Prison Yard Festival: Music from within

Tai Kwun Conversations

Prison Yard Festival: Music from within

West to east meanderings

Ligeti 100

Beethoven by Moonlight

Weekend Yard Music

Wong Time to Play

West-Eastern Divan Ensemble (Hong Kong Debut)

Tai Kwun Conversations

il Pomo d'Oro & Jakub Józef Orliński (Asian Debut)

Prison Yard Festival: Music from within 2022

Beethoven by moonlight

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra

Solitary reunion

Goldberg illuminations

LENK's Quartet for the End of Time

Prison Yard Festival: music from within (Jan 2022)

Date & Time

20 Nov 2023 7pm -8:30pm

Location

JC Cube

Price

Exclusive to Tai Kwun Fan, Free of charge

General

A panel discussion with members of the West Eastern Divan Ensemble, in conversation with Dr Joanna Lee.

Although the name of the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra comes from the title of a collection of lyrical poems by Goethe inspired by the Persian poet Hafez, the true inspiration behind the Orchestra's formation is the shared vision and hope of its two founders, conductor, pianist, activist and visionary Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian academic and literary critic Edward Said. Daniel Barenboim has conducted the Orchestra on the greatest musical stages of the world and their impassioned performances have touched the hearts of audiences everywhere. As the first person ever to hold simultaneously Jewish Israeli and Palestinian citizenship, Daniel Barenboim embodies his profound commitment to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East.

In the panel discussion, the founder of the West-Eastern Divan Ensemble Michael Barenboim will share his experience of working in this remarkable body of musicians, as well
as his personal encounters with seemingly irreconcilable differences and the way in which the act of music-making takes place in a safe haven of neutrality.

Ticket holder(s) of “West-Eastern Divan Ensemble (Hong Kong Debut)” can present a valid ticket (electronic or physical) to attend the Tai Kwun Conversations without registration.


Speakers Bio

Dr Joanna Lee

Moderator

Born in Hong Kong, Joanna Lee was trained at London’s Royal College of Music and received her doctorate in musicology from Columbia University in New York City. She served as a consultant for the San Francisco Opera for The Bonesetter’s Daughter (2008, based on Amy Tan’s novel) and Dream of the Red Chamber (2016).

A contributor to the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, she has given colloquia and seminars in many American and European educational institutions. Her public lecture at the Shanghai Grand Theatre (for the 2010 Ring Cycle) was televised in the Mainland. She has also been invited to share her research findings at the Rhodes Forum: Dialogue of Civilizations (Greece) as well as the Giorgio Cini Foundation in Venice.

She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the International Opera Award. She has also served as cultural advisor on Broadway theatre projects such as Chinglish (2011–12) and M. Butterfly (2017 revival) by David Henry Hwang.