Switzerland

Swiss classical composers include Ludwig Senfl, Joachim Raff, Ernest Bloch and Arthur Honegger. The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande was founded in Geneva in 1918 by Ernest Ansermet with Paul Lachenal and plays at the Victoria Hall. Ansermet and Walter Schulthess also started the Lucerne Festival in 1938. Performances conducted by Ansermet with pianist Alfred Cortot on 18 July preceded the gala concert conducted by Arturo Toscanini at Tribschen on 25 August. The festival uses the KKL concert hall designed by Jean Nouvel, and Claudio Abbado and Michael Haefliger formed the Lucerne Festival Orchestra in 2003.