【Milan Kundera Library】Director’s Public Lecture: The Self-Exiled Bard’s Literary Haven

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

(In English 英語主講)

The celebrated Czech novelist Milan Kundera (1929-2023) left behind a remarkable literary legacy that adorns countless bookshelves. A man of few words in public, Kundera offered little clues about his inner workings to the outside world, until an intriguing dream from his wife inspired him to donate his entire collection of 3,000 publications to the Moravian Library (MZK) in his hometown of Brno in 2020. The massive Paris-to-Brno haul included author copies of all his works in 40 languages, articles written by and about him, published reviews, newspaper clippings, photographs, and even his drawings.

Director of the MZK and its Milan Kundera Library, Prof. Tomáš Kubíček, will give a public lecture to recount the story behind this extraordinary donation. He will discuss the challenges of curating such a vast collection and reflect on the significance of Kundera’s ‘return’ to his birthplace after his self-exodus in 1975. Join us for an insightful exploration of Kundera’s impact on literature and his enduring legacy, as Prof. Kubíček shares his firsthand experiences in this unique endeavor.

捷克文學巨擘米蘭．昆德拉（1929-2023）一生著作無數，皆為文學愛好者的必讀經典。這位低調寡言的作家極少向外界分享自己的故事，直至有天被妻子的一個夢啟發，於2020年將自己在巴黎寓所三千多項的收藏全數捐贈予捷克家鄉布爾諾的摩拉維亞圖書館 (MZK)。這海量的書藏涵蓋昆德拉被翻譯成四十多國語言版本的小說作品、評論文章、專欄和剪報、官方照片以及親筆畫作等。

MZK兼昆德拉圖書館館長Tomáš Kubíček 教授將到訪港大，分享這次捐贈的策劃過程及挑戰，並反思這些珍藏象徵昆德拉重回原鄉的深刻意義。透過館長的親身說法，誠邀您共同探討昆德拉不朽的文學遺產。

Speaker: Prof. Tomáš Kubíček

Impromptu: Kundera & Beethoven’s Eternal Quest【Czech Philharmonic Principals Quartet】
漫興樂想：昆德拉與貝多芬之大哉問【捷克愛樂首席弦樂四重奏】

22 MAR 2025 | SAT | 8PM
HKU Grand Hall
$150

• Patrons under the age of 10 will not be admitted.
• The lecture is approximately 90 mins without intermission.
• Guests are advised to arrive punctually. No latecomers will be admitted until a suitable break in the lecture.
• Programmes and artists are subject to change.
• The presenter reserves the right to make final decisions on seating arrangement, to deny entry, and reserve all rights of final arbitration in case of dispute.