Classical Music Through Documentary #14: Beethoven, Love & Loss

   A man of 35, who should be at the peak of his powers, realises he is going deaf — for a composer, close to a death sentence. This screening follows ten turbulent years of Beethoven's life, the years he chose defiance over collapse.

   The documentary spans 1805 to 1815: as Napoleon's army occupies Vienna, Beethoven pours his ideals of freedom into his first opera, "Leonore", while facing the loneliness in his private life. This is the 14th evening in the series, picking up the story from part 13, "Beethoven — The Rebel".

   At a glance

   Flow: film introduction — screening — discussion
Film: "Beethoven: Love and Loss", shown with Vietnamese subtitles and live Vietnamese commentary
Host: Tuấn Hiệp (the subtitle translator) · Music advisor: composer Nguyễn Minh Trang
Part of the Cà Phê Thứ Bảy series founded by composer Dương Thụ, run on a non-profit basis
The film is subtitled in Vietnamese and the discussion is held in Vietnamese; the music and images carry much of the evening on their own.

   It suits lovers of classical music, but also anyone looking for inspiration to get through hard times — Beethoven's story was never only about the notes.

   The café sits inside the Times City shophouse block: park motorbikes in the Park 2 basement (B1), cars on B2, then head to column C09 by door P01 (Zone A, apartments 10–17), where staff will meet you.

   Admission is free; guests order from the café menu to help cover the venue.

   Two centuries on, why do the notes of that deaf man still move the whole world? Come and hear for yourself.