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Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong><br />

No. <strong>18</strong><br />

gstaadlife.com<br />

Menuhin<br />

Festival Gstaad:<br />

frisson from<br />

the New World<br />

by Alison Chabloz<br />

At the age of 12, my mother took<br />

me to see the Halle Orchestra.<br />

During the finale of Beethoven’s<br />

5th, I was suddenly overcome by<br />

a new and wonderful sensation:<br />

the music sent shivers along my<br />

spine. Even if life’s opportunities<br />

have provided similar sensory<br />

pleasures (<strong>no</strong>t always musical), 30<br />

years on, I still remember this<br />

first, intense moment of bliss.<br />

With high hopes of more musical<br />

marvels, I took my seat in Gstaad’s<br />

festival tent for last Saturday’s<br />

performance by Zubin Mehta and<br />

the Israel Philharmonic. In front<br />

of a full house, Mehta was relaxed<br />

and convincing. He conducted<br />

two of the evening’s works from<br />

memory, the third being so recent<br />

continued on page 6<br />

Local butcher<br />

to close<br />

by Gregory Zwygart<br />

Making an effort to support local<br />

businesses can help Saanenland<br />

maintain a plentiful and high<br />

quality selection of homegrown<br />

produce. The upcoming retirement<br />

of local butcher Hansjörg Bieri in<br />

October once again demonstrates<br />

the vulnerability of independent<br />

continued on page 3<br />

Arnaud<br />

de Borchgrave<br />

At the Gstaad<br />

Symposium<br />

page 7<br />

Dolores Smithies<br />

A great friend<br />

of Saanen’s<br />

elderly<br />

page 6<br />

Zubin Mehta<br />

In concert at the<br />

Menuhin Festival<br />

page 6<br />

Above, the Zingre field (on the right as you drive into Gstaad from Saanen) will be rezoned from<br />

agricultural to residential land, with the restriction that all chalets built will be for local residents.<br />

Rezoning for the future<br />

Local council president Andreas Hurni talks to <strong>GstaadLife</strong> about land rezoning, maintaining<br />

local traditions, and slowing the increase in the number of vacation homes. Planned<br />

changes include two new proposed hotels and the rezoning of agricultural land.<br />

“We do <strong>no</strong>t want to lose our<br />

traditions, our originality, or our<br />

authenticity,” said Gemeinde<br />

president Andreas Hurni when<br />

talking about the Gemeinde’s<br />

goals as they pertain to the current<br />

land use plan revision. In the final<br />

stages of the review process, the<br />

Gemeinde is soliciting a second<br />

round of public input from<br />

residents and guests on the<br />

proposed zoning changes.<br />

Interested individuals have until<br />

September 7 20<strong>07</strong> to view the<br />

plans at the Gemeinde and to send<br />

in their comments. The finalized<br />

revision is expected to come<br />

before the voters by spring 2008.<br />

by Diana Oehrli<br />

Cantonal approval would be<br />

sought by the beginning of 2009.<br />

“The consensus is that we want to<br />

see a functioning agricultural<br />

sector,” Hurni commented. “We<br />

want to keep the beauty of our<br />

landscape, and we want to keep<br />

our villages as villages. We don’t<br />

continued on page 3<br />

Photo: Andrea von Siebenthal


• An alternative look at the news and views of Gstaad<br />

• Keep up on all the latest, even when you’re <strong>no</strong>t<br />

in Gstaad<br />

• Have your say! Share your thoughts and comments<br />

directly on the website<br />

• Updated all year round, even in the off seasons<br />

• Receive automatic email updates whenever new<br />

articles are posted on the site<br />

<strong>GstaadLife</strong>.com brings you the most up-to-the-minute news of life in and around Gstaad<br />

in English. For chalet owners, local residents, and visitors alike, log on to get the very<br />

latest news, tips, and events from <strong>GstaadLife</strong> and the Anzeiger von Saanen. You’ll even<br />

find classified ads from the Anzeiger in English, commentary and perspectives, as well<br />

as Gstaad-related links from around the web. Every article has a link for you to provide<br />

your own comments and opinions, and we want to hear from you!<br />

<strong>GstaadLife</strong>.com<br />

let the conversation begin…<br />

Rougemont – Gstaad<br />

Pa<strong>no</strong>ramic view on the village and the mountains<br />

Magnificent 9 roomed chalet, 10 minutes by car from Gstaad. This<br />

chalet has just been completely re<strong>no</strong>vated blending tradition and<br />

modernity. It has a very warm atmosphere with a living surface of 400 m 2 ,<br />

on grounds of 1500 m 2 , in a quiet setting near shops and the town centre.<br />

Lift and two garages. Maximum sunshine. Garden with trees, very pleasant<br />

setting. Price on request.<br />

CF Immobilier – Compagnie Foncière SA<br />

Tél. +41 (0)26 925 10 00<br />

info@cfimmobilier.ch – www.cfimmobilier.ch


Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong> · gstaadlife.com<br />

Page 3 Local news<br />

Rezoning for the future<br />

continued from page 1<br />

want to become a city.” Hurni<br />

believes that keeping the traditional<br />

chalet style is crucial.<br />

In Saanenland there is currently a<br />

local housing crisis, which the<br />

Gemeinde has described as<br />

precarious. A recent poll concluded<br />

that 23% of employees of local<br />

businesses live outside the<br />

Gemeinde. In light of a predicted<br />

population increase of 5-10%, from<br />

today’s 7,100 the Gemeinde plans<br />

to create 300-500 apartment units<br />

for local residents and has decided<br />

to purchase plots of land for this<br />

purpose. Local residents are those<br />

who pay income/wealth taxes here.<br />

This excludes foreigners who pay<br />

the Pauschal tax or alternative<br />

lump-sum tax.<br />

The Gemeinde also wants to halt<br />

the transformation of primary<br />

homes into vacation residences.<br />

Over the last 15 years, 210 primary<br />

residences have become vacation<br />

homes, more than half of the total<br />

371 secondary residences added. Of<br />

the existing 5,800 total residence<br />

units, nearly half are vacation<br />

homes. The Gemeinde plans on<br />

Local butcher to close<br />

continued from page 1<br />

shopkeepers with regard to<br />

wholesalers, as well as the risks of<br />

taking over a specialized store.<br />

Hansjörg Bieri has been a butcher<br />

in Saanenland since 1975. To this<br />

day, he is in charge of the<br />

Metzgerei in Schoenried, Gstaad<br />

and Zweisimmen. The meat<br />

business is a family tradition and<br />

dates back to 1949 when<br />

Hansjörg’s father opened the<br />

butcher in Gstaad’s village center.<br />

Over the decades Hansjörg shared<br />

the work in the three branches<br />

with his two brothers, Christoph<br />

and Arthur. Things started to<br />

change in 2000 when Christoph<br />

took charge of the production site<br />

on Turbachstrasse, and in 2006<br />

when Arthur retired due to health<br />

reasons. Ever since, Hansjörg and<br />

his wife Edith have been in charge<br />

of all three shops.<br />

Hansjörg also faces health<br />

problems and, following the<br />

advice of doctors, decided to close<br />

his branches in Gstaad and<br />

making more money available to<br />

subsidize rents through a special<br />

<strong>no</strong>n-profit fund. Thanks to this<br />

fund, those local residents falling<br />

under a yet-to-be determined<br />

income/wealth level would receive<br />

up to 25% rent reduction. The<br />

Gemeinde is also trying to make it<br />

attractive for developers to create<br />

apartments for local residents by<br />

increasing the maximum number<br />

of units that can be built on a lot by<br />

one third. “When this element is<br />

used, the construction of apartments<br />

for local residents becomes<br />

interesting,” Hurni said. On the<br />

flip side, Hurni said that new<br />

Gemeinde developments would<br />

<strong>no</strong>t be as dense as the Rütti<br />

development, which had a housing<br />

density of 50%.<br />

Rezoning plan, take two:<br />

The following rezoning will <strong>no</strong>t<br />

happen: two proposed hotel<br />

projects—one with adjoining golf<br />

grounds in Schönried, and the<br />

other possible hotel/health clinic in<br />

Saanen, because property owners<br />

have decided <strong>no</strong>t to make their<br />

land available. The same goes for<br />

the Rosey and Turbach projects.<br />

Zweisimmen as of September 27.<br />

The location in Schönried will<br />

close a month later. “The decision<br />

was <strong>no</strong>t easy,” said Bieri, “The<br />

solidarity and collaboration of<br />

Schönried and Saanen clients was<br />

magnificent. Sadly, I am <strong>no</strong>w<br />

forced to retire.”<br />

Finding a successor is <strong>no</strong>t easy.<br />

Out-of-town-retailers were<br />

interested in the Schönried<br />

location, yet the Bieris wanted to<br />

keep the butchers local. They<br />

succeeded when Buure-Metzg<br />

offered to take over the business.<br />

While a family from St-Stephan<br />

will be running the Zweisimmen<br />

branch, the Gstaad location still<br />

has <strong>no</strong> takers. “Gstaad is a special<br />

location,” said Bieri. “Besides<br />

expertise in the trade, language<br />

and communication skills are<br />

indispensable.” It is always a<br />

pleasant change, as well as an act<br />

of solidarity, to support local<br />

producers. Local cows are grassfed<br />

and are kept in a healthy,<br />

natural environment. Although<br />

Bieri is closing his shops, there is<br />

However, the following rezoning<br />

is being suggested:<br />

Schönried – (1) Hotel complex<br />

would require the rezoning of<br />

three agricultural plots of land into<br />

hotel zones. Staff housing would be<br />

next to the Horneggli lift and the<br />

hotel would be near the<br />

Schlittmoos/Gruben area (the<br />

walking path from Schönried to<br />

Gstaad via Gruben). (2) Rezoning<br />

of agricultural land into a residential<br />

zone in the Waldmatte<br />

neighborhood (behind the second<br />

Horneggli lift); 70% of the units to<br />

be rented to local residents.<br />

Saanen – (1) Rezoning of land<br />

including and around the parking<br />

lot next to the Gemeinde’s<br />

administrative building and more<br />

Gemeinde employee housing near<br />

the train station. (2) Rezoning part<br />

of the Mühle land on the left side<br />

entering Saanen from Gstaad. (3)<br />

The rezoning of agricultural land<br />

that Moratti currently uses as a<br />

landfill into a commercial and<br />

storage zone near the Saane River.<br />

Gstaad – (1) Rezoning of the<br />

Zingre field from an agricultural<br />

zone into a dense residential zone<br />

(allowing two rows of chalets) with<br />

the restriction that 100% be<br />

occupied by local residents. The<br />

adjacent residential areas would be<br />

granted more lot coverage. (2) The<br />

building height requirement for<br />

the area around the St Niklaus<br />

chapel in the Promenade would be<br />

reduced from 10m to 8m. The<br />

purpose of this is to maintain the<br />

village feeling in the area stretching<br />

from Tabac Fuhrer to the Romang<br />

shoe store. (3) Rezoning of<br />

agricultural land across the main<br />

Gstaad-Saanen road from the Ebnit<br />

school for the purpose of building<br />

a milk processing plant.<br />

Grund – (1) Rezoning of the E<br />

Huber-Brand land to enable the<br />

development of two to four chalets;<br />

70% must be occupied by local<br />

residents. This would mean<br />

rerouting the cross-country skiing<br />

trail. (2) The rezoning of three<br />

agricultural lots including and<br />

surrounding the Chlösterli into a<br />

hotel zone.<br />

Abländschen and Giferhorn - Two<br />

areas will be turned into protected<br />

wildlife reserves: the Underi Bire-<br />

Gambach in Abländschen and the<br />

Hohberg-Gifer, on the eastern side<br />

of the Giferhorn.<br />

No successor for the Gstaad location of the Bieri butcher has<br />

been found so far.<br />

still the Buure-Metzg where one<br />

can buy locally produced meat.<br />

Excellent meat products are also to<br />

be found at other local butchers<br />

such as Boucherie André Reichenbach<br />

in Rougemont, Patrick Buchs<br />

in Chateau-d’Oex and Chez Willy<br />

in Les Moulins.<br />

The butcher Nydegger in Saanen<br />

will also be closing next spring.<br />

Based on an article by Ernst Hodel<br />

published in the Anzeiger von Saanen<br />

Photo: Andrea von Siebenthal


Arts<br />

gstaadlife.com · Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong><br />

Page 4<br />

A vibrant art scene right on your<br />

doorstep by Tim Kilchenmann<br />

The region of Gstaad is home to a surprisingly wide variety of art galleries. Over 20 sites exhibit works ranging<br />

from Saanenland Scherenschnitten (paper cuttings) to <strong>no</strong>torious 20 th century masters.<br />

Ober-Gstaad has the highest<br />

density of artwork in Saanenland<br />

and Pays d’Enhaut. In keeping<br />

with its location right next to the<br />

Gstaad Molkerei, the Adler<br />

gallery is currently exhibiting<br />

cows painted in a patriotic Swiss<br />

red. A<strong>no</strong>ther highlight is Walter<br />

Schlup’s plexiglass photo-art.<br />

Adler’s neighboring gallery,<br />

Patricia Low Contemporary, is<br />

quite literally hosting Christian<br />

Ward. Ward is the artist in<br />

residence at the newly set up<br />

Artist’s Chalet in Château-d’Oex.<br />

Low is also portraying Dan<br />

Holdsworth’s island photography,<br />

which focuses on the intricacies<br />

of nature’s beauty.<br />

Galerie Lovers of Fine Art can be<br />

found just off Gstaadplatz, behind<br />

the von Siebenthal houswares<br />

store. It has been 15 years since<br />

owner Irène Schönholzer first<br />

presented celebrated classical and<br />

contemporary masters to the<br />

Gstaad audience. This season’s<br />

artist is Cecile Wyck, a<br />

photographer who has successfully<br />

exhibited her work in galleries<br />

around the world.<br />

In the same part of town, Simple<br />

Gallery distinguishes itself by<br />

showcasing new artists. Apart<br />

from Greg Holt and Harald<br />

Reichenbach who have become<br />

regulars, the gallery also holds<br />

exhibitions showing works by<br />

such undiscovered talents as<br />

Nicolas Bernière. Bernière does<br />

away with profane picture frames,<br />

creating windows through which<br />

one can inspect his work.<br />

If, on the other hand, local art is<br />

your thing then there is just as<br />

much choice. Chäller Gallery<br />

exhibits Scherenschnitte by many<br />

local artists. Beatrice Straubhaar<br />

and her mother Elisabeth Bottesi-<br />

Fischer, Wendy Perren-Novell<br />

and Heinz Pfister all have a wide<br />

variety of works on display.<br />

Ranging from classical landscapes<br />

to modern, abstract and colorful<br />

cuts, these artists have brought a<br />

traditional Swiss handicraft to<br />

life. One can even watch them at<br />

work on Friday after<strong>no</strong>ons.<br />

Staying on the local scene, Atelier<br />

d’Artiste, a gallery opposite the<br />

Grand Hotel Bellevue, is home to<br />

a number of works in progress.<br />

Herbert Buchs, the local artist on<br />

display welcomes onlookers whilst<br />

he is at work. In turn, Oskar<br />

Buchs is exhibiting a selection of<br />

his oil paintings at his own gallery<br />

in Gschwend. Gueri<strong>no</strong> Pathenghi<br />

in Château-d’Oex is celebrating<br />

his gallery’s 20th anniversary.<br />

Some of the major artists they<br />

have showcased in the past have<br />

returned, including Anne Rosat,<br />

Isabelle Villancourt, Giuseppe<br />

Rivieri and Piero Mosti.<br />

In Rossinière, visitors can enjoy<br />

the Fondation Balthus exhibition<br />

A Kingdom of Cats currently on<br />

display at the Grand Chalet.<br />

Before his death in 2001, Balthus<br />

A s t r o photo<br />

e custom Videos e Documentaries<br />

e Event Filming e Production<br />

e Post Production e DVD Authoring<br />

e Film conversion to dVD<br />

e and more…<br />

Craig Youmans, Rougepierre, 1660 Les Moulins, Switzerland<br />

Tel +41 (0)26 924 79 75, Mobile +41 (0)79 310 90 48, Fax +41 (0)26 924 30 62<br />

email: craig.youmans@bluewin.ch<br />

was the only living grand master<br />

to have his paintings exhibited at<br />

the Louvre.<br />

For exquisite antiques, Saanenland<br />

is also a place of plenty. Urs von<br />

Unger, the Saaner antiques<br />

merchant, boasts the region’s<br />

oldest antique, a 225 million year<br />

old petrified wood fossil that has<br />

been molded into wood-shaped<br />

sculptures ideal for interior<br />

decoration. The Atelier für Buch<br />

und Bild in Gstaad also displays<br />

some artistic decorative features.<br />

Pays d’Enhaut’s equivalent to von<br />

Unger is Allegri Antiquités in<br />

Flendruz, with its collection of<br />

intricately decorated Swiss<br />

farmhouse dressers from the 16th<br />

and <strong>18</strong>th centuries. Art in<br />

Saanenland is <strong>no</strong>t limited to<br />

permanent galleries. With<br />

Christian Lapie’s large black<br />

sculptures, Caroline and Eric<br />

Freymond once again present<br />

exceptional art in Chalet Farb,<br />

Saanen. The old building was<br />

re<strong>no</strong>vated a few years back and<br />

has become an attraction in its<br />

own right. The exhibited<br />

sculptures give the place its special<br />

feel. With their rough features,<br />

the sculptures can<strong>no</strong>t be pinned<br />

to any particular culture; instead<br />

they symbolize the bridge<br />

between them. The exhibition is<br />

open on request until the end of<br />

October.<br />

Based on an article by Tina Dosot,<br />

published in the Anzeiger von Saanen<br />

Photos: Tina Dosot


Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong> · gstaadlife.com<br />

Page 5<br />

Discounted rail travel,<br />

cable cars and more<br />

A half-price rail card guarantees<br />

50% off the price of most rail, boat,<br />

bus and tram tickets in Switzerland.<br />

Ticket fares to EU countries also<br />

work out cheaper as the card covers<br />

the Swiss leg of the journey.<br />

Available from main railway<br />

stations, the rail card is valid for up<br />

to three years. For example, if you<br />

use the train to get from Gstaad to<br />

Geneva airport more than twice a<br />

year (full-price first-class return of<br />

FYI<br />

IMPortAnt nuMberS<br />

Ambulance 144, Police 117<br />

Fire-brigade 1<strong>18</strong><br />

Saanen Hospital 033 748 02 00<br />

Château-d‘Oex Hospital 026 923 43 43<br />

Car accident service 033 744 88 80<br />

Veterinary 033 744 35 31<br />

Medical emergency 0900 57 67 47<br />

Dental emergency 033 748 02 00<br />

For additional useful numbers please visit<br />

www.gstaadlife.ch/usefulnumbers<br />

For the latest local<br />

weather forecast visit<br />

gstaadlife.com<br />

ChurCh ServICeS<br />

St Peter`s english-speaking Anglican<br />

Church: Sunday September 2 17h30<br />

Service.<br />

roman Catholic Church St Josef,<br />

Gstaad: Saturday September 1 <strong>18</strong>h00<br />

eucharistic ceremony. Sunday September<br />

2 11h00 eucharistic ceremony with<br />

baptism, 16h00 Santa Messa (Italian).<br />

Wednesday September 5 16h30 Rosary,<br />

17h00 eucharistic ceremony.<br />

Friday September 7 <strong>18</strong>h30 eucharistic<br />

ceremony<br />

by Alison Chabloz<br />

SFr 162 reduced to SFr 81) even the<br />

year-long option will save you<br />

money. The card also entitles the<br />

holder to a reductions on Gstaad<br />

Mountain Rides, as well as being<br />

valid for deals on car hire.<br />

A one-year costs SFr 150, two years<br />

SFr 250 and three years SFr 350<br />

There is currently a special oneyear<br />

offer priced at SFr 91 for<br />

teenagers born in 1991.<br />

For your next StAy In GStAAd<br />

*****Gstaad Palace: Le Restaurant,<br />

La Grande Terrasse, Snack & Barbecue,<br />

The Lobby Bar, Le Bar du Grill & GreenGo<br />

Nightclub, Beauty & Spa, Outdoor Pool &<br />

Snack, Tennis. Tel 033 748 50 00,<br />

Fax 033 748 50 01, info@palace.ch,<br />

www.palace.ch<br />

*****Grand hotel Park, Gstaad:<br />

99 luxurious rooms, exclusive Guerlain-<br />

Spa Chakra, Restaurants & bars: Marco<br />

Polo, Le Grand Restaurant, Greenhouse,<br />

Chalet Waldhuus, Le Bar and Marco Polo<br />

Bar. Tel 033 748 98 00<br />

www.grandhotelpark.ch<br />

*****Grand hotel bellevue, Gstaad:<br />

GaultMillau Hotel of Year 2003, 114 beds,<br />

2,500 m2 SPA, Restaurant Prado,<br />

Restaurant Coelho with sun-terrace,<br />

Bellevue-Bar, Porsche 911 Club,<br />

Car<strong>no</strong>tzet. Tel 033 748 00 00<br />

www.bellevue-gstaad.ch<br />

FYI / Events<br />

First bowls club in<br />

German-speaking world<br />

Gstaad <strong>no</strong>w has a bowls club. Also<br />

k<strong>no</strong>wn as lawn bowling and related<br />

to bocce or pétanque, bowls is an<br />

English precision sport that dates<br />

back to the 13th century. To win<br />

the game, opponents must roll<br />

slightly asymmetrical heavy balls as<br />

close as possible to a smaller white<br />

ball, or jack. Popular in English-<br />

speaking countries, the sport is<br />

gaining popularity in Japan. The<br />

At the Sportzentrum<br />

Gstaad there <strong>no</strong>w is<br />

an indoor bowls<br />

field, open daily<br />

during the <strong>no</strong>ncurling<br />

season.<br />

n FrIdAy, AuGuSt 31 20<strong>07</strong><br />

21h00, dress to Impress Party,<br />

Saanenpub, Saanen: Black and White.<br />

Info: Tel 033 744 34 94.<br />

22h00, Local Stranger Party, Chlösterli,<br />

Gstaad: DJ Paia J, Italy, clubbing.<br />

Info: Tel 033 748 79 79.<br />

19h30, 51st Menuhin Festival Gstaad,<br />

Festival Tent, Gstaad: Today’s Music,<br />

George Gershwin‘s Rhapsody in Blue and<br />

Porgy and Bess; Basel Chamber Orchestra<br />

and Gauteng Choristers from the Total<br />

Miagi Festival South Africa; Alexander<br />

Melnikov, pia<strong>no</strong>; David Stern, director.<br />

<strong>18</strong>h00 Pre-concert Talk with David Stern<br />

and Dr Hans-Georg Hofmann, St Niklaus<br />

Chapel, Promenade, Gstaad. Info: Tel 033<br />

748 83 38.<br />

by Diana Oehrli<br />

Gstaad Bowls Club is the first club<br />

of its kind in a German-speaking<br />

country. The club’s two synthetic<br />

greens have been in use since<br />

August 1 in the curling hall. Active<br />

members have the possibility to<br />

play daily during the <strong>no</strong>n-curling<br />

season and during opening hours at<br />

the Sportzentrum. For more<br />

information call club president<br />

Kurt Iseli on 033 744 37 59.<br />

Event corner Friday August 31 – Thursday September 6<br />

<strong>18</strong>h30, Concert of the Music<br />

Association Gstaad, Festival Tent,<br />

Gstaad: Opening program of the Menuhin<br />

Festival Gstaad program; association<br />

celebrates its 100th anniversary.<br />

Info: Tel 033 744 09 40.<br />

n SAturdAy, SePteMber 1 20<strong>07</strong><br />

19h30, Folk evening at Alpenland,<br />

Hotel Alpenland, Lauenen. Typical Swiss<br />

folk music. Info: Tel 033 765 91 34.<br />

19h30, 51st Menuhin Festival Gstaad,<br />

Festival Tent, Gstaad: Emotional Release,<br />

Martha Argerich, pia<strong>no</strong>, Russian National<br />

Orchestra; Charles Dutoit, conductor.<br />

Info:Tel 033 748 83 38.<br />

20h00 Ländler Stubete, Hotel Bären,<br />

Gsteig: various folk music groups perform<br />

including Kapelle le Collibri, Châteaud‘Oex.<br />

Info: Tel 033 744 56 39.<br />

22h00, Freak Farm Party, Chlösterli,<br />

Gstaad: DJ Scott, live percussion by Sämi<br />

Bauer Old and new funky grooves.<br />

Info: Tel 033 748 79 79.<br />

09h00, Paragliding Club 20th year<br />

Anniversary, Base station Wispile,<br />

Gstaad: Flights, food and drinks,<br />

entertainment for adults and kids.<br />

Info: www.gcgstaad.ch<br />

10h00, 11th hornberg hornusset,<br />

Hornberg, Saanenmöser: Hornusset<br />

competition. Info: 033 744 47 21.<br />

n SundAy, SePteMber 2 20<strong>07</strong><br />

09h00, 26th rellerli Alp Schwing Fest,<br />

Rellerli Alp, Schönried: traditional<br />

wrestling competion in saw dust.<br />

Info: 033 744 12 82.<br />

Photo: Diana Oehrli


Photo: Alison Chabloz<br />

Photo: Netti de Scheel<br />

People<br />

Menuhin Festival Gstaad:<br />

Frisson from the New World<br />

continued from page 1<br />

that he has perhaps <strong>no</strong>t yet had<br />

time to memorize it. The forceful<br />

opening bars of Mozart’s Jupiter<br />

symphony are an invitation to sit<br />

up and pay attention: this is a<br />

masterpiece! The music seemed<br />

to flow from Mehta’s very gesture.<br />

Not using sheet music, allows<br />

the conductor to be truly free<br />

when it comes to interpretation.<br />

Zubin Mehta amazed the<br />

public at the Menuhin Festival.<br />

The music, the musicians and<br />

the audience become one.<br />

Thematic variation came with<br />

Bardanashvili’s flute concerto,<br />

composed in 2006. Yossi Arheim,<br />

possibly the most casually dressed<br />

man in the tent, performed on<br />

three different instruments. In<br />

contrast with percussion<br />

instruments as diverse as chimes<br />

and a rainmaker, Arheim made<br />

full use of each flute’s potential.<br />

Finally, Mehta gave everybody<br />

what they wanted to hear:<br />

Dvorak’s symphony From the<br />

New World. Five movements and<br />

40 minutes worth of well-loved<br />

themes transported us to America’s<br />

wide open spaces.<br />

My only regret? The improved<br />

acoustics of the festival tent<br />

produce a clear, honey-like sound,<br />

but volume is dissipated into the<br />

sheer size of the venue. More of a<br />

light frisson than an earth-moving<br />

tremor.<br />

gstaadlife.com · Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong><br />

GStAAdLIFe: editorial: Antoinette de Scheel antoinette.descheel@gstaadlife.ch; Xavier Ferguson xavier.ferguson@gstaadlife.ch; Frank Müller frank.mueller@gstaadlife.ch; Diana Oehrli<br />

diana.oehrli@gstaadlife.ch; Andrea von Siebenthal andreavs@gstaadlife.ch. Advertising: Peter Kuntze-Schneider peter.kuntze@gstaadlife.ch. Publishing, conception, <strong>print</strong>ing: Müller<br />

Marketing & Druck AG, Gstaad. Subscriptions: Elsbeth Wyss tel 033 748 88 74.<br />

Donation for local<br />

disabled children<br />

On August 11 Countess Secco<br />

d’Aragona (née Catarina de<br />

Habsbourg) presented and signed<br />

her book “Ces Autrichiennes,<br />

nées pour régner” at the Gstaad<br />

Yacht Club. The event was<br />

organized by the Swiss delegation<br />

of the Constantine Knight Order,<br />

a chapter of the Bourbon-Sicily<br />

royal house. In conjunction with<br />

the book presentation, a donation<br />

of SFr 7,000 was made to the<br />

Heilpädagogische Sonderschule<br />

in Gstaad. This local school<br />

specializes in helping mentally<br />

and physically disabled children.<br />

Page 6<br />

by Tim Kilchenmann<br />

The delegate of the<br />

Constantine Knight Order<br />

handing over a cheque to the<br />

directors of the HPS school.<br />

Dolores Smithies’ dream come true<br />

Three years after her passing, a wooden hut has been built in her memory along the Saane river. by Alexandra de Scheel<br />

Dolores Smithies, devoted<br />

mother, daughter, sister and<br />

grandmother and long time<br />

Gstaad visitor died peacefully at<br />

her home in Key Biscayne at the<br />

age of 65 three years ago.<br />

Dolores will be sadly missed here,<br />

as she gave so much to the<br />

community she called home. As<br />

was her wish, she was buried here<br />

in Saanen. She spent a great deal<br />

of time helping the elderly; going<br />

shopping for them, walking with<br />

them and ensuring they were well<br />

looked after. She also hosted a<br />

yearly summer party at the Gstaad<br />

Palace, with all profits going to<br />

the elderly.<br />

Her great wish was to build a<br />

home for senior citizens in<br />

Saanen. Following Dolores’ death,<br />

her friends decided to ho<strong>no</strong>r her<br />

by making a donation. The idea<br />

was to build a hut opposite the<br />

Alpenruhe, close to the river<br />

where Dolores used to walk<br />

with her elderly acquaintances,<br />

with benches inside for people<br />

to rest.<br />

The hut has recently been<br />

completed and was inaugurated<br />

by Dolores’ friends and dedicated<br />

to her memory.<br />

Friends of Dolores Smithies at the inauguration of the hut built in her memory (from left): Toni<br />

von Grünigen, Nadia Colussi, Yannick Letort, Olivier Huguet, Claudine Pereira, Sergei Boissier<br />

with daughter Yasmina Charlotte, Heidi Eckes-Chantré and Janice Branco.<br />

Of course, she will also be<br />

remembered by those whose lives<br />

she helped to save and enrich;<br />

through her work with<br />

underprivileged families, children<br />

suffering from AIDS, as well as<br />

Cuban refugees. She has even<br />

dabbled in the arts, helping to<br />

promote the work of young<br />

Cuban and other Latin American<br />

artists. In her younger days, she<br />

worked in Harlem as a<br />

psychotherapist and in various<br />

local soup kitchens. Even in such<br />

places she was loved by all,<br />

trusting the local drug dealer to<br />

watch her car.<br />

She will be missed and<br />

remembered across the globe and<br />

in each town where she spent<br />

time and performed her magic.<br />

Dolores, even after her death, is<br />

still helping those in greatest<br />

need, and Gstaad is certainly a<br />

better place thanks to her<br />

participation.<br />

Photo: AvS


Friday, August 31 20<strong>07</strong> · gstaadlife.com<br />

Page 7 Events<br />

New world order vs. new world disorder<br />

Over seventy people attended a speech by Arnaud de Borchgrave at the Gstaad Palace. by Andrea von Siebenthal<br />

“This man can<strong>no</strong>t be spoken of in<br />

the past tense”, said famous<br />

columnist Taki Theodoracopulos<br />

when an<strong>no</strong>uncing the highprofile<br />

speaker of last Sunday’s<br />

Gstaad Symposium. In fact, after<br />

a long and outstanding career in<br />

journalism, Arnaud de Borchgrave<br />

is <strong>no</strong>w the Director of the<br />

Transnational Threats division at<br />

the CSIS, the Center for Strategic<br />

& International Studies in<br />

Washington DC. In this function,<br />

he spoke about the critical<br />

challenges of the 21 st century.<br />

Commenting on the rapid<br />

evolution of technical resources as<br />

well as increasing religious<br />

fanaticism and terrorism, de<br />

Borchgrave painted a rather<br />

pessimistic view of the near<br />

future.<br />

Whilst the decade of the 90s was<br />

dominated by the fall of<br />

communism and the emergence<br />

of the US as a superpower, the<br />

very beginning of the new<br />

millennium was overshadowed<br />

by the 9/11 attacks in New York,<br />

and the Iraq war.<br />

De Borchgrave <strong>no</strong>w foresees a<br />

decade of, what he calls, “The<br />

unk<strong>no</strong>wn unk<strong>no</strong>wns”, especially<br />

regarding the reaction of the<br />

Muslim world to the US siege<br />

between the Euphrates and the<br />

Hindu Kush. Iran in particular<br />

seems to be a threat as it reinforces<br />

its nuclear program. The antiterrorism<br />

strategy adopted by the<br />

US under the Bush administration<br />

is, according to de Borchgrave, a<br />

total failure, demonstrated by the<br />

fact that attacks such as suicide<br />

Carlos Fix and Bettany Hughes.<br />

bombings have increased<br />

significantly in the region after<br />

the fall of Saddam Hussein. With<br />

the war in Iraq being a total<br />

disaster in both human and<br />

eco<strong>no</strong>mic terms, Bush might<br />

want to save his presidency with<br />

a victory over Iran.<br />

If the US were to attack Iran, this<br />

would lead to an unparalleled<br />

calamity on a global scale. The<br />

march of time works against<br />

peace; nuclear and biochemical<br />

weapons leave the threat of<br />

a<strong>no</strong>ther 9/11 hanging in the air.<br />

The rise of worldwide terrorist<br />

networks seems to be a particular<br />

danger which is, at the same time,<br />

very hard to control. With an<br />

estimated 200 dangerous networks<br />

in the UK, and with counterparts<br />

in most EU countries, the threat<br />

is real and is growing rapidly<br />

mainly via the internet. De<br />

Borchgrave believes the<br />

quickening development of<br />

tech<strong>no</strong>logy will initialize a new<br />

era of radical changes never before<br />

seen in human history.<br />

International columnist Taki<br />

Theodoracopulos introduced<br />

the speaker of the Gstaad<br />

Symposium.<br />

Arnaud de Borchgrave together with his wife Alexandra, the<br />

author of the book ‘Healing Light’ which assembles letters of<br />

9/11 orphans to their parents.<br />

From left, Bettany Hughes, Stanley Weiss and Peter Notz.<br />

Laura Scherz und Ernst A Scherz. Baroness de Dietrich and Ninette Fix.<br />

Photos: Andrea von Siebenthal


BoutiquE ChopArd GStAAd: promenade / Alte post - tel. +41 (0)33 744 90 44

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