and to produce next year’s panto. www.basel.com www.baselpanto.org

English Story Time—Rudolph and the Holidays Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”—A Solo Perfor- mance by Neil McGarry December 7 December 11 and 12 Come and chat with Rudolph the Red- Nosed Reindeer. Discover why his Using only Charles Dickens’ original name has gone down in history and text, Neil McGarry delivers a riveting why he is so special at this time of the performance of the classic holiday year. Stories, songs, and rhymes will ­story, portraying every character with focus on this magical creature who full engagement, somehow making brightens the holidays with his nose you believe you’re watching a full com- all aglow. The program ends with par- pany of actors. Fully staged, complete ticipants making something to take home to help celebrate the holidays. with dancing, this one-man tour-­de-force This story time is suited for kids ages 3–6 (younger siblings are welcome in has left critics and audiences of all ages the company of their parents). Cost is CHF 5 per child plus the museum laughing and crying with joy. Simultaneously moving and entertaining, the entrance fee of CHF 7 for adults. result is a kaleidoscope of action, humor, and language delivered with a sim- plicity that disarms and touches the heart. McGarry already brought his www.spielzeugmuseumriehen.ch award-winning, stunning show to Basel last year and, by popular demand, will be back this year at the Barakuba (Gundeldinger Feld, ­Dornacherstrasse Santas in Canoes 192) for two nights; visit www.neilmcgarry.com for more information. December 7 ­Tickets are CHF 32.55 for adults and CHF 21.70 for youths and can be pur- chased through www.ticketino.com, Bider & Tanner, and Swiss post offices. Another fun sight to see this holiday season is dozens of Santas canoeing up and down the Rhein. This curious event is an annual tradition of the lo- https://upstart-entertainment.weebly.com cal canoe club (Basler Paddelsport IG). www.drachenboot.ch Happiness is Reading. Where you find the best stories.

Orell Füssli Freie Strasse 17 CH-4001 Basel Tel. 061 264 26 26 www.orellfüssli.ch

photo credits: © ben koechlin (em bebbi sy adväntsbox); © tram-oldtimer basel (wiehnachts-drämmli); © hmb/natascha jansen (christmas tree exhibit); December 2019 / January 2020 7 © christine pesold (santas in canoes); © neil mcgarry (charles dickens' "a christmas carol")

OF_Inserat_Basel_90x60.indd 1 26.01.18 10:06 SpecialEvents Feature:in Basel: ChristmasFebruary 2015 in Basel (continued) (continued)

Messiah December 14 This Advent, Andrea Marcon and the La Cetra Baroque Orchestra & Vocal Ensemble Basel bring back their bi-annual “sing-along” concert of Georg Friedrich Händel’s “Messiah.” The tradition, which originated in and North America, has been popular since the 19th century, especially during the Christmas period. For Händel’s most popular oratorio, more than 150 amateur singers join the La Cetra choir and orchestra, bridging the gap be- tween the professional musicians and the public to form a great musical community. The musicians' contagious energy and enthusiasm never fails to carry over from the concert hall into everyday life and will surely fill all in One Million Stars attendance with renewed joy and rich emotions. The concert takes place in December 14 the Martinskirche Basel at 18:00; tickets are CHF 41.20–86.90 for adults, In cities all over Switzerland, the charitable organization Caritas is or- CHF 12.70 for students, and CHF 5.30 for children up to age 14. ganizing a candle-lighting ceremony called “Eine Million Sterne.” In https://lacetra.ch Basel, this will take place at Marktplatz, starting at 16:00. Thousands of candles will be lit, and donations to help any of Caritas’ numerous caus- Zimtmarkt (Cinnamon Market) es will be accepted (voluntary). This is a beautiful sight to see, especial- ly as night sets in! You are also invited to visit their website and find out December 14 how you can start your own event in your area—it is a beautiful holiday From 10:00–17:00, the Matthäuskirche in Kleinbasel will be celebrating the tradition that is all in the spirit of giving. Christmas season with a market of high-quality products and crafts in www.einemillionsterne.ch front of the beautiful church. There will be many seasonal specialties, such as hot soup, homemade mulled wine, hot chocolate, BBQ, vegan burgers, and a host of fresh-cut Christmas trees and green decorations like wreaths Christmas Concert and candle arrangements. December 15 www.matthaeusmarkt.ch The Basler Zeitung will be hosting the “BaZ hilft” annual charity Christmas concert. You can expect exquisite opera and orchestral pieces with mem- Puppet Theater—Der Kleine Weihnachtsmann bers of Theater Basel’s opera studio, Operavenir; the Mädchenkantorei (The Little Santa Claus) Basel (girls’ choir); and the Sinfonieorchester Basel. Let yourself be en- December 14 and 15 chanted by the heavenly sounds and the traditional Christmas tree! The concert will take place at the Scala Basel at 11:00 and 15:00. Tickets are Far to the North is the well-hidden village of the CHF 55 and can be purchased online. Santa Clauses. Every year, they set out to give presents to the children of the world. Even the www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch little Santa Claus is looking forward to visiting the children. As always, he’s the first to clean his Swinging Christmas sled, polish his boots, and pack the presents carefully. But then it’s the same every year—be- December 15 cause he’s so small, the big Santa Clauses don’t Who doesn’t know them? “Winter Wonderland,” “Santa Claus Is Coming to take him along! However, there are still the ani- Town,” or “Let it Snow!”—the classic Christmas songs that Frank Sinatra mals of the forest and so, everything will be different this year... The ma- or Tony Bennett brought to the radios at Christmas. Raphael Jost and his rotte Figurentheater Karlsruhe will be presenting this delightful perfor- band present all these wonderful Christmas classics in their own arrange- mance that enchants both children and their parents. The 45-minute show ments. Enjoy this concert with a glass of red wine and, of course, a lot of is appropriate for families with kids ages 4 and up and will be performed in peanuts at the Tabourettli stage of the Fauteuil theater, just up the hill from High German at the Basler Marionetten Theater. There will be two perfor- Marktplatz; tickets are CHF 34–54. mances at 14:00 and 16:00 on both days; tickets are CHF 15 for kids and www.fauteuil.ch CHF 20 for adults. www.bmtheater.ch

Christmas Market at the Markthalle December 14 and 22 The producers of the label 1Fach will once again be bringing their lovingly manufactured products to the Markthalle, located a 2-minute walk from the Basel SBB. The Christmas market on December 14 with fair and local products offers not only arts and crafts, but also fashion, jewelry, and de- sign products, as well as small delicacies for connoisseurs. It takes place from 16:00–22:00. If you can’t make it on this day and are still looking for Christmas Shopping on Sunday some special hand-made Christmas gifts, the “Last Minute Geschenk?” December 15 and 22 market on December 22 from 11:00–17:00 offers a wide selection of differ- Downtown businesses in Basel will be open from 13:00–18:00 on the last ent and creative fine products—all handmade and ready to give (or keep). two Sundays before Christmas, making a stroll through the city and Christ- From bags, jewelry, soaps, and toys to home-made decorations, jams, and mas shopping an enticing prospect. In addition, the city’s will liqueurs—here you can find gifts for your wife, godchild, grandchildren, be offering seasonal delicacies and fine wines during those hours. friend, boss, and even the mother-in-law. www.altemarkthalle.ch www.proinnerstadt.ch

8 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Christmas Concert—Hundert Minuten Licht (Hundred Minutes of Light) December 17 Many masses have been set to music, but Johann Sebastian Bach’s Mass in B Minor is an exceptional, unique, and incomparable work. In the 19th century, music expert Hans Georg Nägeli referred to it as the “greatest work of art the world has ever seen.” Three hundred years after its cre- ation, this is still true—even if we know today that this mass was not com- posed in one ingenious stroke, but was rather a kind of patchwork, made up of different pieces. Bach used his own spiritual works like a quarry from which he then took blocks to built a wonderful “cathedral” of sound. ­Eighteen choral movements and nine arias combine to form a whole that “Triptych” at the Basler Marionetten Theater requires full concentration and motivation from all participants. The December 19–22 Kammer­orchester Basel; two soprano, alto, tenor, and bass soloists; and the Camerata Vocale Freiburg will be presenting “Hundert Minuten Licht” The Basler Marionetten Theater will be presenting the Christmas tale at the Martinskirche Basel at 19:30. Tickets are CHF 30–85, CHF 5 discount “Triptych” with large-figure string puppets. It is the story of three odd men for students, and free for kids under age 14 in the company of a parent who decide to try their luck as the three Magi. Together, they travel the (tickets necessary). country and make an unusual encounter. In the following two years, each of them also experiences their personal miracle. The theater is located www.kammerorchesterbasel.ch near the Christmas market at Münsterplatz; the show is in dialect and is suitable for ages 12 and up. Presentations are at 20:00 on Thursday to Ballet—The Nutcracker Saturday and at 15:00 on Sunday. Tickets are CHF 41.20, CHF 31.00 for kids December 17 and 22 and students, and can be purchased directly at the theater, at Bider & Tan- ner, or online at www.biderundtanner.ch. Just in time for the holidays, the fabulous “Der Nussknacker” (The Nut- cracker) Christmas ballet is interpreted again by students of the Bal- www.bmtheater.ch lettschule Basel. It is the magical story of Marie and her nutcracker, who comes to life in a dream and turns into a handsome young man. Armies of The Great Christmas Concert Basel mice and sugarplum fairies will charm old and young along with December 20 Tchaikovsky's wonderful music. There will be one performance on Decem- ber 17 at 19:30 and two on December 22 at 14:00 and 19:30. Tickets are The Great Symphony Orchestra will be performing “The Great Christmas CHF 50 for adults and CHF 25 for children and can be purchased online. Concert” filled with music that will surely put you in a seasonal mood, in- cluding Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker Suite” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. www.theater-basel.ch 5. The concert will take place at the Musical Theater in Basel starting 19:30; tickets are CHF 61.50–91.80 Cirque Noël de Bâle 2019 www.ticketcorner.ch December 17–31

For the second year, the Cirque Noël de Bâle will bring the crème de la Advent Concert crème of the circus world to Basel to present an international program of superlatives that will leave audiences amazed and enchanted. The experi- December 22 enced and successful producers, who also conceived the Palazzo Colombi- Collegium Musicum Basel, with the Basler Münsterkantorei and soprano no, invite all families, children, and circus lovers from the Basel region into Anna Maria Labin, will be performing Johann Christian Bach’s “Magnifi- the fascinating world of the Christmas circus. Cirque Noël de Bâle will be cat,” Warb E22; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s “Exsultate, jubilate” KV 165; setting up a tent on the Rosentalanlage, next to Palazzo Colombino. It will Arthur Honegger’s “Chant de Joie;" and Francis Poulenc’s “Gloria.” This be a festive Christmas experience for the whole family, with 21 afternoon concert will take place at the Basler Münster starting at 18:00; tickets are and evening presentations; tickets are CHF 31.00–91.90, half price for kids CHF 54–80 (CHF 15 for kids and students) and can be purchased at Bider & up to age 12, and discounts for students. Tanner. www.actnews.ch www.collegiummusicumbasel.ch

Geschenk-Tausch-Aktion (Gift Exchange) December 18 For the 22nd year, a very special “gift exchange” will be taking place in Basel to help children in need at Christmas time as well as protect the environment by cutting down on waste. To this end, children ages 3–10 are asked to donate at least two of their no-longer-needed toys in good condition in exchange for another toy of their choice. The children can bring their exchangeable toys to one of two locations: 1) Basler Kindernäscht (Gerbergasse 14 in Basel) on Monday to Friday from 8:00–18:00 and Saturday from 9:00–16:00 until December 14, or 2) Offene Kirche Elisa- bethen (Elisabethenstrasse 14 in Basel) on Wednesday, December 4 and 11, from 14:00–17:00. When they bring in their two or more toys, they will receive a coupon that they can then exchange for a toy of their choice on the ex- change day. Exchange day takes place at Offene Kirche Elisabethen on Wednesday, December 18, from 14:00–16:00. Reserve about one hour’s time to choose your gift and partake in the many Christmas crafts that will be offered on that day. All leftover toys will be donated to children in need. You can find more details on the project on their Ger- man-only website. www.geschenktauschaktion-bs.ch photo credits: © marotte figuren theater karlsruhe (puppet theater); © claude giger (one million stars); © canton basel-stadt/juri weiss December 2019 / January 2020 9 (christmas shopping); © geschenk tausch aktion basel; © basler marionetten theater (triptych) SpecialEvents Feature:in Basel: ChristmasFebruary 2015 in Basel (continued) (continued)

Ballet—The Nutcracker for Kids With Narrator January 1 The score for Tchaikovsky’s beloved “Nutcracker” is one of the most ingenious and brilliant ever composed for a ballet. The story of Marie and her nutcracker, who comes to life in a dream and turns into a prince, along with armies of mice and sugarplum fairies has been produced in many varia- tions. This special and beautiful version of the ballet classic has been created for children ages 4–94 but is by no means childish! The entertaining performance is danced by a high-caliber ballet ensemble with outstanding international soloists and with great elegance. Colorful costumes and an imaginative stage design promise to enchant every child’s heart. A German-language narrator will lead through the whole performance. This produc- tion will take place at the Musical Theater in Basel at 17:00; tickets are CHF 51.40–67.80 for adults and CHF 31.00–43.30 for kids under age 18. www.starticket.ch

Special Holiday Church Services All information about special Christmas concerts and services in the churches in and around Basel can be found on the following websites: www.erk–bs.ch, www.rkk–bs.ch, and www.chrikabs.ch.

Ho-ho-ho and Happy Holidays!

Registration for the new semester has just begun. What better gift to place under your family’s tree than the chance for your child to enjoy a joyful, musical time every week with the most important person in his life – YOU!

www.kidsmusic.ch

10 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com EventsEvents in in Basel: Basel: December February 2015 2019/January (continued) 2020

Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Until January 26 It all starts with a talking white rabbit… Alice ends up in Wonderland, where very strange things happen. This version of “Alice im Wunderland” is an adventurous fairy tale with an unforgettable set design. It will be told in Basel dialect and is suitable for the whole family with kids ages 4 and up. Shows are on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays; tickets are CHF 18­ for kids ages 4–16, CHF 23 for adults, or CHF 13 and CHF 18 with the ­Familienpass. www.baslerkindertheater.ch

Sonntagsmatinée Concert December 1 On this late Sunday morning, the Chamber Academy Basel, under the direction of Brian Dean, will be performing works by Frédéric Chopin and Felix Mendelssohn. The concert will take place at the Martinskirche in Basel at 11:00; tickets are CHF 46–63 for adults and free for kids under age 12. www.konzerte-basel.ch

Arc-en-Ciel Concert—Libre Comme le Vent Children’s Theater—The Frog-King December 1 Until February 22 The Sinfonieorchester Basel’s Arc-en-Ciel concerts take place in various cultural venues in the Basel region and create connections between the The Fauteuil fairy-tale stage will be presenting the classic Brothers Grimm’s audience and the orchestra, offering a great opportunity to get close to the story of the “Froschkönig” (Frog-King)—the story of a young princess who orchestra members! At this concert entitled “Libre comme le vent,” mem- promises companionship to a frog in exchange for the retrieval of her golden bers of the Sinfonieorchester Basel will play works by Darius Milhaud, ball that had fallen into a pond. While she made that promise out of desper- Franz Danzi, and Giulio Briccialdi. The concert will be held at the Birsfelder ation, with no intention of really befriending the frog, she is forced to keep her Museum, starting at 11:15. All are welcome to listen to the music as well promise by her father, the king. Miraculously, the frog turns back into a hand- as to stay for a small social gathering after the concert and enjoy a drink some prince, reversing the spell of the wicked witch, and the prince and prin- while getting to know the musicians. Admission is free, donations are gra- cess are married. The theater production will be performed in dialect and is ciously accepted. suitable for families with children ages 4 and up. The performance will last 100 minutes, including a break, and tickets are CHF 20–30 for kids and www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch CHF 25–35 for adults. www.fauteuil.ch Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18; January 4 and 5 Everybody knows the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale of “Rotkäppli” (Little Red Riding Hood), but you’ve never seen it like this before, promise! Red Riding Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Hood wanted to go straight to her grandmother’s house, but it is so much December 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 26, and 30; fun here in the forest, with the sunrays dancing among the trees and the January 5 and 7 birds singing sweetly. Is the wolf right? Would her grandmother really be A little village lies peacefully covered in snow high up in the Swiss moun- happy about a bouquet of flowers? With original melodies, catchy harmo- tains. But not for long! Because the Chalandamarz festival will soon be nies, punchy lyrics, wit, and cheeky drama, the old story has been reworked here, and the children are waiting impatiently to drive winter away with to meet the high standards of modern kids. The production lasts 60 min- the sound of loud bells. However, Ursli’s feverish excitement turns into utes (without break) and is suitable for children starting at age 4 and their deep despondency when everyone laughs at him for being given the whole family; tickets are CHF 22 for adults and CHF 17 for kids; CHF 17 and smallest goat bell. He determinedly makes his way to the lonely CHF 12 for holders of the Familienpass. Maiensässhütte (hut at the mountain top) to fetch the largest of the cow www.theater-arlecchino.ch bells. However, the steep path that leads there is dangerous, and when his sister Flurina also sets off into the snow and ice to look for her broth- er, the adventure takes a more serious turn. “A Bell for Ursli,” “Flurina and the Wild Bird,” and “The Snowstorm” are the magical picture books by Alois Carigiet and Selina Chönz that have been enchanting children and adults alike for generations. Theater Basel brings the stories about Switzerland’s most famous brother and sister to life on stage as an opera for families. With catchy melodies that show both sensitivity and a great deal of warmth, ensemble members and young people from Basel will tell the story of “Schellen Ursli” at the Theater Basel at 18:00; tickets are CHF 30–50, kids under age 12 are free. www.theater-basel.ch photo credits: © starticket.ch (nutcracker); © theater fauteuil (the frog-king); © marcus borggreve (sonntagsmatinée concert); December 2019 / January 2020 11 © theater arlecchino (red riding hood) EventsEvents in in Basel: Basel: December February 2015 2019/January (continued) 2020 (continued)

Basler Mineralientage tures numerous flea market stands. Also, for the first time on this evening, (Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils Fair) there will be a special music market with everything that musicians and music enthusiasts need—from adapters, amps, guitars, guitar cases, December 7 and 8 mics, notes, and synthesizers to saxophones, trumpets, and violins. All this The 50th Internationale Basler Minera­ will be offered in parallel to the Markthalle’s regular Streetfood Satur- lientage are all about minerals, fossils, days—a one-stop fun evening for cool eats and great finds. The on-site bar jewelry, accessories, and related equip- serves drinks that will certainly complement any dish you choose. ment. The event is aimed at collectors www.altemarkthalle.ch and traders, as well as the simply curi- ous. It will be held in Halle 2.0 of the Messe Basel and is open Saturday from Family Concert—Hansel and Gretel 10:00–18:00 and Sunday from 10:00–17:00. Entrance costs CHF 10 for December 7 and 14 adults, CHF 5 for youths ages 10–18, and free for kids under age 10; two- day tickets are CHF 15. The Sinfonieorchester Basel’s family concert series is ideal for introducing families with young children to the joy of music. Engelbert Humperdinck www.mineralientage-basel.ch created the most successful fairy-tale opera of all time when he wrote “Hänsel und Gretel.” While the original fairy tale tells the rather gruesome Music Box for Kids story of two children who are abandoned and then fall into the clutches of a witch, Humperdinck transforms the story into a milder but no less excit- December 4 ing version with a happy end. With singers of Theater Basel’s opera studio, On the first Wednesday of each month, the Musik-Akademie Basel offers a OperAvenir, and the Mädchenkantorei Basel (girl’s choir), the Sinfo- program for kids and adolescents entitled “Music aus der Box” (Music out nieorchester Basel presents a shortened version that is arranged for of the box). The mini-concerts performed by members of the Musik-Akademie chamber ensemble. The concert on December 7 will be held at Mittenza, Basel are held on Wednesday afternoons at 15:30 in the Vera Oeri-Bibliothek, Muttenz at 20:00, and the concert on December 14 will be held at the Scala the beautiful library on the main campus of the music academy. This Basel at 16:00; tickets are CHF 20 for adults, CHF 10 for children, and month’s concert entitled “Gitarren-Ensemble” will be presented by stu- CHF 50 for families with two parents and two children (CHF 7 for each ad- dents of the class led by Matthias Gubler. All are welcome, and entrance is ditional child); they can be purchased online or at Bider & Tanner. Addition- free. al discounts are available for holders of the Familienpass at the orchestra www.musik-akademie.ch/bibliothek/de/musikbibliothek/ offices at [email protected]. musikbox.html www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch/en

Mid-Day Concert Ballet—Swan Lake for Kids With Narrator December 4 December 15 The Musikschule Basel offers lunch-time concerts for interested audi­ “Swan Lake” is one of the most ences. This month’s concert is entitled “Dialog” and features music for popular ballets of all time, and the trombone and trumpet. Mittagskonzerte take place at the Haus Kleinbasel historic choreography by Lew Iwan- (Rebgasse 70). Doors open at 12:00 with snacks; the concert starts at 12:30 ow and Marius Petipa is brilliantly and lasts about 45 minutes. Entrance is free, but donations to offset costs presented by the Russian National are graciously accepted. Ballet. The dancers transport their www.musikschule-basel.ch audience into the world of Prince Siegfried, the Swan Princess Odette, and the sorcerer Rotbart Children’s Theater—Schneewittli (Snow White) and with their dance express deep December 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, and 22 emotions such as longing, loneli- ness, jealousy, anger, pain, and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” is without question one of the most happiness until at the end, love conquers evil. The narration of story-teller popular stories from the Brothers Grimm’s fairy-tale collection! The Arlec- Jeannie (in German) ensures that even young children can follow the dance chino Theater will be showing its very own interpretation of the story this scenes and the ballet’s storyline. The performance takes place at 15:00 at fall. Schneewittli is also young and beautiful here, but the mirror soon the Burghof, just across the border in Lörrach, Germany; tickets are € leaves its frame and intervenes in the story! When the hunter is at the end 32–42, reduced for youth. of his hunt and there is little hope for Schneewittli, the mirror unpacks its magic powers and turns him into a fairy godmother! The production is ap- www.burghof.com proximately 100 minutes, including a break, and is suitable for children starting at age 4 and their whole family; tickets are CHF 22 for adults and CHF 17 for kids; CHF 17 and CHF 12 for holders of the Familienpass. Family Concert—Hex Hex December 15 www.theater-arlecchino.ch Eight recorders, a harpsichord, and two little witches take you on a journey through a snow-covered winter landscape. The audience can listen to mu- Musical Instrument Market, Night Flea Market, and sical sounds from 500 years and discover the sound world of recorders, Streetfood Fair from the small 12-cm dwarf to the 2-m giants. How does it sound when the December 7 instruments wake up from their hibernation? The performance will take place at the Gare du Nord, on the left side of the Badischer Bahnhof, at If you don’t like to get up early to get the best finds at a flea market, here is 11:00. Tickets are CHF 10 for kids, CHF 15 for adults, or CHF 30 for families the solution—on the first Saturday of the month, you can come to the (CHF 25 for families with the Familienpass); reserve your tickets online. Markthalle, a few minutes’ walk from the Basel SBB, to browse their “Nachtflohmarkt” (night flea market). From 18:00 until late at night, it fea- www.garedunord.ch/gare-des-enfants/programm

12 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com TYPOLOGY: AN ONGOING STUDY OF EVERYDAY ITEMS December 7 – May 31 Many objects have not been designed by professional designers but have evolved over time. In 2016, four French product designers—Guillaume Blo- get, Raphael Daufresne, Thélonious Goupil, and Guillaume Jandin—began to explore the history of product archetypes, documenting their results in their journal “Typologie.” Their research on wine bottles and cork stoppers has shown that objects, too, are subject to evolution, adapting to their function and local conditions. The exhibition “Typology: An Ongoing Study of Everyday Items” at the Vitra Design Museum Gallery presents this re- search as well as a new project addressing wooden fruit and vegetable crates. www.design-museum.de

Children’s Theater—The Valiant Little Tailor New Year’s Concert—The Whole World is Blue as December 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31 the Skies! Darning socks? Ironing shirts? Sewing buttons on January 1 pants? No, this doesn’t work anymore. If you’ve done Welcome to 2020! Ring in the New Year with a spirited operetta gala at The- seven in one go, you cannot just keep going like ater Basel. Keeping true to the motto that “one must travel now and again,” you’ve done before, and so the brave tailor goes out you will set off to in lively three-four time; listen to a spicy czardas in into the world. He does not yet suspect that the big- beautiful Budapest; take a detour to St. Moritz with the aid of a Swiss oper- gest hurdle is actually rather small, and very pretty... etta; and finish with the jazzy sounds of the big city in the Berlin of the Wei- The German Tamalan Theater shows the journey of the likeable daredevil mar Republic. Celebrate the variety of operettas with works by composers with lots of music, funny giants, big flies, wild pigs, and a perplexed prin- such as Franz von Suppé, Johann Strauss, Emmerich Kálmán, Paul cess. Families can catch this quick-paced farce at the Theater Arlecchino. Abraham, and Robert Stolz. The concert will start at 17:00 and tickets are The 60-minute play will be performed in High German; tickets are CHF 22 CHF 30–105. for adults and CHF 17 for kids; CHF 17 and CHF 12 for holders of the ­Familienpass. www.theater-basel.ch; www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch www.theater-arlecchino.ch Chess Festival Basel Puppet Theater—There Once Lived a Young Ghost in a January 2–5

Castle in The schedule of this year’s Schach­ December 31 festival Basel had to be shortened to The little ghost Sophie is still young and doesn’t manage to quite scare up four days. Therefore, the traditional enough of a fright. Therefore, her ghost-parents, Emma and Oscar, decide to Master Open and General Open for for- send young Sophie as an apprentice to the scariest ghost in all of Scotland. mer amateurs will be combined into Sophie is not afraid of the famous ghost and is very curious to see what old one tournament (Open A), with rich Sir Finley of Whistlefield can teach her. But she does not have a lot of time, prizes for the absolute winners and in- because the train only has a short stop in Whistlefield. The Basler Marionet- teresting category and special prizes. ten Theater will be presenting this cheerful story on the theme of “courage This tournament will take place in seven rounds on all four days. A second and approach” with table marionettes. It is based on a children’s book by tournament that is an open weekend tournament (Open B) for players with Franz Hohler, who will narrate the performance. Likeable figures and Scot- max. 2200 Elo and with only five rounds will take place from January 3–5. tish sounds complete the entertaining ghost story that will be performed in Both tournaments are held at the Hotel Landgasthof in Riehen and offer a dialect for families with children ages 6 and up; tickets are CHF 28 and in- great opportunity to compete or observe some of the world’s chess masters. clude a New Year’s apéro. Check the website for registration costs and deadlines, and to register di- rectly online. www.bmtheater.ch www.schachfestivalbasel.com New Year’s Eve Celebration and Fireworks Three Kings Day December 31 January 6

Tradition here in Basel is to welcome the For Epiphany, known as “Dreikönigstag” (Three Kings Day) in German, bak- New Year on the Münsterplatz, where the eries and supermarkets sell a special sweet bread shaped like a crown of city’s brass and choir ensemble will play buns. It comes with a little plastic Jesus or king figure baked into the bread starting at 23:30 and count down to mid- and a gold paper crown. Each member of the family gets to break off a bun, night. This is followed by a brief service at and whoever has the piece with the figure is the king (or queen) for the day the Münster and a big fireworks display and gets to put on the crown and boss the rest of the family around. Kids over the Rhein that starts at 0:30. Visitors love this! The bread is available in all bakeries and grocery stores, starting can enjoy free mulled wine by the Rhein. around the beginning of the month. It comes with or without raisins and is www.basel.ch sprinkled with either coarse sugar, almond slivers, or both. Enjoy! photo credits: © mineralien- und fossilienverein sektion basel (basler mineralientage); © russian national ballet (swan lake for kids); © collections typologie (typology); December 2019 / January 2020 13 © tamalan theater (valiant little tailor); © john varaklis (new year's eve celebration); © pixabay (chess festival basel) EventsEvents in in Basel: Basel: December February 2015 2019/January (continued) 2020 (continued)

Making FASHION Sense January 16 – March 8 The exhibition “Making FASHION Sense” showcases the radical transformation of fashion through technology. Robot arms and mixed reality, holograms and drones have all paraded down international catwalks. The exhibit at the House of Electronic Arts Basel (HEK) focuses on the impact of technology on creative processes in the fashion industry as well as on artistic aspirations towards more sustainability: It explores technology as a transformative tool for artists, designers, and wearers of clothing, as well as for the reinvention of fashion making. While hyper-functional materials already monitor our biometric data in everyday life and sports activities, this exhibition showcases artists and designers who develop experimental augmented fashion objects, investigating new perceptions of our environment and human interaction to make us think. These artists and designers present fashion that by using technology is not only transforming silhouettes, but production systems. Based on sustainable production ethics, they create new fashion semantics with a deeper purpose. www.hek.ch

Longines CSI Basel 2020 (International Horse Show) rage. He performs a ceremonial dance with his back stubbornly turned towards Grossbasel. At the Mittlere Brücke, he is met on the Kleinbasel January 9–12 side of the Rhein by the Leu (a lion-like figure) and the Vogel Gryff (a half- This Grand Prix horse-jumping championship at St. Jakobshalle will host man-half-bird creature). Each of the three figures has its own characteris- the best horses and riders of the world. Large sums of prize money will be tic dances that they perform throughout the day in various locations around awarded to the winners of the 17 individual competitions, including ama- Kleinbasel as well as on the Mittlere Brücke. The festival ends late at night. teur classes. And that’s not all: 9 of the 11 international competitions count You can find a complete list of the locations and times for their perfor- towards world rankings, 3 of them with double points. The event culmi- mances on their website by clicking on “Routenplan.” This is definitely a nates in the Longines Grand Prix, which attracts entries from successful festival like no other! Olympians and world, European, and Swiss champions and offers the high- www.vogel-gryff.ch est prize money of the event. Each of the four days has a different program, and an extraordinary show will be provided at the end of the first three days. There are only 6,000 seats available, and the first-class seating is Museumsnacht Basel 2020 (Basel Museums Night 2020) complemented by exclusive culinary delights and a wide choice of eques- January 17 trian products and services. Tickets cost CHF 46.30–100.90 (discounts for kids up to age 12 with I.D.) and go quickly, especially for weekend events. For the 20th year, you can go on a nocturnal expedition and discover 36 Therefore, it is recommended that you book your tickets in advance through museums and other cultural institutions during the Basel Museums Night. Ticketcorner (www.ticketcorner.ch). Check their German/English website The participating institutions have planned some 200 special events for for a complete list of events. young and old, including numerous events especially for families. You can enjoy exciting discoveries, delectable moments, and interesting and un- www.csi–basel.ch usual encounters around the various exhibits and collections. For En- glish-speaking guests, the program includes special tours in English at, for example, the Kunstmuseum (Museum of Fine Arts), the Museum Tinguely, the Fondation Beyeler, the Naturhistorisches Museum (Natural History Museum), the Museum der Kulturen (Museum of Ethnography), the Rathaus (town hall) Basel, or the Vitra Design Museum. Many other events also don’t require knowledge of the (eg, concerts). The full program, which will be published on December 5, will be available on their website. Activities for children and families, as well as foreign-lan- guage and language-independent events, will be marked with special icons. Tickets: Ticket prices for adults are CHF 24 (regular ticket), CHF 30 includ- ing travel by special night train from Basel Badischer Bahnhof (DB ticket), CHF 19 with Museumspass (MPM ticket), CHF 12 with KulturLegi; free for Vogel Gryff Ceremony children and young adults under age 26 with proof of ID. Ticket sales start January 13 December 5 at all participating museums and other sales locations; they One of Basel’s old and unique traditions is the Vogel Gryff ceremony, a ves- are also available on the night at participating museums as well as at the tige of the muster-parade inspections for the citizen soldiers trained by information booth at Münsterplatz from 18:00–01:00. Your Museums Night three guild-like societies in Kleinbasel that were responsible for the city’s ticket entitles you to free travel by bus, tram, ship, and train in the TriRegio defense several hundred years ago. On this day, three heraldic figures rep- network from 17:00 until late at night. For more information, check www. resenting the three guilds—the Wilde Maa, Leu, and Vogel Gryff—parade museumsnacht.ch. For wheelchair users and seniors, vehicles with wheel- through Kleinbasel, accompanied by three drummers, three standard chair access are available at Münsterplatz from 18:00–01:30 for transport bearers, and four jesters (Ueli), who collect money for charitable causes. between the museums (sorry, no home transport service). Telephone The event starts around 10:30, when the Wilde Maa (crazy man) floats booking line during Museums Night +41-(0)79-424-3077. down the Rhein on a barge, escorted by his drummers and other entou- www.museumsnacht.ch

14 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Camille Blatrix Sonntagsmatinée—Musique Française January 17 – March 15 January 26 The French sculptor Camille Blatrix (*1984) uses traditional techniques to On this late Sunday morning, the Chamber Academy Basel directed by Bri- exquisitely hand-craft strange and elegant objects that look as if they were an Dean and with Sarah O’Brien on the harp, will be performing works by machines from some unknown future, all while refusing to reveal their func- Claude Debussy, Germaine Tailleferre, and Étienne-Nicolas Méhul. The tion. The Kunsthalle Basel will be presenting an exhibit of his works; a public concert will take place at the Martinskirche in Basel at 11:00; tickets are opening of the exhibition will take place on Thursday, January 16, at 19:00. CHF 46–63 for adults and free for kids under age 12. www.kunsthallebasel.ch www.konzerte-basel.ch

Family Concert—In the Air Sacher’s Musical Treasure Trove January 18 January 26 Check-in, security control, and a smooth start: Trumpets and trombones The Paul Sacher Stiftung in Basel is a real treasure trove—in their home at get things started, the contrabass provides a huge area to fill with sound, Münsterplatz they house autographs, letters, notes, sketches, and even and the audience will fly through the clouds on the wings of the concert. costumes and props from more than 100 leading composers and singers There is no turbulence to spoil the flying pleasure, as the aerobatic pilots who have had a decisive influence on the music of the 20th and 21st centu- complete some loopings and rolls, played on trumpets, trombones, ries. This season, they will again unearth some musical treasures from contrabass, and pianos with airy, exuberant music. Sinfonieorchester this unique archive, spanning a broad arc from the idiosyncratic sound Basel’s mini.musik series is designed for families with kids ages 4 and up worlds of the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinu, via the deeply spiritual to stimulate their interest in music. The concert begins at 16:00 (box office works of the Russian composers Sofia Gubaidulina and Galina Ustvolska- opens at 15:30) and will be held at the Scala Basel; tickets cost CHF 20 for ya, to the works of Swiss composers. A co-operation between Theater Ba- adults, CHF 10 for children, and CHF 50 for families with two adults and sel and Sinfonieorchester Basel, this presentation will take place in the two children. To benefit from additional Familienpass discounts, tickets foyer of the main stage of Theater Basel at 11:00. must be purchased directly from the orchestra office (061-272-2525; ­[email protected]) or through Bider & Tanner. www.theater-basel.ch www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch Family Musical Theater—Abraz’ouverts Käsefest Basel (Cheese Festival Basel) January 26 January 25 The two percussionists of Braz Bazar experience a strange reunion on The Alte Markthalle will be the stage. With the Zarb, a Persian drum, they create their own pictures and location for this “Käsefest” stories, like a juggler with balls or a poet with words. Between separation (cheese festival) for young and and reunification, camaraderie and envy, the audience will accompany old, which will naturally feature Braz Bazar through all the everyday scenes that two friends can experi- a variety of cheeses and other ence together. The performance will take place at the Gare du Nord, on the dairy products. At an on-site left side of the Badischer Bahnhof, at 11:00. Tickets are CHF 10 for kids, cheese factory you can observe CHF 15 for adults, or CHF 30 for families (CHF 25 for families with the the production of cheese, and Familienpass); reserve your tickets online. milking cows is an entertaining experience for the whole family! www.garedunord.ch/gare-des-enfants/programm Some 25 cheese dairies will be offering their milk and fine warm and cold cheese dishes for immediate enjoyment, accompanied by live music. The festival will take place from Youth Book Fair on a Boat 10:00–17:00; entrance is free. January 28 – February 11 www.schweizerkaese.ch The 39. Basler Jugendbücherschiff is a very special book fair that takes place on the MS Christoph Merian boat that is docked at Schifflände. It Family Concert—Lukas and Wale Search for Traces of houses all kinds of books for kids and youths of all ages in many different languages. Each year, thousands of children, adolescents, their parents, Jazz school classes, and teachers—essentially anyone interested in children’s January 25 and 26 literature—visit the ship to leaf through the books on hand and discover The curious boy Lukas and the old sailor Wale sail around the world to- new reading material. This year's special theme ist "Echt jetzt?" (Really?) gether: Their adventurous journey takes them from Stockholm via Tokyo to Entrance is free. Rio de Janeiro, and from there to New York and Cape Verde. At each stop www.edubs.ch/unterstuetzung/bibliothek/jugendbuecherschiff on this journey, they enjoy the magical music that Wale had always de- scribed to Lukas. This lively musical auditory theater is ideal for kids ages 5 and up and their families. This production of “Lukas und Wale auf Jazz Concert at the Tinguely Museum den Spuren des Jazz” is part of the "Familienkonzerte" series of the January 31 Musik-Akademie Basel, which will be performed at the Jazzcampus Basel (Utengasse 15) on Saturday at 17:00 and Sunday at 11:00. Tickets are Under the heading Roche’n’Jazz, top jazz performers are giving concerts in CHF 15 for adults (CHF 5 with the Familienpass) and free for children, the space dedicated to the current exhibition at the Tinguely Museum from youths, and students of the Musik-Akademie Basel. You can reserve your 16:00–18:00 on the last Friday of every month, providing a musical high- tickets by telephone at the Musikschule Riehen (061-641-3747) or at the light and a point of focus. The concert on January 31 will feature the Wolf- Musik-Akademie Basel (061-264-5757). gang Muthspiel Trio. The concerts are free with admission to the museum. www.musikschule-basel.ch www.roche-n-jazz.ch photo credits: © clara daguin (making fashion sense); © robbie barat (making fashion sense); © courtesy iris van herpen / photo: michel zoeter (making December 2019 / January 2020 15 fashion sense); © yumika nakazato / photo: shoji fujii (making fashion sense); © anne kohler (vogel gryff ceremony); © pixabay (cheese festival); SportsEvents and in Basel: Recreation February 2015 (continued)

Indoor Cycling World Championships

December 6–8 Union Cyclist International (UCI) is an organization for indoor cycling that includes both artistic cycling and cycle-ball. Artistic cycling is a sport most popular in the German-speaking world, with no fewer than 10,000 license holders in Germany alone. It is comparable to ice-skating and artistic but conducted on bicycles. The competitors (individuals or pairs) present a 5-minute program set to music, and their performance is judged by a jury. The first official artistic cycling world championships were held in 1956. Cycle-ball is an exclusively male discipline where teams of two players (one who acts as a goalkeeper and the other as an outfield player) compete in a match. On a court that resembles a court with one goalie net at each end, they strike the ball with the front or rear wheel or their body. As in , they must place the ball in the opposing team’s goal. Fouls are penalized by award- ing free kicks and penalties. The first cycle-ball world championships were held in 1930. The UCI Indoor Cycling World Championships will be held at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel this December. Be part of an amazing event during which athletes will delight the audience with a mixture of acrobatics, dynamics, and speed! There will be cycle-ball competitions, as well as artistic-cycling competitions for single women, single men, pairs women, and pairs open across the three days; check the program for a list of the events. Day passes can be bought through www.ticketino.com for CHF 90–99 for adults and CHF 45.00–49.50 for kids ages 7–12. www.basel19.ch

Disco Night at the Skating Rink Rheinfelden, December 6 and 20; January 3, 17, and 31: Young and old are welcome from 20:15–22:30 at the Kunsteisbahn (skating rink) in Rheinfelden, where you can skate to your favorite requests played by a DJ. Entrance is CHF 8 for kids ages 5–16, CHF 10 for students up to age 24, and CHF 13 for adults; skates for kids and adults can also be rent- ed on the spot. For more information, go to their website. https://kuba-rheinfelden.ch/eisdisco.shtml

Free Ice-Skating Day Basel, December 14 and January 10: On these two evenings you can experience a “dance floor on ice” with great December 1 music, a colorfully glitzy décor, special lighting effects, and even a fog ma- The Sportamt (Sports Department) Basel-Stadt is inviting everyone for chine. The event will take place from 19:00–23:00 at Margarethen rink on a day of free ice skating called “Gratis uffs Glattyys” at Basel’s Eglisee December 14 and at Eglisee rink on January 10. Entrance costs CHF 7 for and Margarethen ice rinks from 10:00–19:00. Entrance and even skate kids ages 6–16 and CHF 10 for skaters over age 16 (half price for season rentals are free to everyone on this day. Members of the regional ice members); skates can be rented for CHF 5. sports clubs, including , speed skating, figure skating, and curl- www.jfs.bs.ch/fuer-sportlerinnen-und-sportler/sportangebote/ ing, have volunteered to provide a varied entertainment program at both fuer-alle/eis-disco.html rinks. Sissach, December 27 and January 31: On the last Friday night of each winter month, the Kunsti Sissach (ice rink www.jfs.bs.ch/fuer-sportlerinnen-­ in Sissach) hosts a disco on ice for the whole family from 20:00–22:30. En- und-sportler/sportangebote/fuer-alle/­ trance costs CHF 8 for adults, CHF 6.50 for youths, CHF 4 for kids ages 6 gratis-uffs-glattyys.html and up, and free for kids under age 6; note that the Sissach season pass is not applicable on this night. Try-Outs www.kunsti-sissach.ch December 4 If your child (starting at age 8) wants to give curling a try, the Curling­ zentrum Region Basel is offering a free try-out on this Wednesday ­afternoon from 15:30–17:00. Simply register in advance with their office at 061-703-8100 or [email protected] or directly with Yves Gigandet at [email protected]. www.curling-basel.ch

16 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Family Famigros Ski Days December 14 and 15; January 4, 11, 18, 19, 25, and 26 If going skiing with your young family sounds dauntingly expensive, consid- er joining a Famigros Ski Day. Every weekend throughout the winter months, Migros organizes a day in the snow for the whole family at a differ- ent location and at unbeatable prices. In addition to a full-day ski pass for each family member, Famigros Ski Days include a family-friendly skiing, snowboarding, or telemarking race where the clock starts as the first fam- ily member crosses the starting line and stops when the last family mem- ber crosses the finish line. Also included are lunch, fun games, a souvenir medal, gifts from Migros for the whole family, and much more. The cost for the Famigros Ski Days is CHF 110 (CHF 85 if you hold a Famigros card) for the whole family of 3–5 members (with maximum 2 adults), with at least one child born 2006 or later. Register now to take advantage of this ­wonderful offer at www.famigros-ski-day.ch/events; while registration is officially possible until the Thursday before your selected date, spaces are limited and can fill up before. If you are not yet a Famigros card holder, register for free at www.famigros.ch/anmelden to benefit from this dis- count, as well as countless other specials at Migros throughout the year. www.famigros-ski-day.ch

Holiday Indoor Multisport Camp for Kids January 2–5 KinderBasel is organizing a 4-day multisport camp during the Christmas break for kids ages 5–13. With badminton, balance course, , coor- dination training, hip hop, , karate, mini trampoline, racquet- ball, slackline, squash, table tennis, tennis, and more, the kids are sure to have fun while playing. The camp will run daily from 10:00–15:00, but you can opt for an extended care program for an additional CHF 10 per hour; meeting point is at the Vitis Sports Center in Allschwil. www.kinderbasel.com

Sports Classes for Everyone! Starts in January As a part of Basel’s initiative to keep people healthy, the organization Gsünder Basel has compiled a huge list of classes available for adults in the Basel area. They offer classes in the daytime, evenings, and even on weekends in the areas of Aqua-Power Gym, back training, body shape, Bol- lywood fitness, ballet, boot camp, gymnastics, Kraft Fit, Nordic walking, pilates, water gymnastics, water jogging, brain fitness, and more. Other classes focus on relaxation, including meditation, mindfulness, tai chi–qi gong, yoga, and even yodeling! There are also excursions, nutrition class- es, and classes geared specifically to immigrants. New classes start in January. Visit their website for a complete list of classes. www.gsuenderbasel.ch photo credits: © leo zhukov (indoor cycling world championships); © wikipedia / bene bugler (indoor cycling world championships); © pixabay (free ice skating day); December 2019 / January 2020 17 © erziehungsdepartement canton basel-stadt (free ice-skating, disco night at the skating rink); © alphafoto (family famigros ski days) SportsEvents and in Basel: Recreation February (continued) 2015 (continued)

Sports Classes for Kids Winter Sports for Families in Switzerland Twice a year, the Education Department of Basel-Stadt publishes a “Sport- On the whole, the winter tourism kalender” that lists many of the sports classes on offer at various clubs industry in Switzerland caters well around the city, including acrobatics, badminton, ballet, basketball, cross to families, providing a wide variety fitness, dance, fencing, gymnastics, , hockey, judo, karate, skat- of diversions. Many resorts offer ing, soccer, swimming, tennis, frisbee, , yoga, and so spas, others entice with wonderful much more. Classes start soon, so register now. Go to their website and winter walks, toboggan runs, ice click on “Sportkalender 2020/1 als Flyer herunterladen (PDF, 1.5 MB)” to rinks, and childcare facilities. Many download the flyer. hotels cater specifically to families, and hostels often are also great for www.sportkalender.bs.ch family ski trips. They usually have play areas, provide small dormitories of four or six beds suitable for families, offer half-board, and are relatively inexpensive. Former Basel resident and winter-sports enthusiast Nic Speed-Skating Oatridge has put together a comprehensive website of Swiss ski resorts, with detailed information on the slopes, the resorts, and how to get there. With the days getting shorter Although the descriptions were designed mainly for winter-sports holidays and the temperatures drop- for families based in the Basel area, the information remains valid for fam- ping, the conditions are per- ilies living in other parts of Switzerland or visiting the country from abroad fect for winter sports! Two and includes distances and directions from Basel, Zürich, Bern, or Luzern. open-air and one closed ice In particular, he provides detailed information on getting to your destina- rink offer a great variety of ice tion by public transport, which is feasible even for a family burdened with sports to all weather-­ buggies, ski gear, and the kids themselves. Check out his website, which is resistant sports enthusiasts an invaluable tool for anyone planning a ski trip this winter! in the Basel area. While most are familiar with www.swisswintersports.co.uk and figure skating, there is one particular section of the FC BASEL SCHEDULE DECEMBER 2019 Eislauf Club beider Basel that seeks its adrenaline rush not in hard battles with the opposing team or in the perfect performance, but in the race against the clock. While speed-skating is the most common form of ice skating in the , Switzerland—and especially Basel—also has a FC Basel 1893 (Fussball / Soccer) die-hard community that fulfills its need for speed on the long blades. Ev- ery Sunday morning, the Kunsteisbahn Margarethen in Gundeli combines Red signifies Home Game @ St. Jakob Stadion its three adjacent ice rinks into one big ice track. The speed skaters move with both grace and strength. While racing for the fastest time offers a Date Time Home Team Guests great opportunity for competitive minds, it is also a full conditioning and strength training for the whole body, suitable for all ages and skill levels. Sun., Dec. 1 16:00 FC Basel 1893 BSC Young Boys There is nothing more rewarding than fresh wind in your face while you glide along the track on a quiet Sunday morning. Has this piqued your in- Sun., Dec. 8 16:00 FC Basel 1893 FC Sion terest? Contact Eislauf Club beider Basel, the only club that offers Thu., Dec. 12 18:55 FC Basel 1893 Trabozonspor A.S. speed-skating in the Basel area, by phone at 079-390-0720 or by e-mail to [email protected]. All ages and levels are welcome at any time for Sun., Dec. 15 16:00 FC Luzern FC Basel 1893 a free trial or to join! The specialized skates with their long and narrow runners can be borrowed from the club, and admission to the ice rink for Please check the website for January 2020 dates. the speed-skating training is included in the membership fee. And if you are already a big speed-skating ­enthusiast, you might want to check out Prices range from CHF 20–75 for adults in regular seating. Children ages the Youth that will be held in Switzerland this upcoming 6–16 receive a discount of 25% in the regular seating areas. There is a special January 9–22, where speed-skating events will be held on the frozen lake area for families and young adults (up to age 22) with slightly lower prices. For in St. Moritz (www.lausanne2020.sport/en/venues). more information on seats and pricing, go to: https://ecbeiderbasel.ch/de/sektionen/schnelllauf/ www.fcb.ch/de-CH/Stadion/Stadionplan-Preise#Preise

The cultural resource in Basel.

Books | Music | Tickets Aeschenvorstadt 2 | 4010 Basel www.biderundtanner.ch

18 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com photo credits: © andri margadant / photocab.ch (speed skating); © nic oatridge (winter sports for families) Information Desk

Why Learn German in Basel? By Carolyn Groff

People who have moved to a new country often find themselves question- GERMAN-LEVEL REQUIREMENTS ing whether or not to learn the local language when so many people speak FOR VISAS/CITIZENSHIP AND JOB APPLICATIONS English. There are many well-researched reasons why learning another There are six official levels of German-language proficiency: A1, A2, B1, language is helpful. Among those, the following are of utmost prominence. B2, C1, C2. If you want to extend your resident permit or apply for citizen- Certain concepts that exist within a culture are only expressed through that ship, it is important to note that each canton has its own language require- language; therefore, learning the language will help one to adjust to the new ments, depending on the type of application and the length of time spent in culture much more quickly. It facilitates trying new things, such as foods and the country. The following are helpful links at the federal level: festivals, or shopping for items specific to the culture. Learning a new lan- www.eda.admin.ch/aboutswitzerland/en/home/faq/ guage also stimulates certain brain areas, especially in adults, that are nec- schweizer-staatsbuerger-werden.html essary for overall cognitive function as we age. In Basel, while the local dia- www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home/themen/aufenthalt.html lect is Swiss German, it is helpful to learn High German first, as official Job applicants may need to take certification tests at various levels to qual- documents and signage are written in this language. Because High German ify for a position. The following site provides helpful information on the is more universal, it will also assist with traveling, reading labels and official certification tests and their administering bodies: www.lingoda.com/en/ letters, and shopping over the border in Germany. Once you have acquired a german/language-examinations working knowledge of High German, it will be much easier to make the transfer to Swiss German by enrolling in Swiss-German conversation class- OFFICIAL GERMAN TESTS es or activities that use the local dialect. In brief, there are three recognized certification tests:

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! - The Goethe Zertifikat (administered by the Goethe Institute), which covers The most difficult part of learning a language is recalling all of the language levels B1–C2. www.goethe.de/ins/de/en/prf/prf.html structures and vocabulary right on the spot as one speaks. It is often hard to - The TELC, which also covers levels B1–C2. www.telc.net/en.html leave one’s comfort zone and use the new language; therefore, group class- - The DSH (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang), which is es and conversation groups offer the opportunity to try speaking in a low- administered by German universities and covers levels B2–C. risk environment. Joining local activities oneself or signing up one’s children https://en.dsh-germany.com for local activities also provides extra practice. Start small! Practice ordering The Goethe and DSH certificates are life-long certificates with no expiry at a restaurant or grocery store and then work your way up to more complex date. These certificates may also serve as proof, depending on the require- situations. When you are at home, try turning on German-language televi- ments, of language proficiency when applying for entrance at Ger- sion or radio to assist in learning the intonation of the language. Picking up man-speaking universities. In addition, the IELTSTestDaF (Test Deutsch a newspaper or magazine to see how many words or phrases you recognize als Fremdsprache, administered by the TestDaF Institute, www.testdaf. also helps with written literacy. de/fileadmin/Redakteur/PDF/Sprachen/informationen_en.pdf) is rec- GROUP OR PRIVATE CLASSES? ognized as the exam used for entrance into German-speaking universities Some companies may offer their employees the opportunity to take private and is useful for job applicants seeking positions in academia. It covers lessons at one of the local language schools. This is a good option if you like levels B2–C1 and also has no expiry date. It is useful to note that the TELC to learn at your own pace and need a flexible lesson schedule. However, it is exam is offered at several testing centers around Basel, and the Goethe important to practice German with speakers other than your instructor if you certification is offered at one center in Basel. opt to study privately as it can be difficult to step out of your familiarity with just speaking one-on-one. Group classes offer opportunities to speak with Overall, learning German will improve your experience as it will enable other learners. They are a great way to meet people who are also new to the more participation in and enjoyment of the many aspects of life in Basel. area. Depending on one’s needs and timeline for learning the language, the For a complete list of all locations in the Basel area where German classes classes range from slower-paced curricula to intensive meetings for a few are offered, with the ability to filter for level and options with childcare, hours each day. Fortunately, Basel offers a large variety of German language visit www.deutschkurse.bs.ch. classes that meet most people’s needs and schedules.

CLASS OFFERINGS THROUGH BASEL-STADT Canton Basel-Stadt gives vouchers for 80 free lessons of German as a gift to Carolyn Groff, Ph.D. is a former Associate Professor of Literacy and new residents upon arrival; to download a flyer with a list of the 12 ­Department Chair at Monmouth University in New Jersey. Prior to ­participating locations where these vouchers can be redeemed, visit her ­career in academia, she was an elementary and middle school www.bdm.bs.ch/Wohnen/basel-for-new-arrivals/german--school-- teacher specializing in literacy instruction. Currently, she is doing education-and-training.html. The vouchers must be used within the first free-lance ­editing of academic research and engaged as a private 12 months of immigration on the B permit. The Einwohneramt (Office of literacy specialist for students needing extra instruction. Registration) will provide the vouchers when an individual or family regis- She be contacted at [email protected]. ters with the office or at one of their welcome lectures (times and dates provided at the registration meeting). photo credit:credits: © © xxxxx carolyn groff December 2019 / January 2020 23 December 2019

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY 1 Christmas Markets / Christmas Tram 2 3 4 Christmas Markets Ongoing Events in December Palazzo Colombino / Gospel Night Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Ferry St. Nicholas at Tierpark / Winter Circus Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Until December 23 Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Winter Circus Palazzo Colombino Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Winter Circus Christmas Tram Basel’s Book and Tree of Wishes Sonntagsmatinée / Arc-en-Ciel Concert Naturally 7 Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Until January 3 Free Ice-Skating Day Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Red Riding Hood / Snow White Vitrine D’Or (Golden Store Window) Family Story Tour at Haus zum Kirschgarten Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Starting on December 1 Tour—Gold & Glory / Workshop—Bags The Simon & Garfunkel Story Music Box for Kids / Mid-Day Concert Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Martin Kohlstedt Curling Try-Outs Christmas Tree Exhibit The King and I / Contemporary Circus Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Until January 5 Mondovino Wine Fair / Ballet—Cow Symphony Concert / Circus on Ice Christmas Park at St. Claraspital Until January 6 8 Christmas Markets 9 10 11 Christmas Markets Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus The Nativity Scene in its Diversity Lit. Advent Calendar / Christmas Tram Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Lit. Advent Calendar / Christmas Tram Until February 9 The Panto—The Little Mermaid Christmas Market (Lörrach) Christmas Market (Lörrach) Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Visit the Towers at the Basler Münster Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Winter Circus Palazzo Colombino Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King December 2–20 Children’s Theater—Snow White Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Winter Circus Red Riding Hood / Snow White Rocks, Minerals, and Fossils Fair Capella Gabetta Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Typology: An Ongoing Study of Everyday Items Indoor Cycling World Championships Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Tour—Christmas in Basel December 7 – May 31 Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli English Book Discussion Basel Circus—Juan Ignacio Tula & Stefan Kinsman Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Gold & Glory—Gifts for Eternity Jeremy Pelt Quintet Concert—Favorite Works The Book of Mormon Until January 19 Concert—AstraBeethoven Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales The Book of Mormon Iiro Rantala Solo—My Finnish Calendar Resonating Spaces Until January 26 15 Christmas Markets / Christmas Tram 16 17 18 Palazzo Colombino / Lit. Advent Calendar Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Wildlife Photographer of the Year Puppet Theater—The Little Santa Claus Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Until March 29 Christmas Concert / Swinging Christmas Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Christmas Shopping on Sunday Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Lit. Advent Calendar / Christmas Tram Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King The Jackson Singers Christmas Concert—Hundred Minutes of Light Cirque Noël de Bâle / Gift Exchange A Bell for Ursli / Snow White Ballet—The Nutcracker Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Family Concert—Hex Hex / Swan Lake Cirque Noël de Bâle Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Basel’s English Dentist Famigros Ski Days Workshop—Bags Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Tour —Wildlife Photographer of the Year Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Children’s Theater—Snow White Tour—Time Warp / Tour—Resonating Spaces The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon Dr. Garry Bonsall Ballet—Cow / The Book of Mormon Opera—La Bohème

Dental Surgeon 22 Basel’s Christmas Markets 23 24 25 Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Basel’s Christmas Markets Palazzo Colombino Award‐winning Palazzo Colombino / Christmas Tram Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Author Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Opera—The Barber of Seville Christmas Market at the Markthalle Christmas Shopping on Sunday Painless, latest Ballet—Nutcracker / Cirque Noël de Bâle Puppet Theater—Triptych / Advent Concert family dental care, The Frog-King / Snow White braces, implants, Workshop—A Bag Like No Other The Book of Mormon and hygienist — in Disney on Ice—Die Eiskönigin English 29 30 31

Palazzo Colombino Cirque Noël de Bâle Palazzo Colombino Book 24/7 online Cirque Noël de Bâle Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Cirque Noël de Bâle Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor www.DrBonsall.ch Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor Die Grosse Giuseppe Verdi Gala 2019 Puppet Theater—There once lived a Ghost… Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales New Year’s Eve Celebration & Fireworks The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon St. Alban Vorstadt 78 Opera—La Bohème New Year’s Eve Concert Call today: 061 271 06 04 WhatsApp: 079 926 30 99

www.basellife.com

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Christmas Markets 5 Basel’s Christmas Markets 6 Basel’s Christmas Markets 7 Christmas Markets / Christmas Tram Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Lit. Advent Calendar / Panto—Mermaid Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Christmas Market (Lörrach) Christmas Market (Lörrach) Wint. Circus / Santas on Motorbikes/Canoes Wine Shop Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Story Time—Rudolph / Christmas Tour Wine Bar Christmas Tram Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Boulevard Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King The Panto—The Little Mermaid St. Nicholas at the Zoo Fam. Opera—Bell for Ursli / Snow White Just for you! Red Riding Hood / Snow White Jazz on the Marktplatz The Panto—The Little Mermaid Music Instrument & Night Flea Market Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Indoor Cycling World Championships Rocks &, Minerals Fair / Family Concert Music Box for Kids / Mid-Day Concert After-School English Story Time Disco Night at the Skating Rink Indoor Cycling WC Basel for Newcomers Fondue Vigneronne Curling Try-Outs Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Circus Knie Musical / Ballet—Cow Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Starbugs Comedy—Jump! Starbugs Comedy—Jump! Starbugs Comedy / Crazy Diamond Symphony Concert / Circus on Ice AFTER HOURS—Chillen im Museum Crazy Diamond—A Tribute to Pink Floyd Circuses / Concert—Favorite Works

Christmas Markets 12 Basel’s Christmas Markets 13 14 Christmas Markets / Christmas Tram Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Basel’s Christmas Markets Palazzo Colombino / Lit. Advent Calendar Lit. Advent Calendar / Christmas Tram Christmas Markets (Liestal, Lörrach) Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Guided Christmas Tour / Messiah Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Palazzo Colombino / Winter Circus Christmas Market (Liestal) Cinnamon Market / One Million Stars Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Christmas Market (Lörrach) Little Santa Claus / Christmas Market Red Riding Hood / Snow White Jazz on the Marktplatz Palazzo Colombino Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Snow White / Concert—Hansel & Gretel Tour—Christmas in Basel Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Disco Night at the Skating Rink English Book Discussion Basel After-School English Story Time Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Family Famigros Ski Days Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical Ballet—Cow Workshop—Bags Circus Knie Musical The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon / Steve Hackett The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon / MMA Fight Night … probably the most Iiro Rantala Solo—My Finnish Calendar Russian National Ballet—Sleeping Beauty Bryan Adams—Shine Like a Light Opera—La Bohème / Dance Night beautiful wine bar in Basel 19 20 Basel’s Christmas Markets 21 Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Basel’s Christmas Markets Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Tuesday - Saturday 11am to 10pm Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Christmas Fairy Tale Forest Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino / Christmas Tram Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Blumenrain 24 · 4051 Basel · vin-optimum.ch Lit. Advent Calendar / Christmas Tram Literary and Musical Advent Calendar Cirque Noël de Bâle Guided Christmas Tour of Basel Cirque Noël de Bâle / Gift Exchange Jazz on the Marktplatz Puppet Theater—Triptych Cirque Noël de Bâle Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Cirque Noël de Bâle The Great Christmas Concert Basel Puppet Theater— Triptych Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Puppet Theater— Triptych Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli The Frog-King / Snow White Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Disco Night at the Skating Rink Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Hello, I'm Ian, Children’s Theater—Snow White The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon Workshop—A Bag Like No Other and you’re welcome at The Book of Mormon Philipp Fankhauser—Let Life Flow Tour Book of Mormon / Ballet—Snow White Opera—La Bohème Disney on Ice—Die Eiskönigin Disney on Ice—Die Eiskönigin 26 27 28 Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Cirque Noël de Bâle Cirque Noël de Bâle Cirque Noël de Bâle Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor Children’s Theater—Valiant Little Taylor The Book of Mormon Disco Night at the Skating Rink The Book of Mormon Ballet—Snow White The Book of Mormon Ballet—Snow White Opera—La Bohème Couples Counselling Individual Counselling Executive Counselling

Life has its ups and downs, Calendar Key: Important Numbers: both in your relationships and (for more info refer to this section) SOS: 112 Kinderspital, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel with your feelings.

Police: 117 061-704-1212 Christmas Events You want to talk confidentially, Events in Basel Fire Department: 118 Afterhours Pharmacy, A Hand in Need / Suicide Hotline: 143 Petersgraben 3, Basel with someone you can trust. Sports and Recreation Ambulance: 144 Workshops, Tours, and Education 061-263-7575 You need someone who's Entertainment Poison Center: 145 Emergency Dentist/Doctor, Child / Teen Hotline: 147 24 hour/365 Days Service qualified and experienced, 061-261-1515 working with adults who live expat, Emergency Veterinarian, business, and nomadic lifestyles. 24 Hour/365 Days Service 090-099-3399 Wherever that’s happening in your life – that’s what I provide for you.

Your DENTIST in Basel

Dr. med. med. dent. Christoph Villiger

Member of: FMH Swiss Medical Association Swiss Dental Association

Holbeinstrasse 81 061 281 60 05 4051 Basel www.zahnarztpraxis-villiger.ch January 2020

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Important Numbers: Calendar Key: JANUARY 1 Ongoing Events in January Ballet—The Nutcracker (for more info refer to this section) SOS: 112 Kinderspital, Spitalstrasse 33, Basel Basel’s Book and Tree of Wishes Police: 117 061-704-1212 New Year’s Concert Christmas Events Until January 3 Fire Department: 118 Afterhours Pharmacy, The Book of Mormon Events in Basel A Hand in Need / Suicide Hotline: 143 Petersgraben 3, Basel Christmas Tree Exhibit Sports and Recreation Ambulance: 144 061-263-7575 Until January 5 Workshops, Tours, and Education Poison Center: 145 Emergency Dentist/Doctor, Entertainment Christmas Park at St. Claraspital Child / Teen Hotline: 147 24 hour/365 Days Service Until January 6 061-261-1515 Emergency Veterinarian, The Nativity Scene in its Diversity 24 hour/365 Days Service Until February 9 090-099-3399 Typology: An Ongoing Study of Everyday Items Until May 31 5 6 7 8 Palazzo Colombino Three Kings Day Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Making FASHION Sense Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood The Beatles Tribute—The Mersey Beatles Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales English Book Discussion Basel January 16 – March 8 Family Opera—A Bell for Ursli African Angels Camille Blatrix Chess Festival Basel January 17 – March 15 Tour—Gold & Glory. Gifts for Eternity Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Gold & Glory—Gifts for Eternity The Book of Mormon Until January 19 Ballet—Snow White Resonating Spaces Johann Strauss’ New Year’s Concert Until January 26

Wildlife Photographer of the Year Until March 29 12 13 14 15 Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Vogel Gryff Ceremony Jermaine Landsberger Trio & Sandro Roy Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Bags—Icons & Investments Longines CSI International Horse Show Flashdance—Das Musical Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Until April 5 Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Flashdance—Das Musical Opera—La Bohème Ballet—Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Irish Celtic—Spirit of Ireland The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain

Basel’s English Dentist

Dr. Garry Bonsall Dental Surgeon 19 20 21 22 Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Ballet—Cow Blue Man Group Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Award‐winning Family Famigros Ski Days Musical—Les Misérables Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Author Tour—Wildlife Photographer of the Year Blue Man Group Tour—Resonating Spaces Musical—Les Misérables Finissage—Desire, Eroticism, Design Symphony Concert—Femmes Fatales Painless, latest Ballet—Snow White Flashdance—Das Musical family dental care, Concert—Greatly Moved braces, implants, and hygienist — in English 26 Alice in Wonderland / The Frog-King 27 28 29 Family Concert—Lukas and Wale Search for… Opera—La Bohème Youth Book Fair on a Boat Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Book 24/7 online Sonntagsmatinée—Musique Française State Russian Ballet Moscow—Swan Lake Toddler Tales Youth Book Fair on a Boat Sacher’s Musical Treasure Trove Ballet—Cow Opera—The Marriage of Figaro www.DrBonsall.ch Family Musical Theater—Abraz'ouverts Musical—Les Misérables Musical—Les Misérables Family Famigros Ski Days Amor Sacro One Vision of Queen Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Ballet Black Tour—Time Warp. Basel’s History in Brief Camerata Schweiz & Burhan Öçal St. Alban Vorstadt 78 Tour—Once Upon the Rhein Call today: 061 271 06 04 Opera—The Marriage of Figaro WhatsApp: 079 926 30 99 Blue Man Group / Les Misérables Mizmorim—Festival of Jewish Classical

www.basellife.com

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY JANUARY 1 2 3 4 Ballet—The Nutcracker Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino Palazzo Colombino New Year’s Concert Chess Festival Basel Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Wine Shop The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon Chess Festival Basel Children’s Theater—Red Riding Hood Wine Bar Boulevard Chamber Orchestra—New Year’s Magic Disco Night at the Skating Rink Chess Festival Basel The Book of Mormon Family Famigros Ski Days Just for you! Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales Fondue Vigneronne The Book of Mormon Star Machine Live Karaoke Band

9 10 11 Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Longines CSI International Horse Show Longines CSI International Horse Show Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland English Book Discussion Basel AFTER HOURS—Chillen im Museum Disco Night at the Skating Rink Children’s Theater —The Frog-King African Angels Cocktail Concert—Serenade Nocturne Irish Celtic—Spirit of Ireland Longines CSI International Horse Show Les Corps en Rêve Chamber Music Night—The Latin Nights Family Famigros Ski Days Irish Celtic—Spirit of Ireland Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Dance Night Opera—The Barber of Seville Irish Celtic—Spirit of Ireland … probably the most beautiful wine bar in Basel 16 17 18 Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Vernissage Camille Blatrix Exhibit Basel Museums Night Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Tuesday - Saturday 11am to 10pm Children’s Theater —The Frog-King After-School English Story Time Disco Night at the Skating Rink Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Flashdance—Das Musical Flashdance—Das Musical Flashdance—Das Musical Family Concert—In the Air Blumenrain 24 · 4051 Basel · vin-optimum.ch Ballet—Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Winter Session—Black Cat’s Smoking Family Famigros Ski Days The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Flashdance—Das Musical Rhythm of the Dance Concert—Greatly Moved Opera—The Marriage of Figaro Hello, I'm Ian, and you’re welcome at

23 24 25 Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland After-School English Story Time Opera—The Marriage of Figaro Children’s Theater—Alice in Wonderland Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Story Time—Monster Book of Switzerland Blue Man Group Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Blue Man Group Blue Man Group Musical—Les Misérables Cheese Festival Basel Musical—Les Misérables Musical—Les Misérables Mizmorim—Festival of Jewish Classical Family Concert—Lukas and Wale Search for… Symphony Concert—Femmes Fatales Symphony Concert—Femmes Fatales Concert—Harry Potter & Chamber of Secrets Family Famigros Ski Days Chamber Music Concert—Concerto für Sol Workshop—A Bag Like No Other Circus Theater—Speakeasy Tour of Theater Basel Couples Counselling Mizmorim—Festival of Jewish Classical Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales Individual Counselling Blue Man Group Executive Counselling Musical—Les Misérables Mizmorim—Festival of Jewish Classical Life has its ups and downs, 29 30 31 both in your relationships and Children’s Theater —The Frog-King Youth Book Fair on a Boat Youth Book Fair on a Boat with your feelings.

Youth Book Fair on a Boat After-School English Story Time Jazz Concert at Tinguely Museum You want to talk confidentially, Opera—The Marriage of Figaro Opera—The Barber of Seville Disco Night at the Skating Rink with someone you can trust. Musical—Les Misérables Musical—Les Misérables Ballet—Snow White One Vision of Queen Camerata Schweiz & Burhan Öçal Musical—Les Misérables You need someone who's Ballet Black Concert—AstraHolliger ABBA Gold—The Concert Show qualified and experienced, Camerata Schweiz & Burhan Öçal Boys’ Choir Basel—Stabat Mater working with adults who live expat, business, and nomadic lifestyles.

Wherever that’s happening in your life – that’s what I provide for you.

Your DENTIST in Basel

Dr. med. med. dent. Christoph Villiger

Member of: FMH Swiss Medical Association Swiss Dental Association

Holbeinstrasse 81 061 281 60 05 4051 Basel www.zahnarztpraxis-villiger.ch Workshops,Events in Basel: Tours, February and Education 2015 (continued) in Basel

Tour—Gold & Glory. Gifts for Eternity

December 1; January 5 This major exhibition presents the brilliant period of the last Ottonian Em- peror, Heinrich II, who ruled from 1002–1024 A.D. and was present for the consecration of the Basler Münster in 1019. Marking the 1000th anniversa- ry of this event, the exhibition combines outstanding loans from Europe and the . Precious goldsmith’s works, textiles, hand-illustrat- ed manuscripts, and ivory carvings form a unique panorama of medieval culture. Rare documents, coins, and archaeological treasures offer multi- faceted insights into the world 1,000 years ago. There will be a public tour in English of this exhibit from 14:00–15:00; cost is entrance fee plus CHF 5 for the guided tour. www.hmb.ch/en/basel-historical-museum-barfuesserkirche/ gold-and-glory.html

Family Story Tour—Winter Storytelling for Basel for Newcomers—Live, Learn, and Enjoy Children and Grownups December 7 December 1 On this tour, specially designed for new residents of the city, you can get to During this English-language tour, participants will stroll through the know Basel and at the same time gain some valuable tips for day-to-day life, beautifully decorated Haus zum Kirschgarten and listen to winter and such as public transport, post, and healthcare. You will also receive useful Christmas tales. Take your time to look at all the beautiful Christmas trees information on where to shop, the many cultural institutions in the city, and as well. There are some things to explore for families with children. The possibilities for spending your leisure time. This is a joint project by the tour will take place from 15:00–16:00; entrance is free, but the guided tour Presidential Department of the canton Basel-Stadt and Basel Tourism and costs CHF 5. is designed to make new residents of the city feel welcome and at home as quickly as possible. The tour in English is from 10:00–12:30 and costs CHF 5; www.hmb.ch meeting point is at the Basel Tourist & Hotel Information at the SBB train station. You can contact them at [email protected]. Workshop—A Bag Like No Other www.basel.com/en/Media/Offers/Basel-for-newcomers December 1, 14, 15, 21, and 22; January 4, 5, 11, 12, 25, and 26

Everyone has a bag—women maybe a few more than men, and children Tour—Christmas in Basel. A Tradition Begins maybe smaller ones than adults. But who owns a bag that nobody else December 11 has? Probably very few people. That could change very quickly now. As Every December, Christmas magic hap- part of the special exhibition “Bags—Icons & Investments” at the Spiel- pens at the Haus zum Kirschgarten. The zeug Welten Museum Basel, young and old can design their own indi- Christmas tree becomes the center of vidual handbags. The workshop is open to children ages 6 and older family life, and families bake Christmas accompanied by an adult, as well as adolescents and the adults them- cookies, make music together, and ex- selves. These free workshops will be held from 13:30–17:30; all materi- change presents. Why? Join the guided als are provided, and participants are of course welcome to take the tour and find some answers to this finished bags home. Registration is not required, but participants may question as you explore the beautifully decorated city palace. The English-lan- have to wait for a turn. guage tour will take place from 12:30–13:30; tour costs entrance plus CHF 5. www.spielzeug-welten-museum-basel.ch www.hmb.ch

After-School English Story Time English Book Discussion Basel December 5 and 12; January 16, 23, and 30 December 11; January 8

The Basel West library invites children ages 3–8 on Thursday afternoons If you are interested in reading and discussing mainly contemporary En- from 15:30–16:30 to discover new ways to celebrate literature. Join them glish literature, why not join Book Discussion Basel. The meetings take each week for fun stories, songs, movement, hands-on activities, and place once a month on a Wednesday evening, when participants discuss more! Several storytellers will rotate throughout the winter months. Par- the chosen book that they have read in advance. They meet from 19:00– ticipation is free and no registration is required. 20:30 at Treffpunkt Breite, next to Hotel Breite, Zürcherstrasse 149 in Ba- www.stadtbibliothekbasel.ch sel (tram 3 or bus 36 to stop “Breite”). Participants are asked to read the

24 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com book in advance and to contribute a token fee of CHF 5 at each meeting. Swiss Story Time—The Monster Book of Switzerland The discussion on December 11 will be about the book “The Salt Path” by January 23 Raynor Winn, and the discussion on January 8 will be about the book “Exit West” by Mohsin Hamid. If you are interested in learning more about this Switzerland’s monsters come to life, group or would like to participate, visit their website and contact the accompanying readers on a tour of ­organizer. topics that range from how to dig a tunnel through the mountains to what https://bookdiscussionbasel.jimdo.com makes Swiss chocolate unique. Join this event from 15:30–16:30 at the Ba- Tour—Wildlife Photographer of the Year sel West library to highlight the new December 15; January 19 book entitled “The Monster Book of Switzerland,” written by Jeanne Dar- The Naturhistorisches Museum Basel ling and illustrated by Michael Meis- presents 2019’s best wildlife photographs ter. Autographed books in English and of the year. Breathtaking landscapes, sur- German will be available for purchase prising animal portraits, and dramatic after the event (cash only please). spectacles of nature allow you to immerse www.stadtbibliothekbasel.ch yourself in the beauty and magic of nature. There will be an English-language tour of the exhibit from 15:30–16:30; cost of the Tour of Theater Basel tour is included in the admission price. January 25 www.nm bs.ch Behind the scenes at Theater Basel the clocks keep ticking day and night. The audiences often forget how complex a theater production really is. Tour—Time Warp. Basel’s History in Brief How are performances organized? How long do rehearsals for a December 15; January 26 production last? What happens in the wardrobe department? And what do The Historisches Museum Basel in the Barfüsserkirche has a fabulous the workshops look like where all the stage sets are designed and built? On new permanent exhibition entitled “Zeitsprünge—Basler Geschichte in this English-language guided tour of the theater, visitors can see the Kürze” (Time Warp—Basel’s History in Brief). From the Neanderthals to ­everyday life of the theater outside of the performances up close. Take a today’s pharmaceutical hub, a selection of 50 objects and 100 milestones look at the workshops and discover the secrets of stage machinery. The takes you through 100,000 years of Basel history; 6 movie spots cover the tour is from 14:00–15:30 and costs CHF 16 for adults and CHF 10 for most recent history; and an interactive installation combines facts and im- ­students. Spaces are limited, so buy your tickets in advance at the online ages on urban development to this day. There will be an English-language tour ticket shop, at the box office, by phone (061-295-1133), or by e-mail of this exhibit from 11:00–12:00; cost of the tour is admission plus CHF 5. ([email protected]). www.hmb.ch www.theater-basel.ch

Tour—Resonating Spaces Tour—Once Upon the Rhein December 15; January 19 January 26 “Resonating Spaces” is the title of the current exhibition at the Fondation Once upon a time… there was a city Beyeler that presents exemplary works by a few internationally renowned named Basel, where well-known contemporary artists, including Leonor Antunes, Silvia Bächli, Toba Khe- citizens such as Bonifacius Amer- doori, Susan Philipsz, and Rachel Whiteread. The works of these artists bach, Felix Platter, or Ludwig Iselin create a specific quality of spatiality in very varied forms—acoustic, drawn, collected, wrote, and performed and sculpted. Although different from one another, the works create spac- music. The Musikmuseum Basel es rather than being perceived as single objects. There will be a public tour presents instruments, illustrations, of this exhibit in English from 15:00–16:00; cost is admission plus CHF 7 and scores from the Renaissance, (there is no pre-booking, so come early). in collaboration with the Universi- tätsbibliothek Basel. These treasures—many of them over 500 years old— www.fondationbeyeler.ch are presented in a unique exhibition called “Klangbilder” (sound pictures). The Musikmuseum will be offering an English-language tour of this exhib- Finissage—Etienne Turpin. Desire, Eroticism, Design it from 15:00–16:00; cost for the tour is CHF 5 plus museum entrance. January 19 www.hmb.ch At the final event accompanying the exhibition “Objects of Desire: Surreal- ism and Design,” philosopher Etienne Turpin talks about eroticism and Toddler Tales desire, design and art. Ranging from Salvador Dalí and Meret Oppenheim January 28 to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalysis, from philosophers Georges Bataille and Michel Foucault to American singer Beyoncé Carter-Knowles, his pre- Toddler Tales is designed for young listeners as they discover the wonder- sentation shows that sex and eroticism still play a central role in the pro- ful world of books and the fun of language in 45 minutes of interactive ex- duction of art, although the role models involved may have become more ploration of classic stories. Storytellers will engage their listeners through open and ambivalent. The evening, which will take place at the Fire Station singing, rhyming, and dancing. Toddler Tales takes place from 10:15–11:00 of the Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, will be rounded off by music at the Basel West library (Allschwilerstrasse 90) every fourth Tuesday of and a glass of absinth at the bar. Admission is free; register to attend at the month and is ideal for children ages 9 months to 4 years. Participation [email protected]. is free of charge and no registration is required. www.design-museum.de www.stadtbibliothekbasel.ch photo credits: © hmb/philipp emmel (tour—gold and glory); © hmb/natascha jansen (tour—christmas in basel); © matthew ware (tour—wildlife December 2019 / January 2020 25 photographer of the year); © michael meister (monster book of switzerland); © hmb (tour—once upon the rhein) DidEvents you knowin Basel: …? February 2015 (continued)

3. Keep the injured person comfortable until help arrives: You know that your friend is conscious and breathing because they are talking to you, so there is no need to put them in the recovery position or start CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). Don’t move them unless they are in danger. Don’t take off their ski boots. Don’t give them anything to eat or drink. The most comfortable position for a swollen, injured knee is bent at 30⁰, with something under the knee to support it. Carry a foil space blanket with you in your rucksack and use this to keep the person warm. When the emergency rescue team arrives on the scene, tell them what happened.

Self-Help Treatment A different scenario: You and your family have been on a snowshoeing ex- pedition. You had a fall but were able to get up quickly and carry on walking for the rest of the afternoon. However, when you get out of the car after the 60-minute journey home, your knee is quite painful and is slightly swollen. What should you do? For self-help treatment for a knee injury, you need to think about “paying the PRICE” and “doing no more HARM.”

“Paying the PRICE” Protect your knee from further injury. Rest your knee for 48–72 hours. Ice—make an ice pack (eg, using a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a towel) and apply this to your injured knee for 10–30 minutes. Reapply the ice pack KNEE INJURIES ON THE SLOPES for 15 minutes every 2 hours. The cold helps to reduce blood flow to any injured ligament and so eases pain and inflammation. Don’t leave an ice By Dr. Michelle Wright, MBChB, MRCGP pack on while you are sleeping. Compression—this can be applied using an elastic bandage. Make sure it’s With the winter season upon us, whether you’re a skier, snowboarder, or not so tight that it interferes with blood flow. Take off the bandage before prefer snowshoeing, it’s time to get out and enjoy the great mountainous you go to sleep. playground we have around us! Snow sports are generally safe. The risk of Elevation—keep the injured knee raised higher than the level of your heart sustaining an injury while enjoying these activities remains very low, with to help reduce swelling. Lie on the sofa and put your knee, lower leg, and somewhere between 2-4 injuries for every 1,000 days spent on the slopes. foot up on cushions; do the same with pillows while you are sleeping in This means that happily, most of us will enjoy skiing, snowboarding, etc. all bed. of our lives and not sustain any significant injury. However, if there is one injury that we all dread, it’s a knee injury. The vast majority of knee injuries “Doing no More HARM” involve damage to the ligaments. There are four main ligaments in the For 72 hours after the injury, avoid: knee which can become sprained (stretched) or torn (ruptured) to varying Heat—this can increase blood flow to an injured ligament, so don’t take a degrees. The ligament that is particularly at risk of injury in winter sports, hot bath or shower nor use a sauna or heat pack. especially for skiers, is the medial collateral ligament. It is located on the Alcohol—this can have negative effects on healing and can also increase inner side of the knee and helps to protect and stabilise the joint by limiting bleeding and swelling. the amount of side-to-side movement. Running—this or other types of exercise may cause further knee injury or All knee ligament injuries tend to cause the same kind of symptoms: a damage. popping or snapping sound or feeling at the time of the injury; knee swell- Massage—can also increase bleeding and swelling if used within the first ing due to bleeding from the damaged ligament; pain around the knee; 72 hours after injury. abnormal movement of the knee or a feeling that the knee is “giving way” In terms of medication to help pain and inflammation, one group of drugs if you try to stand on it; and sometimes bruising of the skin around the that we all think about taking after a knee or other sports injury are the knee. The severity of these symptoms will depend on the degree of liga- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen. However, ment injury—a minor sprain will cause less symptoms than a complete some doctors now believe that such drugs taken within the first 48 hours ligament tear. after an injury may actually hinder the healing process (some degree of What Should You Do if You Suspect a Knee Ligament Injury? inflammation is needed to help healing). The drug paracetamol (acetamin- You’re skiing with your friends on a beautiful sunny day. One of them falls ophen) works in a different way to NSAIDs and so is a good alternative if while carving a turn at speed and is crying out in pain, unable to move their pain relief is needed. Check with your doctor or pharmacist for further knee. advice. 1. Assess the scene and protect from danger: Don’t rush in to help if it’s not safe to do so—think about other skiers, potential for avalanches, falling If you have tried these self-help measures overnight but are still in pain the rocks, etc., depending on where you are. Use a pair of crossed skis uphill next day, you should see a doctor for assessment. from the accident scene (and a second pair if you have them) to alert other people to the accident. Have a great winter season and stay safe in the mountains! 2. Call the ski patrol or emergency services: There may be a number for the local ski patrol on your ski pass or piste map. If you are near a lift station, the lift attendant will be able to call the patrol for you. You may need to Dr. Michelle Wright is a British-trained general practitioner and Di- call 1414 for the Swiss Air Rescue Service (REGA), particularly if you are rector of HealthFirst Sàrl, provider of First Aid Training and Health off-piste. Download the REGA smartphone emergency app before you Education in English throughout Switzerland. head out (www.rega.ch/en/multimedia/rega-app.aspx). In other - www.healthfirst.ch pean countries, call 112.

26 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com “Snapshot” Nature Photography Contest in the other countries led to fears that such a high limit would have too big an impact on German businesses. Have you taken a touching, impressive, or funny nature or animal photo? According to a study by Credit Suisse, Swiss consumers bought an esti- As part of the special exhibition “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” at Ba- mated CHF 10 billion in goods abroad in 2017, and half of those purchases sel’s Naturhistorisches Museum, amateur photographers are given the were made in Germany. Switzerland allows a daily exemption of CHF 300 opportunity to show their best nature photography to a broad audience and before imposing Swiss VAT on purchases abroad. It is argued that if Swit- to actively participate in a project of the museum. All submitted pictures zerland imposed Swiss VAT on all purchases abroad, this would not only will be displayed in the museum, where they complement the professional reduce the attractiveness of cross-border shopping but help bring in valu- photos from the special exhibition. An external expert jury will select the able tax revenues that could be pumped back into the Swiss Social Securi- 10 best entries in each of 3 categories, and these award-winning pictures ty (AHV) and disability insurance (IV). It is feared, however, that any finan- will be honored in a small exhibition; exclusive prizes await the top 3 of cial gain could be offset by the bureaucratic burden of processing such tax each category. Deadline to submit your photo is February 2, and the award impositions; a digital solution to collect Swiss VAT is presently being dis- ceremony will take place on March 11. cussed. Currently, one-third of all purchases abroad are below € 50, www.nmbs.ch whereas 80% are below € 175. While Swiss officials would have preferred to see a € 175 limit imposed, they don’t believe that the new € 50 limit will have a sizeable impact on consumerism in Switzerland—it remains to be The New Prozentbuch Basel 2019/20 is Out! seen if it will have less residents crossing the border for their shopping or if it will encourage shoppers to purchase more items when shopping The prozentbuch Basel 2019/20 al- Win a copy in our abroad. Small businesses in Germany worry that the new limits will have lows you to save money while discov- “Where in Basel?” contest ering all that Basel has to offer; it is shoppers buying all of their items in one large store, rather than making available as a coupon book or as a digital version via the prozentbuch-app. smaller purchases in specialized shops such as bakeries, cheese shops, It contains 79 coupons for various venues in the Basel area—essentially a and Asian food stores. One thing is for sure, Germany and Switzerland will combination of city guide and coupons for the best, trendiest, and hippest be analyzing the impact and stand ready to make the necessary changes to places in the fields of gastronomy, nightlife, and leisure activities. Similar protect their economies, with Germany already considering lifting the € 50 editions are also available for Bern, Luzern, and Zürich. limit as soon as they are ready to implement a digital solution to the export The prozentbuch Basel has 44 gastronomy coupons for a wide range of certificate. restaurants, from fast-food eateries like Vapiano to trendy and upscale restaurants like Nua Dumpling Bar, Vito, Tender & Loins Steakhouse, or Beware of the New Timetables! Klara Food. Additionally, 22 nightlife coupons will have you discovering ­Basel’s bars and nightclubs, and 13 leisure coupons will have you skating If you are among the many who use public transport on a regular basis, you or swimming, visiting spas, cinemas, or even throwing axes. Each year, should be aware that the timetables for the SBB and TNW change every coupons from 30–40% new partners ensure that you keep discovering un- year; this year, the change occurs on December 15. Be sure to take a close known places around Basel. The book comes in two printed formats, as look at the new timetables to see if there have been any changes and to well as in an app for all digital lovers. The larger “premium” print format allow plenty of time to accommodate for any changes in your schedule. (A6, postcard size) guides you through town with a pull-out map showing www.tnw.ch/fahrplan-und-liniennetz-uebersicht; the locations of all coupon partners. The smaller “pocket” print format (A7, www.sbb.ch/en/home.html half of a postcard) is convenient for keeping with you in your pocket or purse. The digital version shines with additional features, such as the “nearby” function or the ability to directly book a table at your desired location. Check Your Luggage Allowance Before You Fly! The prozentbuch-app is available in the App Store (iOS) and Google Play Basel’s Euroairport has Store (Android). Printed editions are available online at www.prozentbuch.ch been in the news repeat- or at numerous resellers in town, or download the ­prozentbuch-app for edly this past year and is further information. All coupons are a constant topic of dis- valid until October 31, 2020. Each book cussion. Why? Because costs CHF 49.90—a great deal that Basel’s convenient and pays for itself after using only two to efficient airport had to three coupons. Furthermore, they also be evacuated several make great Christmas gifts for friends times, causing chaos and colleagues! and delayed or cancelled www.prozentbuch.ch flights. In most cases, the reason for the evacuations was abandoned lug- gage that needed to be treated as suspicious and potentially dangerous until the bomb squad could be called in to assess the threat. Fortunately, New Limits Imposed by Germany on Tax-Back Claims all those alerts of unclaimed baggage were false alarms, and no bombs Many Swiss residents like to shop over the border in Germany to take ad- were discovered. Nonetheless, the events have left passengers and air- vantage of the lower prices and tax refunds. This means that business in lines inconvenienced and frustrated. The problem is that airlines are be- German border towns is booming, but it also translates into traffic conges- coming ever more restrictive with respect to the size, weight, and number tion; long lines at the custom’s offices and border crossings, especially on of pieces of baggage passengers are entitled to. Some passengers who weekends; and overburdened German custom’s authorities. Germany were surprised at the airport by the limitations and costs of excess luggage wants to slow down the onslaught of Swiss shopping tourists and taper the have resorted to abandoning their bags, rather than paying the excess flood of “green papers” (export certificates) by imposing new limits. Start- costs or losing their flight, leading to the chaos and delays. The Euroairport ing in January 2020, your shopping bill for each store will have to total a is urging passengers to be more responsible with their belongings and to minimum of € 50 before you can get it stamped and processed for refund inform themselves about their airline’s limits on baggage before travelling. of the value added tax (VAT). The original proposal was to set the minimum Therefore, be sure to check your airline’s luggage allowance policy before purchase limit at € 175 as it is in France (for it is € 75 and for Italy you travel this holiday season to avoid unnecessary costs or delays for you € 155). However, the comparatively low volume of cross-border shopping and your fellow travelers. photo credits: © wikipedia (knee injuries on the slopes); © pro100 network (prozentbuch); © pixabay (luggage allowance) December 2019 / January 2020 27 Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February 2015 on the Town (continued)

Circus Knie—Das Circus Musical

Until December 14 The traditional Swiss family circus, Circus Knie, will be turning 100 this year, and on the occasion of this anniver- sary, Rolf Knie and his team are showcasing a special event, “KNIE—Das Circus Musical. Die Geschichte einer Dynastie” (The story of a dynasty). The show takes you on a thrilling and exciting ride, wrapped in wonderful musical garb and performed by outstanding musicians, performers, and artists in beautiful, historic costumes and in a unique setting. There will be shows on most evenings as well as matinée performances on Saturdays and Sundays at the Musical Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 62.80–115.70 for evening shows and CHF 52.10– 105.20 for early shows. www.ticketcorner.ch

Musical—The King and I Mondovino Wine Fair December 1 December 1 Hailed as the theatrical event of 2018, the multi-award winning and criti- Coop’s Mondovino wine fair will be presenting over 300 wines from all over cally acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Rodgers and Ham- the world from their very own collection at the Messe Basel. In the inviting merstein’s “The King and I” is embarking on a world tour directly from its atmosphere of this newly designed wine fair, you will have the opportunity record-breaking, sold-out season at the Palladium. Set in 1860s to savor wines and receive knowledgeable information from wine-loving Bangkok, the musical tells the story of the unconventional and tempestu- professionals. On this last day of the fair, opening hours are from 14:00– ous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna, a Brit- 18:00. Entrance is free with a Coop Supercard, otherwise CHF 10. ish schoolteacher whom the modernist king, in an imperialistic world, www.mondovino.ch brings to Siam to teach his many wives and children. “The King and I” is the greatest musical from the golden age of musicals—adored by the public and critics alike—with one of the finest scores ever written, including Ballet—Cow “Whistle a Happy Tune,” “Getting to Know You,” and “Shall We Dance.” The December 1, 7, 13, and 15; January 20 and 28 production features a company of over 50 world-class performers and a The young Swede Alexander Ekman has brought a new exuberance and full-scale orchestra. Audiences can witness this glorious production in En- fresh ideas to the dance world: he flooded the opera house in Oslo for his glish at the Theater 11 in Zürich; tickets are CHF 69.80–149.90. version of “Swan Lake,” filled the stage of the Stockholm Opera with hay www.ticketcorner.ch for his “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and made thousands of apple-sized plastic balls rain down on the dancers of the Paris Opera in the production “Play.” This season, the choreographer will prepare another acclaimed ab- stract work with Ballett Theater Basel. “Cow” is the title of his dance eve- ning in 11 scenes that he created in 2016—a full-length piece without any plot or narrative story. Like a moving installation in which even the stage design, complete with flying cows, becomes part of his virtuoso choreogra- phy, Ekman’s piece provides surprising visual moments; perfect timing; and offers the audience pure, unbridled delight in movement. And humor is not neglected either. Once again, Ekman brings a liberating, fresh north- ern wind to the Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 30–105 for adults and CHF 30–55 for students.

Contemporary Circus—Alexander Vantournhout www.theater-basel.ch December 1 Naturally 7 Alexander Vantournhout interweaves short text fragments by the Russian author Danniil Charms December 2 with dance, circus, puppet theater, magic, and en- For over 20 years, Naturally 7 have been thrilling audiences throughout the chantment. As snake-like creatures, four artists world with their music, which they call “vocal play.” Everything you hear— manipulate their bodies and objects until a new and drums, trumpets, and sound effects like scratching—is produced by the stimulating language of movement emerges (find singers with just their voices. It’s a funky mix of R’n’B, soul, and pop. Their out more at www.alexandervantournhout.be). last album “Both Sides Now” came out in 2017. For their 20th anniversary Catch this performance full of magical moments at concert, they published a “best of” album this autumn. Catch them at the the Reithalle at Kaserne Basel; tickets are CHF 35, Metro Grand Casino Basel; tickets start at CHF 33 in advance, CHF 40 at CHF 30 with ENTREZ! Kulturpass, and CHF 15 with the door. Note that entrance to the casino, its bars, restaurants, and events Legi, STUcard, colourkey, and Kulturlegi. hall is only permitted to people 18 years and older. www.starticket.ch https://grandcasinobasel.com

28 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com The Simon & Garfunkel Story 2 hours of laughter and emotion at the Théâtre La Coupole, just across December 3 the border in St-Louis, France. The show starts at 20:00 and tickets are € 19–38. After an extremely successful tour in 2018, “The Simon & Garfunkel Story” returns to Switzerland for a few selected appearances. The songs of the www.lacoupole.fr two exceptional artists have cult status. Over 38 million records sold and 10 Grammys speak for themselves about the eventful career of Paul Simon Starbugs Comedy—Jump! and Art Garfunkel. “The Simon & Garfunkel Story” is a concert-like theat- December 5, 6, and 7 rical performance about the duo’s history from its founding to the separa- This trio, the most successful Swiss comedy show, tion. In addition to many original images, the live band performs all well- has dazzled audiences from New York to Tokyo with known hits like “Mrs. Robinson” and “Cecilia.” The show will be performed a unique blend of dance, acrobatics, and nonverbal at the Congress Center Basel at 20:00; tickets are CHF 79–119. comedy. In their show entitled “Jump,” Starbugs www.ticketcorner.ch Comedy leave the well-known spheres behind with their captivating, amazing dynamics. The three cool Martin Kohlstedt guys draw their audience in with imagination, wit, and cunning, so that they can’t stop being amazed December 3 and laughing. There is always something completely unexpected going on Between synthesizer and steel string, analogue and in this physical comedy that is sure to please the whole family. They flirt digital, Martin Kohlstedt has in recent years become with the audience as they outsmart themselves. Don’t miss this precise, one of the most accomplished pianists and compos- fast-moving, and immensely funny show at the Theater Fauteuil at 20:00; ers of today (https://martinkohlstedt.com). He will be tickets are CHF 39–59 and can be bought online. bringing his latest album “Ströme,” arranged with the www.fauteuil.ch Gewandhaus Chor Leipzig and its artistic director Gregor Meyer, to Switzerland for several club shows. Catch his mesmerizing performance at Kaserne in AFTER HOURS—Chillen im Museum Basel; tickets can be bought in advance through Star- December 5; January 9 ticket for CHF 28. Holders of the STUcard, enjoy!-Kulturpass (online & eve- If you are interested in seeing the Naturhistorisches Museum Basel’s ning box office), colourkey, and Kulturlegi (evening box office) will receive a ­exhibit “Wildlife Photographer of the Year” in the evening, here is your CHF 5 discount; doors open at 20:00. chance. You can visit this special exhibit at your leisure from 18:00–23:00 www.kaserne-basel.ch for free, followed by a relaxing drink with friends at the museum bar (drinks are extra). Symphony Concert—A Midsummer Night’s Dream www.nmb.bs.ch December 4 What would Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” be without the stage music of Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy? Composed at the request of the Prussian king, the comedy of magic and love translated by August Wil- helm Schlegel conquered one theater after another in the German-speaking world. Nowadays, Mendelssohn’s wonderful music is seldom performed in its entirety. Everyone is familiar with the “Wedding March,” perhaps also the overture or the “Dance of the Clowns.” However, have you ever listened Enzo Taxi Basel Offer to the choir of the fairies with its “Eiapopeia” (lullaby)? The Austrian writer Sightseeing in Basel Franzobel has written new text intermezzi. The German (film) actress Jo- hanna Wokalek, accompanied by the fairy-like singing of the La Cetra and Beyond! Explore Basel, its surrounding areas, Vokalensemble, switches seamlessly between the roles of Puck, Titania, • and cities in Switzerland and Zettl. The concert will open with the musical wonders of violinist Frank • Discover our unique Swiss mountains, Peter Zimmermann when he plays Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. the wine route in Alsace, and the This concert of the Sinfonieorchester Basel will take place at the Theater beautiful Black Forest Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 50–90 for adults and CHF 25–50 for • Recharge your batteries in a chalet in ­students. Adelboden. www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch • Get to know skiing or new trails with an ISIA instructor. • Visit the Europa Park in Rust–a must for Circus on Ice fun enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies December 4 from young kids to adults. This Russian circus on ice is an amazing sight! The artists in this troupe Contact: combine tradition and innovation with the rhythm of traditional music and Enzo Perri / +41 79 533 44 44 trends of the nouveau cirque. Spectators will discover performances with incredible stunts, high-level acrobatics, imaginative stories, and magical [email protected] www.enzotaxi.ch special effects in unusual landscapes in conjunction with all circus arts. We speak The virtuoso and innovative artists evolve silently on a synthetic ice with infinite possibilities and with sporty and aerial precision. The show com- bines acrobatic numbers on the ice, the fascinating world of the circus, and We welcome the magic of a dance gala. Be seduced by the elegance and grace and the sumptuous costumes of these 30 Russian artists who will make you enjoy photo credits: © lukas pitsch (circus knie musical); © matthew murphy (king and i); © alexander vantournhout (contemporary circus); © j. konrad schmidt December 2019 / January 2020 29 (martin kohlstedt); © starbugs comedy Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February 2015 on the Town (continued) (continued)

Concert—Favorite Works December 7 and 8 Neues Orchester Basel has been promoting talented young local musi- cians for 35 years. In this concert entitled “Lieblingswerke” (Favorite Works), they will be playing works by Felix Mendelssohn, one of the great- est natural musical talents of all time. As a child prodigy he inspired gen- erations of musician with his work. The “Midsummer Night’s Dream” over- ture, his Violin Concerto in E Minor, and the “Italian Symphony” radiate with musical charm. Neues Orchester Basel will be presenting these three works at the Reformiertes Kirchgemeindehaus in Münchenstein (Lärchen- strasse 3) on Saturday at 19:30 and at the Martinskirche in Basel on Sun- day at 17:00. Tickets are CHF 36–55 for adults, CHF 20 for students up to age 25, and free for anyone under age 18; they can be purchased in ad- Crazy Diamond—A Tribute to Pink Floyd Live vance at Bider & Tanner as well as several other locations in Baselland, December 6 and 7 online through www.ticketino.com, or one hour in advance at the box office. The tribute band Crazy Diamond includes seven Swiss musicians who www.neuesorchesterbasel.ch skillfully follow in the footsteps of Pink Floyd. Since 2001, this crazy dia- mond has been shining in sold-out halls and at open-air events at home Opera Drama—Andersen’s Tales and abroad. To present the sound in the proper light, a truck full of tech- December 8 and 29; January 4, 7, and 25 nology is specially brought for the Z7 concert to stage an impressive laser, light, and visuals show; the concert begins at 20:15 and tickets are CHF 49. The lives and works of authors frequently in- fluence each other. However, you may not re- www.z-7.ch alize that the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen and his perhaps best-known char- Circus—The Promises of Uncertainty acter, the Little Mermaid, were kindred spir- December 7 its. This kinship is the starting point for an evening of theater full of powerful images, While travelling as a naive explorer of a world with bizarre rules, the actor words, and sounds. Andersen is just starting moves through a landscape of things that bring themselves to life. Is he the to write his tale of the “Little Mermaid” when hunter or the hunted of the objects? The virtuoso performer Marc Ooster- he turns up at his friend Edvard Collin’s house the night before his wedding hoff (www.ciemoost.com) invites you to a simultaneously amusing and in order to confess his love for him. However, he is rejected once again. threatening dance of lows and highs, accompanied live by the cosmic Upset by this, Andersen continues spinning his yarn and allows it to take a sounds of the musician Raphael Raccuia in his show called “Les Promess- tragic turn: for the love of a prince, the Little Mermaid wants to be human, es de l’Incertitude.” This contemporary circus performance will be held at at any price. To achieve this, she enters a fatal bargain with the Sea Witch. Kaserne at 18:00; tickets are CHF 25, CHF 20 with ENTREZ! Kulturpass, The Little Mermaid then becomes human—but she is still unable to gain and CHF 15 with Legi, STUcard, colourkey, and Kulturlegi. the prince’s love. Andersen discharges his unfulfilled longings in a fiction- www.starticket.ch al story, and in turn that story influences his personal life. The award-win- ning director Philipp Stölzl for the first time combines opera, theater, and ballet. The music for this cross-art-form project—a unique mixture of Circus—Juan Ignacio Tula & Stefan Kinsman classical, pop, and electronics—was written by the American composer December 7 and 8 Jherek Bischoff. “Andersen’s Tales” will be performed at the Theater Basel “Santa Madera” means “holy wood” and is a production of the South Amer- in German with German and English surtitles; tickets are CHF 30–120, half ican duo Juan Ignacio Tula and Stefan Kinsman. For this production, the price for students. artists were inspired by ceremonies and rituals celebrating traditional fes- www.theater-basel.ch tivals, using the sacred wood, Palo Santo. Breathtakingly, the duo turns with and in a Cyr wheel. Fulminant choreographies leave serpentine lines on the floor, impressions of bodies, hands, and feet. Strong pictures leave Capella Gabetta a lasting impression on the audience. Juan Ignacio Tula and Stefan Kins- December 9 man will be performing “Santa Madera” at the Station Circus, a small cir- The orchestra Cappella Gabetta, with Andrés Gabetta on violin and Sergei cus tent located near the Dreispitz stop (tram 10 and 11) in Basel that pres- Nakariakov on trumpet, will be playing works by Antonio Vivaldi, Johann ents a variety of circus acts throughout the year. The performances will be Baptist Georg Neruda, and Johann Sebastian Bach. The concert will take at 20:00 on Saturday and 19:00 on Sunday; tickets are CHF 28 for adults place at the Martinskirche Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 40–110. and CHF 18 for kids and students (recommended for age 8 and up). www.konzerte-basel.ch www.stationcircus.ch

Jeremy Pelt Quintet December 10 The composing of music inspired by paintings dates back to the 12th cen- tury (Hildegard von Bingen). In the area of jazz, Duke Ellington’s “Degas Suite” as well as Branford Marsalis' “Romare Bearden Revealed” come to mind. But with his new album, Jeremy Pelt is perhaps the first jazz artist to explore the relationship between music and sculpture. In the five-movement “Rodin Suite,” he not only deals with the works left by the French sculptor August Rodin, but also with how his art could have developed if he were still

30 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com with us. The Jeremy Pelt Quin- tet with Chien Chien Lu on vibs, Victor Gould on piano, Vi- cente Archer on bass, and Al- lan Mednard on drums, will be coming to the Q4 jazz club in Rheinfelden. ATTENTION: Due to renovations in the Hotel Schützen, the Q4 concerts are currently taking place in the Kapuzinerkirche (Kapuziner- gasse 16) in Rheinfelden, only a short walk from the Rhein- felden train station. Public car parking is available in front of the Hotel Schützen. The concert starts at 20:15. Tickets are CHF 50 for adults and CHF 10 for students (with I.D.); reserve them at [email protected] or for dinner and concert at 061-836-2525. Iiro Rantala Solo—My Finnish Calendar www.jazzclubq4.ch December 11 The Finnish pianist Iiro Rantala is “a natural event on the keyboard” Concert—AstraBeethoven (Jazzthing). “How do you recognize the Finnish summer? The rain is December 10 getting warmer!” Rantala is dedicating his third ACT solo project to his native and the mentality of its inhabitants—their melancholy, Founded around the turn of the millennium, the Swiss Chamber Soloists is their humor, and the unique Finnish spirit. He tells this story through a chamber ensemble that brings together leading performers from all 12 compositions, one for each month, with virtuosity, verve, and wit— over Switzerland, along with acclaimed guest artists from abroad, to per- and many anecdotes about the Finnish soul—as they can only come form sophisticated programs of chamber music. This “AstraBeethoven” from Rantala in his mischievous way. Offbeat will be bringing Rantala to concert will feature works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Harrison Birtwistle, the Martinskirche Basel, where he will present “My Finnish Calendar,” Stefano Gervasoni, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Ludwig van Beethoven. his latest solo project with video installation. Tickets are CHF 24.90– The concert will be held at the Gare du Nord in Basel, on the left side of the 61.60 and can be purchased through www.starticket.ch. Badischer Bahnhof, at 20:00. Tickets costs CHF 35 for adults, CHF 10 for students or holders of the colourkey, and can be reserved online. www.offbeat-concert.ch www.swisschamberconcerts.ch The Book of Mormon December 10–January 5 This outrageous musical comedy from the creators of “South Park,” Trey Parker and Matt Stone, as well as Bobby Lopez (co-writer of “Avenue Q” and “Frozen”) follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of mission- aries, sent on a mission to a place that’s about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get. With sold-out productions on Broadway as well as in London, North America, Melbourne, and Sydney, “The Book of Mormon” has be- come a worldwide sensation that has been honored with nine Tony Awards and four Olivier Awards and received wide acclaim by the critics. “The Book of Mormon” will be performed in English at the Theater 11 in Zürich. Tick- ets for the 31 performances, including 9 matinées, start at CHF 49.40. www.ticketcorner.ch

Steve Hackett December 12 For several decades now, former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett has been covering a wide musical territory from progressive rock, blues, and jazz to classical music. The gifted guitarist will be performing at the Fondation Beyeler with his acoustic trio, featuring Roger King on keyboard and Rob Townsend on saxophone and flute. The trio will reinterpret classic Genesis hits as well as solo pieces by Hackett himself. Hackett has reduced the acoustic set to be played at the Fondation Beyeler to its musical essence, making this a one-of-a-kind intimate concert that only 200 guests will be able to attend. An intense musical experience awaits Genesis fans as well as devotees of this series of live concerts, which allows members of the audience to witness world-class musicians up close. This special event will begin at 19:30; tickets are CHF 85, CHF 70 for members of the Young Art Club / Art Club & Friends. https://shop.fondationbeyeler.ch photo credits: © dani andermatt (crazy diamond); © christophe raynaud de lage (juan ignacio tula & stefan kinsman); © sandra then (andersen's tales); © jeremy pelt; December 2019 / January 2020 31 © gregor hohenberg (iiro rantala solo) Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February 2015 on the Town (continued) (continued)

Disney on Ice—Die Eiskönigin. Völlig Unverfroren December 20–22 Experience Disney’s most successful animated film of all time live on the ice! Unique skating, modern special effects, and unforgettable music will take you right into the heart of the Kingdom of Arendelle, dipped in eternal ice by a dark secret of the princess Elsa. But her little sister Anna plunges into a dare- devil adventure to free Arendelle. Join Anna, the funny snowman Olaf, and the charming nature-lover Kristoff with his faithful reindeer Sven on an exciting journey to bring back summer. Discover glittering landscapes as well as mys- terious trolls and sing along with the world-famous songs like “Let it Go” or “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” In addition to the hosts Mickey and Minnie Mouse, you can look forward to the Disney princesses and your favorite char- acters from Disney·Pixar’s “Toy Story,” “Finding Nemo,” and “The Lion King”! With “Disney On Ice—Die Eiskönigin. Völlig Unverfroren” (Frozen—Totally ­Unabashed), the whole family will be treated to an unforgettable show expe- rience. There will be five performances of this show at the St. Jakobshalle in Basel; tickets are CHF 49.90–109.90 for adults and CHF 42.10–80.95 for kids. www.ticketcorner.ch

Russian National Ballet—Sleeping Beauty MMA Fight Night December 12 December 14

A magic realm in which the good The Grand Casino Basel, in cooperation with Hard Fighting Championship, and the beautiful reign, princes proudly announces the ultimate Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Fight Night at throw themselves through thorns the Metro Club! Be part of this night and watch more than 10 fights. Tickets to reach a mysterious beauty, and are available in five categories. There is seating and standing room with where you want to return again prices for advance tickets ranging from CHF 30–70. VIP tickets are CHF 140 and again as an adult—this is in advance and entitle you to the best seats on the stage, as well as drinks what the fantastic ballet fairy tale and snacks throughout the gala. Note that entrance to the casino, its bars, “Sleeping Beauty” offers. In the restaurants, and events hall is only permitted to people 18 years and older. legendary, timeless choreography by Marius Petipa, Tchaikovsky’s roman- https://grandcasinobasel.com tic, shimmering music, which the composer considered to be one of his best works, comes into its own and unfolds its irresistible magic. But above all, the traditional Russian National Ballet can display its virtuosity effec- Opera—La Bohème tively in this ballet classic. With ease and the highest technical perfection, December 14, 18, 27, and 31; January 12 and 27 the Moscow company takes the audience into a fairy-tale world full of It is the night before Christmas. It is cold, and both wallets and stomachs grace, beauty, and elegance that has delighted young and old for 100 years. are empty. To create some warmth, the poet Rodolfo sets fire to one of his They will be performing “Sleeping Beauty” at the Burghof, just across the manuscripts. He and his friends celebrate their tiniest achievements while border in Lörrach, Germany; tickets are € 39–49, € 12 for youths. turning their arguments with representatives of the narrow-minded mid- www.burghof.com dle classes into a farce. A poet, a painter, a musician, a philosopher—these are the bohemians that Giacomo Puccini portrays in his opera. Their life is one of transition, of certainty that night will always be followed by day and Bryan Adams—Shine a Light failure by success. In the midst of the most boisterous point of their quest December 13 for personal freedom, the tubercular Mimì enters Rodolfo’s life. And what transpires is that so rare and often dreamed of moment of—love at first Bryan Adams will be back in Switzerland sight. However, along with Mimì, death and cold reality also move in. In the with his new album “Shine a Light.” The spring, the lovers part because Rodolfo is incapable of dealing with so title song was written by Adams together much reality and Mimì does not want to impose on him. Nevertheless, she with Ed Sheeran. The new album in- will spend her final minutes among friends and in the arms of her lover. cludes a nice mix of rock, pop, and some American director Daniel Kramer will stage his interpretation of “La R’n’B, plus a duet with pop star Jennifer Bohème” at Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 30–135. Lopez called “That’s how Strong our Love Is.” When Adams goes on a world tour, he www.theater-basel.ch brings not only his new songs, but four decades of feel-good rock'n'roll hits. His Dance Night repertoire includes pop ballads like ­“(Everything I Do) I Do it for You” and “All December 14; January 11 for Love,” which he sang with Sting and “Tanznacht40” dance parties are for those who have at least 40 years un- Rod Stewart, as well as the rock classic der their belts. The events will take place at Halle 7 (Dornacherstrasse 192, “Summer Of ‘69.” The Canadian’s 21st world tour, which started in Belfast Basel) and run from 20:30–02:00 with DJ Bruno on December 14 and DJ at the end of February, will also bring Adams to the Hallenstadion in Zürich; Mario Held on January 11. Friends, couples, and singles are welcome; ad- tickets are CHF 88–150. mission is CHF 15. www.ticketcorner.ch www.tanznacht40.ch

32 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com The Jackson Singers Opera—The Barber of Seville December 16 December 23; January 11 and 30 For more than 30 years, the Jackson Singers have known how to enchant Lindoro, aka Count Almaviva, uses all possible artistic means to court his their audiences and convey the message of passionate faith and love with adored Rosina and wants to stop at nothing to see her face as often as their infectious rhythms, full-bodied voices, and contagious cheerfulness. possible. However, Doctor Bartolo, Rosina’s guardian, watches over his This mixture of deep emotionality and temperament is not only convincing, beautiful (and above all wealthy) charge with eagle eyes, because he is just but immediately transfers to the audience and creates an atmosphere as as determined as the Count to marry her himself. With the help of the we know it from services in the United States. The Jackson Singers will be clever and cunning barber Figaro, the Count succeeds in gaining access to performing at the Metro Grand Casino Basel; tickets start at CHF 49. Note both Bartolo’s house and Rosina’s heart—and ultimately in releasing her that entrance to the casino, its bars, restaurants, and events hall is only from her domestic prison. Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov has trans- permitted to people 18 years and older. posed Gioachino Rossini’s opera “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” into today’s im- age-saturated world of social media. The opera is directed by British con- https://grandcasinobasel.com ductor and Rossini specialist David Parry, a regular guest at Theater Basel at the end of the 1990s. “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will be performed at Theater­ Basel in Italian with English and German surtitles; tickets are CHF 30–135 for adults and CHF 30–70 for students. www.theater-basel.ch

Die Grosse Giuseppe Verdi Gala 2019 December 30 Verdi wrote 26 operas in the course of his long life, all of them masterpieces. This production, “Die Grosse Giuseppe Verdi Gala,” showcases the most beau- tiful works from the inexhaustible wealth of magnificent overtures, arias, Philipp Fankhauser—Let Life Flow Tour and duets from operas such as “Na­ bucco,” “Rigoletto,” “Der Troubadour,” December 20 “La Traviata,” and “Aida.” The event will take place at the Musical Theater “Let Life Flow” has a few surpris- in Basel at 19:30; tickets range from CHF 54.50–99.90. es—musical, stylistic, linguistic, www.actnews.ch and personal. Philipp Fankhauser is and remains a blues musician with heart and soul. The soul- New Year’s Eve Concert soaked blues continues to be his December 31 strong point and the Try-My-Love- esque Fankhauser / Walker ballads A waltz does not always have to be by Strauss. Celebrate the New Year with are not missing on his new album. the Kammerorchester Basel, who will present two of the greatest chamber Fankhauser will stage the “Let Life Flow Tour” with his favorite band, the music works of classical and romantic music—Schumann’s Piano Quartet quintet. The concert will be at the Volkshaus Basel at 20:00 (doors open at in E Flat Major and Mozart’s Piano Quartet in G minor. The concert will 19:00); tickets are CHF 71.80 for seating and CHF 51.40 for standing room. start at 22:00 at the Druckereihalle of the Ackermannshof; tickets are CHF 45 for adults and free for kids up to age 14 (ticket necessary). www.ticketcorner.ch www.kammerorchesterbasel.ch

Ballet—Snow White December 21, 26, and 28; January 5, 19, and 31 Chamber Orchestra—Neujahrszauber (New Year’s Magic) January 2 It is a fairy-tale atmosphere all around in Richard Wherlock’s production this sea- Rarely has a young singer conquered the son. He is staging a feature-length ver- ­opera scene as quickly and thoroughly as so- sion of the well-known narrative ballet prano Regula Mühlemann, a native of Adli- “Snow White,” where he takes us on a genswil in canton Luzern, trained at the Lu- journey through a dark enchanted forest, zern Conservatory. With her crystal-clear and across the seven mountains to the seven light voice, she attracted attention at age 25 “cheeky chappies” who proceed to keep as Ännchen in the international “Freischütz” our heroine safe from all kinds of harm— film adaptation by Jens Neubert. One of her first and foremost, of course, from her strengths is her repertoire in the music of wicked stepmother. Just “who is the fair- ­Mozart and bel canto; with her debut album est of them all” and whether, at the end “Mozart Arias,” she won the Deutschen Schallplattenkritik prize. In this New of the day, the prince is able to compete Year’s program, she will perform arias by Händel, Mozart, and Rossini with with seven spirited, leaping, and spinning the Kammerorchester Basel. This concert will take place at the Martins­ dwarfs will be revealed in Wherlock’s imaginative and colorful staging of kirche at 19:30; tickets are CHF 25–80, CHF 5 discount for students, and free “Snow White” at Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 30–135. for kids under age 14 in the company of a parent (tickets necessary). www.theater-basel.ch www.kammerorchesterbasel.ch photo credits: © feld entertainment (disney on ice); © russian national ballet (sleeping beauty); © bryan adams; © jackson singers; © philip fankhauser; December 2019 / January 2020 33 © theater basel (snow white); © domino events (giuseppe verdi gala); © guido werner photography (neujahrszauber) Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February 2015 on the Town (continued) (continued)

The Beatles Tribute—The Mersey Beatles January 6 The Mersey Beatles have been rocking sold-out audiences around the globe since 1999. They pride themselves on being lifelong friends whose passion for the greatest band of all time shines through in every perfor- mance. They have been touring the world since 2012, taking their pound- ing, pulsating, and unmistakable “Mersey Beat” to excited and sold-out audiences across Europe, the United States, Asia, and . Die-hard Beatles fans should not miss their chance to catch the Mersey Beatles at the Musical Theater Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 63.60–92.80. www.ticketcorner.ch

Cocktail Concert—Serenade Nocturne January 9 In close proximity to the orchestra, in a relaxed atmosphere, perhaps with a glass of wine in your hand—these are the Cocktail Concerts of the Sinfo- nieorchester Basel. For this concert entitled “Serenade Nocturne,” mem- bers of the Sinfonieorchester Basel will be playing works by Jean Cras, African Angels Manuel de Falla, Gabriel Fauré, and Reynaldo Hahn. The concert will be held twice on the same evening; the first session begins at 18:00 and the January 8 second at 20:00. It will be held at the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois; tickets “When I sing, I celebrate.” Nothing describes the euphoric art of the start at CHF 40 (CHF 20 for students) and can be purchased online or at Cape Town Opera Chorus more beautifully than this piece of African Bider & Tanner. wisdom. With music from the soul, “African Angels” is once again www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch raising the roof in opera houses across Europe. When showcasing the best of African tradition, gospel, and opera, the singers’ powerful voices awaken the beating heart of the African continent. Experience Les Corps en Rêve “African Angels”—a concert experience as colorful and diverse as January 9 South Africa itself—at the Musical Theater Basel at 19:30; tickets are Camerata Variabile’s second concert this season is entitled “Les Corps en CHF 48–88 for adults and half price for kids up to age 16. Rêve.” There are works that exist somewhere between reality and dream www.ticketcorner.ch and take us into this strange half-world of flight, fauna, and nature. The program will consist of works by Charles Koechlin, Salvatore Sciarrino, Claude Debussy, Heinz Holliger, Roland Moser, Marcel Tournier, Maurice Starmachine Live Karaoke Band Ravel, and a world premiere by Edu Haubensak. The concert will take place January 4 at the Gare du Nord, located on the left side of the Badischer Bahnhof in If you enjoy singing to karaoke, here is your chance to do it with a live band Basel, at 20:00. Tickets costs CHF 35 for adults, CHF 20 for students, and and feel like a real star. The band Starmachine, consisting of four passion- can be purchased through www.garedunord.ch. ate musicians on guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums, will support you reli- http://camerata-variabile.ch/de/saison-konzerte ably on stage. A video in front of you displays the lyrics, while a big screen behind you helps the audience follow the lyrics as well. It’s all about having fun—leave your perfectionism and your inhibitions at home and let your- Irish Celtic—Spirit of Ireland Win tickets in our self be cheered frenetically like a real rock star! Starmachine are able to January 9–12 “Where in Basel?” contest play 50 songs and can play up to 4 hours for you! It couldn’t be easier: Take Mystical and magical, then suddenly upbeat and breathtakingly quick— a look at the track list, choose a song, and get up on stage—the band is all there is something simply magical in the air when the first dancers whirl yours! The fun begins at 23:00 and entrance is free, so get some friends across the stage. No-one can escape the energy of this rousing Irish dance together and make your way to the Parterre One by Kaserne. show. With its fantastic choreography, an outstanding tap-dance ensem- www.parterre-one.ch ble, and eminent cheerfulness, “Irish Celtic” promises the audience an exuberant evening, full of joie de vivre. A five-person live band plays the enthralling Irish music, from traditional folk songs to stormy dance music, Johann Strauss’ New Year’s Concert as well as fairy-like melodies. Discover the spirit of Ireland at one of the 5 January 5 performances, including a matinée performance, at the Musical Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 65–95 for adults and 30% off for children (up to Go back to the festivities and glamour of 19th century Vienna with this age 16), students, and seniors. sparkling gala concert of famous waltzes, polkas, and marches by Johann Strauss. Be carried away by the intoxicating melodies of his most popular www.ticketcorner.ch works, including “On the Beautiful Blue Danube,” “Tales from the Vienna Woods,” and the “Radetzky March.” For this New Year’s concert, the well- known Strauss Festival Orchestra will be accompanied by a soprano and a ballet ensemble, whose light-footed choreography will immediately ­transport audiences to the glamorous vibe of a Viennese ballroom. This event will take place at the Musical Theater Basel at 18:00; tickets are CHF 60.50–91.80. www.ticketcorner.ch

34 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Chamber Music Night—The Latin Nights staging and beautiful choreography is a treat for all fans of dance. The January 10 Grand Ballet de Kiev will be performing “Blanche Neige et les Sept Nains” (Snow White and the Seven Dwarves) at the Théâtre La Coupole, just across Kammerorchester Basel will be presenting “The Latin Nights” in this sea- the border in St-Louis, France; tickets are € 6-29. son’s fourth edition of the “Nachtklang” series. In this series, musicians www.lacoupole.fr from the Kammerorchester Basel present their favorite works; deep and humorous, poetic and solemn, in original or revolutionary instrumentation, depending on the program and mood. The concert on this night will include The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain Brazilian bossa nova music of the 50s and 60s by Antônio Carlos Jobim and January 15 João Gilberto, edited by the Bulgarian composer Mikhail Goleminov. The concert will take place in the Salon at Ackermannshof in Basel (St. After last-year’s acclaimed sold-out performance Johanns­-Vorstadt 19–21), starting at 21:00. Tickets can be purchased at the Burghof in Lörrach, The Ukulele Orchestra of ­online and are CHF 20 for adults (concert only), CHF 10 for students ages Great Britain is now back. The unique ensemble has 15 and up, and free for kids up to age 14 with accompanying parent (ticket again brewed a strong ale with ingredients from necessary). The neighboring restaurant “Zur Mägd” will be offering a pop, rock, punk, folk, jazz, oldies, and classical mu- three-course meal before the concert, which can be booked up to three sic. The ludicrous—but always surprising, funny, days in advance for CHF 54 (meal and concert). and virtuoso—mix of styles with a pinch of British humor, a good dose of self-irony, and a lot of virtuo- www.kammerorchesterbasel.ch so playfulness are all included. Catch their unique performance when they return to the Burghof this January; tickets are € 28–38. Jermaine Landsberger Trio Featuring Sandro Roy www.burghof.com January 14

The music of pianist Jermaine Landsberger has been shaped by the legacy Winter Session—Black Cat’s Smoking of Django Reinhardt and by American jazz traditions. He is considered a January 17 style-shaping pianist and avant-gardist of the European gypsy-jazz scene, spicing up his powerful yet melodic play with audible gypsy-jazz elements. The Markthalle will begin its winter music sessions, which unite exception- Sandro Roy is one of the most promising young European jazz violinists. al international acts with local talents, with Black Cat’s Smoking from Since publishing his debut CD in 2015, his career has taken off and he has Zürich. This acoustic duo may be described as a musical stray: sometimes played at numerous large festivals in Europe and the United States. In quiet and hidden, then full throttle like a steam train through dry fields and 2017, Roy recorded his second album with the Jermaine Landsberger Trio. rainy roads. No frills, just pure sound! You will immediately be captivated You can now listen to Roy and the Jermaine Landsberger Trio, which also by Jenna’s voice and Sandro’s strong and soulful guitar playing that is in- features Joel Locher on bass and Julian Frau on drums, and their program fluenced by artists such as The Black Crowes and Neil Young. The session “Gypsy Jazz Today” at the Q4 jazz club in Rheinfelden. ATTENTION: Due to will take place in the Wohnzimmer (lounge) of the Markthalle from 20:30– renovations in the Hotel Schützen, the Q4 concerts are currently taking 22:00; entrance is free but there will be a collect. place in the Kapuzinerkirche (Kapuzinergasse 16) in Rheinfelden, only a www.altemarkthalle.ch short walk from the Rheinfelden train station. Public car parking is avail- able in front of the Hotel Schützen. The concert starts at 20:15. Tickets are Rhythm of the Dance CHF 45 for adults and CHF 10 for students (with I.D.); reserve them at [email protected] or for dinner and concert at 061-836-2525. January 18 www.jazzclubq4.ch This incredible live show contains a wealth of Irish talent and features world and Irish champion dancers, some of the finest traditional musi- cians, and singers who are a big hit everywhere. Combining traditional Flashdance—Das Musical dance and music with the most up-to-date stage technology, this two-hour January 14–19 dance and music extravaganza takes the audiences on an exhilarating and “Flashdance—The Musical” brings the exhila- exciting, energy-packed time trip through the ages. It’s internationally rat- rating spirit of the 80s live on stage. Whether ed as one of the busiest and most popular Irish tap-dance shows in the it’s “What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” or “Gloria,” the world, making it a success with critics and audiences worldwide. Be sure soundtrack of the cult film has sold more than to experience it when it comes to the Congress Center Basel; tickets are 20 million copies and has won both an Oscar CHF 81.90–116.90 for adults and CHF 61.60–96.90 for people under age 21. and a Grammy for Best Original Song. Experi- www.nicetime.ch ence one of the most impressive dance films live on stage when the electri- fying stage adaptation comes exclusively to the Musical Theater Basel. There will be six performances, including two matinées; tickets are CHF 58–138 for adults and 30% reduced for kids up to age 16, students, and seniors. www.ticketcorner.ch

Ballet—Snow White and the Seven Dwarves January 15

The Grand Ballet de Kiev will delight the imagination of young and old with this wonderful ballet based on the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale! Snow White is a very pretty princess. Her stepmother, the Queen, sensing that one day the beauty of Snow White will exceed hers, orders her gamekeeper to kill her. Not having the courage to execute his orders, he leaves Snow White in the forest. And everyone knows the rest! This classic tale with colorful photo credits: © kim stevens (african angels); © philippe fretault (irish celtic); © flashdance key visual; © james millar (ukulele orchestra) December 2019 / January 2020 35 Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February 2015 on the Town (continued) (continued)

Musical—Les Misérables January 21 – February 23 Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical “Les Misérables” will play for the first time in Switzerland in its original English version! Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, “Les Misérables” tells the story of the ex-convict Jean Valjean, who promises the dying factory worker Fantine to care for her daughter, Cosette. Valjean has been hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert, so he escapes together with Cosette to Paris, where they get drawn into the street-revolution, facing a fight for life, hope, love, and freedom. The brilliant new staging has taken the world by storm and has been hailed as “Les Mis for the 21st century.” With scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo and based on his classic novel, featuring the thrilling score and beloved songs, this breathtaking production is a worldwide phenomenon. Performances will take place at ­Theater 11 in Zürich; tickets are CHF 68–148 (20% discount for kids up to age 16 and students). www.ticketcorner.ch

Concert—Mächtig Ergriffen (Greatly Moved) seems, and everyone who loses their sense of perspective will fail. This opera buffa in four acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart with libretto by Lo- January 18 and 19 renzo Da Ponte will be performed in Italian with German and English sur- Music affects the body and mind. The critic of the Linzer Zeitung was titles at Theater Basel; tickets are CHF 30–158. “greatly moved” at the world premiere of Bruckner’s Mass in E Minor and www.theater-basel.ch confessed: “When the last chords had died down, I would have loved to cry from the heart.” The Neues Orchester Basel will be presenting this power- ful work at the Stadtkirche Liestal (Rosengasse 1) on Saturday at 19:30 and Blue Man Group at the Martinskirche Basel on Sunday at 17:00; tickets are CHF 36–55 for January 21–26 adults, CHF 20 for students up to age 25, and free for anyone under age 18. They can be purchased in advance at Bider & Tanner as well as several At Blue Man Group, you’ll rock, other locations in Baselland, online through www.ticketino.com, or one laugh, and party. Blue Man Group hour in advance at the box office. performances are euphoric celebra- tions of human connection through www.neuesorchesterbasel.ch art, music, comedy, and non-verbal communication. Since debuting at Opera—The Marriage of Figaro New York’s Astor Place Theatre in 1991, the live show has expanded to January 18, 24, 26, and 29 additional U.S. residencies in Bos- Figaro, the equally witty and cunning barber of Seville, has previously ton, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Orlan- helped his master, Count Almaviva, marry the beautiful Rosina. Now that do; an international residency in Figaro himself plans to marry Susanna, the Countess’ chambermaid, the Berlin; and multiple North American Count generously announces that he will refrain from the “ius primae noc- and world tours, reaching more than tis,” the right of the first night that is his due as a nobleman. However, his 35 million people worldwide. Blue Man Group is universally appealing to a amorous interest in his wife’s chambermaid is too strong for him to be broad range of age groups and cultural backgrounds, and continually in- prepared to forgo a tryst with her. Neither Susanna nor her prospective jected with new music, fresh stories, custom instruments, and sensory husband wishes to put up with the Count’s stalking any longer, so they do stimulating visuals. The global smash hit returns to the Musical Theater everything they can to deceive the Count. However, the Count has a few Basel with eight shows, including two matinée performances; tickets are tricks of his own to gain his objective. As a result, a riotous game develops CHF 48–128 for adults (30% reductions for kids up to age 16, students, and in the course of a single, crazy day in which all the participants and their seniors). individual desires are thoroughly confused. By the end, nothing is what it www.ticketcorner.ch

36 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com Symphony Concert—Femmes Fatales wheel, Chinese pole, and aerial hoop as well as dancers, and they offer, not January 22 and 23 without malice, a scripted show with the codes and other clichés of the film noir. Meet a mafia boss, his wife, his henchman, a pin-up girl, a bartender, Sinfonieorchester Basel will be presenting a journey through Eastern Eu- and a bandit who, as they appear, transform the elements of the decor. The ropean, Spanish, and French sounds with the German-Japanese pianist show is artistic, fast-paced, fun, and always surprising, with a unique Alice Sara Ott and conductor Michal Nesterowicz. Two of the pieces that soundtrack that is perfectly integrated with the rhythm and movements of will be performed focus on tragic female figures—excerpts from Georges the artists. Check out the online teaser for “Speakeasy” or better yet, Bizet’s Suites "L'Arlésienne" and “Carmen.” In “L’Arlésienne,” a young ­experience it in person at Théâtre La Coupole, just across the border in country lad is driven to take his own life as a result of his unrequited love St-Louis, France; tickets are € 6–29. for a young girl. Bizet’s Carmen drives a succession of men crazy; however, she prefers to keep her freedom. Also on the program is Joseph Haydn’s www.lacoupole.fr Piano Concerto in D Major, which became a virtual hit with its “Rondo all’ Ungarese.” The concert opens with “Orawa” by the Polish composer Mizmorim—Festival of Jewish Classical ­Woj­ciech Kilar. With this piece, Kilar was thinking of the eponymous river January 23–26 and the mountains in the Carpathians—it is a type of pastoral symphony for strings from the late 20th century. The concert will take place at Theater This festival highlights new Jewish musical traditions. It takes its name Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 50–90. from the biblical songs and psalms, the Mizmorim, representing the musi- cal form of prayer and intellectual exchange in the Jewish faith. This year’s www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch festival, entitled “Tour Da Ponte,” is dedicated to one of the most dazzling personalities of the 18th century—Lorenzo Da Ponte (1749–1838), who was Chamber Music Concert—Concerto for Sol born as Emanuele Conegliano into a Jewish family before his father con- January 23 verted to Christianity in 1863. Together with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Da Ponte created “Le nozze di Figaro,” “Don Giovanni,” and “Così fan tutte,” Composers often write music out of an inner drive. But sometimes they three opera masterpieces that are unique in their dramaturgical and mu- need a stimulus in the form of a commission—like Igor Stravinsky and sical sophistication. Throughout his life, he also wrote several “Mizmorim” Wolfgang Rihm. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Basel psalm poems in Italian, which are integrated into the festival’s concert pro- Chamber Orchestra in 1947, Igor Stravinsky wrote his “Concerto in Re” at grams. In this sense, the Mizmorim Festival 2020 follows musical and lit- the behest of the conductor and influential Swiss patron Paul Sacher, a fine erary development lines and presents a wide variety of works from the example of the bright Neoclassicism of the late Stravinsky. Do, re, mi, fa, time of Da Ponte to the present day. On four consecutive days, nine con- sol—these are the old names for the notes c, d, e, f, g. Accordingly, “Con- certs will take place at the Zunftsaal im Schmiedenhof, Gare du Nord, certo in Re” means “Concerto in D.” Similarly, “Concerto en Sol” means bird’s eye jazz club, and the Safe at Unternehmen Mitte. Visit their website “Concerto in G”—or “Concerto for Sol Gabetta.” Grandseigneur Wolfgang for a complete list of concerts; tickets can be purchased online or through Rihm has written a sonorous cello concerto for the cellist Gabetta, who like Bider & Tanner. no other knows about the art of making the cello sing and fly. Mendels- http://mizmorimfestival.com sohn’s “Scottish” symphony fits very well in this context of light, floating, and happy melancholy. It is the finest example of the radiantly happy Men- delssohn with a of thoughtfulness. The concert will take place at the Martinskirche at 19:30. Tickets are CHF 25–80, CHF 5 discount for stu- dents, and free for kids under age 14 in the company of a parent (tickets necessary). www.kammerorchesterbasel.ch

Circus Theater—Speakeasy January 23 Speakeasy was the name given to illegal bars in the United States during Prohibition. In this show, which is a combination of modern circus, theater, and acrobatics, the audience is plunged back to the New York of the 1930s. In addition to exploring the gangster films that bring them all together, The Rat Pack’s artists are passionate about all the techniques of filmmaking that they hijack here to reinvent their own circus. They are acrobats on Cyr

Concert—Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets January 24

The success story continues: flying cars, whomping willows, and a warning from a mysterious house-elf—and this is only the start of Harry Potter’s second year in the fascinating wizarding world. Following the first part, the original English version of “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets—In Concert” can now also be experienced on the big screen with live music. Accompanied by the Swiss 21st Century Orchestra, one of the most suc- cessful screen adaptations in cinema history, with its phenomenal score by John Williams, is transformed into a captivating live experience at the Hal- lenstadion in Zürich at 19:30; tickets are CHF 59.60–139.90.

www.ticketcorner.ch photo credits: © helen maybanks (les misérables); © blue man group; © cine concerts (harry potter & the chamber of secrets) December 2019 / January 2020 37 Entertainment:Events in Basel: Night February on the 2015 Town (continued) (continued)

Ballet Black January 29 Founded in 2001 by Cassa Pancho, Ballet Black has earned a promi- nent position among the free dance companies as well as a multitude of international awards. The dance ensemble, which consists exclu- sively of dancers of African-American and Asian descent, blends classical ballet with contemporary elements into a rich dramatic and ingenious movement narrative. Of the three pieces presented on this evening, two have been commissioned from members of the compa- ny. “Ingoma,” a work by ensemble member Mthuthuzeli November, combines music and dance into a powerful accusation of the ex- ploitation and marginalization of Black people in South Africa, while an updated version of Martin Lawrance’s “Pendulum” brings the timeless grace of classical ballet to the present. The third choreog- raphy, “CLICK!” by ensemble member Sophie Laplane, is a light and imaginative movement play of the finger snap, its typical sound, and the associated impulses in the communication between people. Bal- let Black will be performing at the Burghof, just across the border in Lörrach, Germany; tickets are € 39–49, € 12 for youths. www.burghof.com

State Russian Ballet Moscow—Swan Lake One Vision of Queen January 27 January 29

Since the ensemble’s founding in The band Queen has fascinated people worldwide for decades with their 1979, the stars of the State Russian danceable hits, big hymns, soulful love songs, and musical masterpieces. Ballet Moscow have enchanted audi- There was no other voice like that of Freddie Mercury, until Canadian rock ences worldwide and across genera- singer Marc Martel amazed the world eight years ago with a video on You- tions with their unique, pure, and Tube and Facebook, where he quickly garnered over 30 million clicks. With classical Russian ballet art. The en- “One Vision of Queen,” Martel brings the legacy of one of the greatest rock semble under the direction of groups of all time to European stages, including one stop at the St. Jakobs­ Wjatscheslaw Gordejew includes a halle in Basel; tickets are CHF 60.60–104.90. new generation of master dancers www.actnews.ch who are constantly introducing new elements and a new kind of perfection into the classics, while still guaranteeing intoxicating stage sets; sumptu- ous costumes; and, above all, grace, passion, and perfection. Let yourself Camerata Schweiz & Burhan Öçal be carried away into the fascinating world of classical Russian ballet art as January 29 and 30 they bring their production of “Swan Lake” to Switzerland, with one stop at Camerata Schweiz with percussionist Burhan Öçal, under the direction of the Musical Theater Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 49.90– 109.90. Howard Griffiths, will be playing works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart www.actnews.ch (Symphony No. 41 in C Major, KV 551, “Jupiter”) and Öçal (works for per- cussion and orchestra). The concert will take place at the Musical Theater Basel at 19:30 on both nights; tickets are CHF 51–78 and CHF 29 for stu- Amor Sacro dents on January 30. January 28 www.ticketcorner.ch The concert entitled “Amor Sacro,” with La Cetra Baroque Orchestra and Vocal Ensemble led by Andrea Marcon, is dedicated to two of Mozart’s spir- Concert—AstraHolliger itual works. The relatively unknown “Litaniae Lauretanae” (Litany of Lore- to), KV 195, was composed when Mozart was in the service of the January 30 Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg and a mere 18 years old. The name “Lore- The Swiss Chamber Soloists is an ensemble that brings together leading to” and the fact that it is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary comes from performers from all over Switzerland, along with acclaimed guest artists the numerous invocations inscribed on the walls of the Marian pilgrimage from abroad, to perform sophisticated programs of chamber music. This basilica on top of Monte Gargano on the central Adriatic coast of Italy. In “AstraHolliger” concert will feature works by Ludwig Spohr, Ludwig van contrast, the Great Mass in C Minor, KV427, is one of Mozart’s spiritual Beethoven, Heinz Holliger, Jürg Wyttenbach, Toshio Hosokawa, Younghi masterpieces and is filled with a wealth of glorious and inspiring music Pagh-Paan, and Franz Schubert. The concert will be held at the Gare du that will doubtlessly be tremendously fulfilling. The concert will take place Nord in Basel, on the left side of the Badischer Bahnhof, at 19:30. Tickets in the Theodorskirche in Basel at 19:30; tickets are CHF 41.20–86.90 for costs CHF 35 for adults, CHF 10 for students or holders of the colourkey, adults, CHF 12.70 for students, and CHF 5.30 for children under age 14. and can be reserved online. https://lacetra.ch www.swisschamberconcerts.ch

38 Basel Life Magazine / www.basellife.com ABBA Gold—The Concert Show January 31 Back again for one night only at the Musical Theater in Basel, the show “ABBA Gold: Knowing you—Knowing me” will present the music of ABBA as Ecole Française De Bâle vivid and original as possible. The high Daycare & Kindergarten Elementary school quality and attention to detail, from the Dornacherstrasse 92 Engelgasse 103 original costumes to the Swedish ac- [email protected] [email protected] cent of the band members, means that 061 271 75 72 061 311 07 30 the audience does not have to close Founded in 1884, EFDB offers : • An educational institution approved by the French National Ministry their eyes to believe that they are attending a “real” ABBA concert. Tickets of Education, the Agency for French Education Abroad (AEFE) and range from CHF 41.20–81.90 and can be purchased through Ticketcorner. under the control of the Canton of Basel Stadt. www.actnews.ch • An excellent opportunity for your child to learn French. • A welcoming, international atmosphere embracing native as well as non-native speakers. Boys’ Choir Basel—Stabat Mater • A kindergarten and a primary section from age 2 to 11. January 31 • Childcare from 7:45 am to 6:30 pm, including a canteen. • A 6th grade - opening in September 2020. The diverse settings of “Stabat Mater” are among the most beautiful and • Many extracurricular activities including violin, piano, important compositions in the history of music. The 13th century Latin text yoga, swimming, theatre, circus, cooking classes in portrays the mother of Jesus at the cross, immersed in her grief for her English and German as well as French, German and son. Antonín Dvorák’s setting for soloists, choir, and large orchestra op. 58 English courses (preparation for the Cambridge English was written in 1876/1877 and is one of the most important works of the exam available). Bohemian composer. Dvorák’s three children died while he was creating • We also have a full time nursery “La petite Bulle” for infants from 3 the piece, and the music is therefore permeated by his own pain, but also to 24 months. by the hope of resurrection. The oratorio is ideal for the young boys of the Knabencantorei Basel (boys’ choir), which will be joined by the soloists Educational excellence and personal confidence for all children Gudrun Sidonie Otto, Nathalie Mittelbach, Michael Feyfar, and Hanno Müller-Brachmann, as well as the Kammerorchester Basel. The concert We are looking forward to welcoming you! Please email or call us to visit – www.efdb.ch will be held at the Martinskirche at 19:30; tickets are CHF 15–60. www.knabenkantorei.kulturticket.ch

Basel offers an interesting mix of modern architecture; historical buildings; and quaint cobblestone streets riddled with artistic sculp- tures, curious statues, colorful murals, historical fountains, intri- cately detailed mailboxes, and other such works of art. A short walk through any part of town will have you discovering interesting and artistic gems at every corner. How well do you know Basel? Check out the “Where in Basel?” pic- ture in each issue and if you recognize the location you have a chance to win a fabulous prize. If you think you know where this month’s pic- ture was taken, send us an email at [email protected] with the sub- ject title “Where in Basel?” by Thursday, December 5. Among the re- spondents, we will raffle off a copy of the new “Prozentbuch­ Basel,” a copy of the book "Why do the Swiss have such great sex?" as well as tickets to the Irish Celtic event on January 9. We will then post the solution on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine).

Good Luck!

Solution to last month’s “Where in Basel?”: The image showed the old weather station at Claraplatz that has been located there since 1892. Congratulations to all our winners!

photo credit: © rick guest (ballet black); © state russian ballet moscow (swan lake); © weleon entertainment gmbh (abba gold); © anne kohler (where in basel) December 2019 / January 2020 39 Contact us for more information about subscribing or advertising:

[email protected] www.facebook.com/basellifemagazine A Monthly Guide to Living in Basel www.basellife.com photo credit: © dietrich varaklis credit: photo

Ticket Office: Get Your Tickets Now! Who Where When Tickets

Concert & Cinema—E.T. Musical Theater, Basel February 1 www.sinfonieorchesterbasel.ch The Kelly Family—25 Years over the Hump St. Jakobshalle, Basel February 7 www.ticketcorner.ch Das Phantom der Oper Musical Theater, Basel February 9 www.actnews.ch Art on Ice 2020 St. Jakobshalle, Basel February 13 &14 www.ticketcorner.ch Bodyguard—The Musical Theater 11, Zürich March 4 – April 13 www.ticketcorner.ch Rock Meets Classic—Alice Cooper Hallenstadion, Zürich March 6 www.ticketcorner.ch Star Wars—The Concert Show Musical Theater, Basel March 6 www.actnews.ch Game of Thrones—The Concert Show Musical Theater, Basel March 10 www.actnews.ch Santana—Supernatural Hallenstadion, Zürich March 15 www.abc-production.ch Elvis—Das Musical Musical Theater, Basel March 20 www.nicetime.ch Avril Lavigne Samsung Hall, Zürich March 13 www.ticketcorner.ch Forever Amy—Feat. Amy’s Original Band Musical Theater, Basel March 24 www.actnews.ch James Blunt Hallenstadion, Zürich March 24 www.ticketcorner.ch Simple Minds—40 Years of Hits Tour Hallenstadion, Zürich March 25 www.ticketcorner.ch Pasión de Buena Vista Musical Theater, Basel March 28 www.actnews.ch Russell Howard—Respite World Tour Samsung Hall, Zürich March 28 www.starticket.ch That’s Life—Das Sinatra-Musical Musical Theater, Basel March 29 www.actnews.ch Night of the Jumps St. Jakobshalle, Basel May 9 www.ticketcorner.ch Celine Dion—Courage World Tour Hallenstadion, Zürich June 2 & 3 www.ticketcorner.ch Eric Clapton Hallenstadion, Zürich June 5 www.ticketcorner.ch Cirque du Soleil—Kooza Grand Chapiteau, Zürich September 5–27 www.ticketcorner.ch Elton John—Farewell Yellow Brick Road Hallenstadion, Zürich October 6 &7 www.ticketcorner.ch