La Cetra Barockorchester Basel was founded in Basel in 1999. The name of the orchestra is taken from the title of Antonio Vivaldi’s printed opus 9, a collection of violin concertos from 1727. “La Cetra” refers to the mythical lyre of the ancient singers, above all Orpheus and Apollo.
With La Cetra, an ensemble stepped onto the international stage that quickly claimed a place among the top historically informed orchestras. Successes at important international festivals and a wide range of broadcast and CD productions document the orchestra’s dynamic development.
The musicians are mostly graduates of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis, the Swiss “elite training centre” for early music. Beyond this personnel connection, the ensem- ble also maintains an intensive collaboration with the research department of the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis which enables the creative musical process to be accompanied by the latest insights from musicological research. A series of fascinating musical discoveries attest to this approach (Brescianello, Venturini, Paisiello). The repertoire ranges from Monteverdi’s operas of the early seventeenth century up to the major symphonic works of the nineteenth century. Depending on the requirements, the ensemble works with a series of renowned guest conductors (including, for example, Jordi Savall, René Jacobs and Gustav Leonhard) or with direct chamber music interaction.
In 2009 Andrea Marcon was appointed the orchestra’s artistic director.
Ultimately, all efforts serve only a single purpose: to bring to life the music of yesteryear for the people of today – in vital, thrilling, and up-to-date interpretations.