Fortuna turns the wheel

On the weekend of September 16/17, many wheels and circles turned in the round of the "Pantheon" in Muttenz, in this unadorned industrial building from the 1960s in no man's land between the highway junction, railroad and residential area. Ten years ago, the mighty round hall was renovated and converted into a classic car museum. Since then, the venue and restaurant have been increasingly booked for events.

The location proved to be ideal for the performances of the youth choir opera in several respects The big turn. There was no need for a backdrop - and not just for reasons of economy - as the theme of "turning" was impressively illustrated both by the omnipresent wheels of the vintage cars and the shape of the building. When the goddess Fortuna then also did her rounds on the tandem, on the wheel and on the lid of the drinking bottle and the performers marched forwards or backwards in a circle, depending on the turn of the play, the symbolism was complete.
 

Lukas Holliger's libretto essentially consists of four life stories whose protagonists, for various reasons, want to turn back the clock, but then come to the realization that this is not possible in real life, nor is it desirable. The author has succeeded in creating a straightforward, simple yet profound examination of one of the great human issues that not only children and young people are concerned with: How can we accept what is unchangeable, learn lessons for our present lives and look to the future. Beat Vögele's music supports this search for meaning excellently with its colorfulness and drama. The complex score was competently interpreted by an outstanding chamber orchestra consisting of teachers from the Music Academy. Five choirs from the Basel Music School, graded according to age, had far more to do than simply sing beautifully. From announcing impending doom to symbolizing the course of time to choreographed, active acting, the young performers had many functions to fulfil. At the same time, the demanding music had to be mastered by the singers. This was especially true for the young soloists. The scene with bank manager Quentin's nightmares was particularly gripping: Quentin will later regret having turned back the clock, as he is confronted with dark spots in his past that he would rather not be reminded of. "Forwards they are sad, backwards they are sad", the saying goes.

At the end, the "deus ex machina" appears in the person of the devil and gives the play a saving twist. Fortuna is distracted and the tandem is turned in the opposite direction, so that the goddess of fate drives into the future again without realizing it. The chorus intones "Everything has its time" and reminds us that once missed, it is almost impossible to make up for it.
 

The choir at the Basel Music School is a model of success that is second to none. Susanne Würmli-Kollhopp started with the first children's choir at the Riehen Music School around 1980. From 1983, she continued and expanded her choral work at the Basel Music School. Maria Laschinger, who has been team-teaching the choirs together with Regina Hui, Beat Vögele and Christa Andres since 2010, once went through the choir school herself. She sang under Susanne Würmli for 30 years and was finally elected as her successor in 2007. The social and intergenerational aspects of her work are very important to the management team. Families" were formed from the 180 participants: one to three children from each of the five choirs. This created a welcome exchange and cohesion in which the older members were able to look after the younger ones.

There is no need to worry about new blood in Basel. Young people who enjoy singing sign up on their own and don't need to be sought out.
On Saturday, September 23, one of the choirs will sing in the world premiere of a work by Argentinian composer Guillermo Klein at the Musik-Akademie ceremony in St. Martin's Church. The European Youth Choir Festival 2018 in Basel is set to be another highlight and the Midsummer Choir Festival in Margarethenpark is on the program in June 2018.
 

Photo: Werner Laschinger