The Sinfonieorchester Basel (Symphony Orchestra Basel) is a Swiss orchestra based in Basel. The orchestra performs symphony concerts at the Musiksaal, Basel. The orchestra also serves as the opera orchestra and ballet orchestra for the Theater Basel. The orchestra receives funding from the half-cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft.
The orchestra was formed in 1997 from the merger of two prior ensembles, the Basler Sinfonie-Orchester (Basel Symphony Orchestra) and the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Basel (Radio Symphony Orchestra Basel). Mario Venzago was the first chief conductor of the newly formed ensemble, from 1997 to 2003. Marko Letonja succeeded Venzago as chief conductor from 2003 to 2006. In March 2008, the orchestra named Dennis Russell Davies its third chief conductor, as of the 2009-2010 season, with an initial contract of 5 years.[1] [2]
The orchestra has recorded commercially for the Col Legno, CPO, Novalis and Ondine[3] labels.