Beethoven is again a main character in the series of appointments entitled Saper ascoltare organised as preparation for spectators of the concerts programmed in the Società del Quartetto's season: following the event which took place on 15 October, it is the turn of Nicoletta Sguben, journalist for the newspaper Repubblica, to speak on the theme of Beethoven, il congedo dal pianoforte relative to the concerts by Maria João Pires and Lilit Grigoryan (16 February) and by Mitsuko Uchida (10 May).

In the first concert, the great Portuguese artist Maria João Pires will perform at the piano together with his ex-pupil, the Armenian pianist Lilit Grigoryan, in a programme which includes Schubert and Beethoven.
In the concert on 10 May, the great Japanese pianist Mitsuko Uchida will play the monumental Diabelli Variations, the extraordinary and unusual series of variations which represent for Beethoven the sum of 50 years of experience at the piano.

Nicoletta Sguben has been writing about music for La Repubblica for almost thirty years, and has worked with the magazine Amadeus since 1996. She has published essays, reviews, and articles. She has written programmes and listening guides, and holds fascinating conferences.