Impromptu: Kundera & Beethoven’s Eternal Quest【Czech Philharmonic Principals Quartet】

A programme of MUSE String Quartet Festival
繆思弦樂四重奏音樂節節目

Music in Words: Kundera & Beethoven
BEETHOVEN String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135
JANÁČEK String Quartet No. 1, ‘Kreutzer Sonata’

The finale of the Impromptu Series invites you to ponder the meaning of life through the connection between music and literature. The existential question “Muss es sein? Es muss sein!” (“Must it be? It must be!”) from Beethoven’s final quartet, Op. 135, echoes through eminent Czech writer Milan Kundera’s novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Join string principals from the Czech Philharmonic on a journey that connects the works of these two titans. The concert will begin with a ‘Music in Words’ session introducing the theme, followed by a performance of Beethoven’s Op. 135. The evening will conclude with Leoš Janáček’s String Quartet No. 1, titled ‘Kreutzer Sonata’, featured in the 1988 film adaptation of Kundera’s celebrated novel.

「漫興樂想」系列最後一場音樂會將透過音樂與文學的交織，探索生命的意義與價值。貝多芬最後一首弦樂四重奏（作品135）當中叩問生命的重要主題「Muss es sein? Es muss sein!」（須如此？必如此！），同樣貫穿於捷克文學巨擘米蘭．昆德拉的代表作《生命中不能承受之輕》。捷克愛樂的四位弦樂首席將引領觀眾踏上貝多芬與昆德拉的旅程，探索兩部巨作之間的淵源。節目以「樂語融融」環節揭示主題，隨後四位樂師將呈獻這部貝多芬四重奏。音樂會以捷克作曲家楊納傑克的第一弦樂四重奏「克羅采奏鳴曲」作結，帶觀眾回憶電影《生命中不能承受之輕》(又名《布拉格之戀》)（1988）的經典配樂。

Czech Philharmonic String Principals

Irena Jakubcová, violin
Petra Brabcová, violin
Eva Krestová, viola
Václav Petr, cello

Prof. Daniel Chua, speaker

【Milan Kundera Library】Director’s Public Lecture: The Self-Exiled Bard’s Literary Haven
【米蘭·昆德拉圖書館】館長公開講座：重回原鄉的意義

21 MAR 2025 | FRI | 7:30 PM
HKU Grand Hall
Ticketing details to be announced

$150

• For ages 10+
• Tickets at art-mate.net starting 23 OCT noon

Other Discounts:

• Full-time students, citizens aged 60 or above & people with disabilities 50% off
• For purchase of each concessionary ticket for people with disabilities, the customer can purchase one ticket at the same concessionary rate for a minder
• HKU Student Discount: $50* (1 ticket per performance)
• With limited quota. Discounts cannot be combined

* Available to current HKU students only. HKU ID required upon purchase and must be presented for entry.

• Patrons under the age of 10 will not be admitted.
• The programme is approximately 75 minutes without intermission.
• Guests are advised to arrive punctually.
• Latecomers and guests who leave their seats during the performance will be admitted at a suitable break to avoid disturbance to the artists and other audience members.
• Programmes and artists are subject to change.
• The presenter reserves the right to make final decisions on the seating arrangement, to deny entry, as well as all rights of final arbitration in case of dispute.