Discover the musical pioneer you\u2019ve never heard of\u2026 oh and did we mention Frieda Belinfante was a war hero, too? And there\u2019s even more to the story of this remarkable cellist and conductor, one of the subjects of a new Channel 4 documentary film. <\/p>
There are so many reasons we should know the name Frieda Belinfante (1904-1995). Her musical story alone is something to be shared and celebrated. She was a talented cellist, making her debut at the Concertgebouw aged 17. The daughter of pianist Aron Belinfante, Frieda studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory and in Paris with G\u00e9rard Hekking.<\/p>\n
Composer Henri\u00ebtte Bosmans, with whom Frieda was in a relationship, wrote music for her, but conducting would also capture Frieda\u2019s heart. Before the outbreak of World War Two she impressed conductor Hermann Scherchen enough to win the top prize in his class in Switzerland, giving her the opportunity to conduct the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. And she was then invited to form the Het Klein Orkest<\/em> in her native Netherlands and was a regular guest conductor on the Dutch national radio station. A woman presiding over an orchestra in 1937? It happened\u2026<\/p>\n The War put a temporary halt on Frieda\u2019s podium ambitions, but the unfolding conflict saw her play a new role\u2026 resistance fighter. Being half-Jewish, and gay, meant she was a potential target for the Nazi regime which was infesting Amsterdam, but that didn\u2019t faze her.<\/p>\n She knew many Jewish musicians and was acquainted with other women who could be a target, so wanted to act. As a gay artist, she was well connected in the city and bravely undertook a mission to help members of the Jewish population and thwart the Nazi effort along with a group of friends and fellow artists, led by the painter Willem Arondius.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> They used their skills to forge identity cards for Dutch Jews, and others, so that they might not be picked up by the regime. The plan was made difficult not only by the sophistication of Dutch identity cards, but by the fact the Nazi\u2019s insisted on holding a copy of every single one at their headquarters, so as to spot forgeries. The answer? Blow up the HQ and destroy the copies\u2026 something Frieda, Willem and their friends set about doing, but with the express plan to do so without causing anyone harm. Bloodshed was not on their agenda.<\/p>\nFrieda Belinfante, the resistance fighter<\/h2>\n