Reading "Land of Chimeras" at a Classical Concert
A Future Shaped by Hybrid Human and Animal DNA
French novelist Bernard Werber will introduce his new novel "Land of Chimeras" at the upcoming summer classical music festival "Hic et Nunc! Music Festival" opening in Korea next month. Werber will take the stage at a classical music concert to read excerpts from "Land of Chimeras." On the same stage, composer Kim Taeksoo's "Age of Chimeras: An Imagined Future of a New Humanity," inspired by Werber's novel, will also premiere. Werber, who is known for writing his novels while listening to various kinds of music, was interviewed online on July 1.
The "Hic et Nunc! Music Festival" is a classical music festival hosted by the chamber ensemble Sejong Soloists, which began in 2017 and marks its eighth edition this year. "Hic et Nunc!" is Latin for "Here and Now!" This year's festival will open on August 22 and run through September 5, featuring ten events including concerts and lectures at venues such as the Seoul Arts Center, Ewha Womans University, and Sojeon Seorim in Cheongdam-dong.
Werber will appear on stage for the "Age of Chimeras" concert at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on August 27.
Werber said he is very fond of classical music. "My mother was a piano teacher. I grew up surrounded by music from an early age. That is why I find this performance especially meaningful."
Werber recalled being deeply moved at the age of 11 when he first heard Vivaldi's piccolo concerto, mentioning Stendhal syndrome. Stendhal syndrome refers to the intense psychological and physical impact experienced in the presence of outstanding works of art. "At the time, I was so overwhelmed that I felt chills. I even learned to play the piccolo, hoping to recreate that sensation."
Music is a tool that helps Werber concentrate while writing. He usually writes his novels in cafes while listening to music. "When I listen to music with headphones, I am completely separated from the world around me and can immerse myself in that space. I listen to various genres such as rock and pop, but classical music is especially good for writing because it has no lyrics and is not aggressive."
Werber said he often listens to the music of French composers Erik Satie and Claude Debussy. He especially enjoys Debussy's "Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun," and added that he listened to this piece repeatedly while writing his novel "Thanatonauts."
He also listens to a lot of Bach, explaining that while writing "Land of Chimeras," he listened to Bach's "Aria" and "Goldberg Variations" frequently, and that both Bach and the Goldberg Variations are mentioned in the novel.
Werber said it is a great honor to be able to share his story at a music concert. "When I write, I always regret not being able to see readers' reactions immediately. At a performance, I can see firsthand how the audience responds to the story, so I am really looking forward to it."
"Land of Chimeras" was published in France last year and is set to be released in Korea soon. Werber will visit Korea during the festival next month and hold a book signing event.
"Land of Chimeras" tells the story of an era after the Third World War, when a scientist named Alice Chimera creates three new species by hybridizing human and animal DNA. Werber explained that the new species consist of a human-bat hybrid with wings, a human-dolphin hybrid capable of prolonged diving, and a human-mole hybrid that can live underground. He added that the winged species have no arms, saying, "Something is added, but something else is lost, so a new balance is achieved."
Through his new novel, Werber said he wanted to convey the message that "we must create a new humanity that no longer repeats the cycle of violence." He went on to say, "We must change our consciousness," and expressed concern that "there seem to be many ways humanity could go down a bad path right now, and personally, I am very worried about the state of our democracy."
Regarding composer Kim Taeksoo's piece "Age of Chimeras: An Imagined Future of a New Humanity," Werber explained that each new hybrid species in the novel is represented by a different instrument: guitar, flute, and violin. He added that the way each musical part connects like sentences to create a story gave him a very positive impression.
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