QPAC

We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors of this land, their spirits and their legacy. The foundations laid by these ancestors give strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations, both First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, towards creating a better Queensland.

Classical Music

Musica Viva Australia Takács Quartet with Angie Milliken

20 Aug 2025, 7pm

Concert Hall

Tickets are also available as part of a subscription from Musica Viva Australia.

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$65 - $125 *

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2 hours

including interval, subject to change without notice

The string quartets of Haydn and Beethoven are at the heart of the chamber music repertoire, works to which we return time and again because they are, quite simply, timeless. Haydn’s ‘Rider’ Quartet, written by a master at the peak of his powers, and Beethoven’s Third ‘Razumovsky’ Quartet have been a solace to generations of musicians forced to leave their homes in times of war, including many of the founding members of Musica Viva Australia.

But, over time, everything changes.

No one understands this better than the Takács Quartet. Formed in 1975 by four students of the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest, this much-loved ensemble has remade itself artistically, geographically, and personally across five decades on the classical stage. Now, in its 50th year, the Quartet returns to Australia with undimmed brilliance to present a major new work for string quartet and spoken voice.

Created by Australian composer Cathy Milliken, in collaboration with the Quartet and actor Angie Milliken, this work is inspired by the poetry of Bertolt Brecht, written during his time in America as he grappled with a life left behind.

Welcome back the Takács Quartet as they unveil an intriguing new work, wrapped in two masterpieces from the founding fathers of the string quartet.

Program

Haydn String Quartet in G minor, Op. 74 No. 3 ‘The Rider’
Cathy Milliken Sonnets of an Emigrant
Beethoven String Quartet in C major, Op. 59 No. 3 ‘Razumovsky’