Musicians say every violin has its own character. And the lucky man who will get to perform with a $35 million Stradivarius does not hesitate when describing the instrument.
'It's like a woman - a woman who I would like to hug even when I'm sleeping,' said Leung Kin-fung, concertmaster of the Hong Kong Philharmonic.
The violin has been loaned to the orchestra. Called the Markees, it was made in 1701 by Antonio Stradivari, the Italian who set the world standard for violins.
An orchestra spokesman said it would be on loan 'as long as possible' from Hong Kong-based Music Chamber, an art and music company that bought it last year in the United States from a professor at the Juilliard School of Music.
Having played violin since the age of five, Leung said the Markees was his best ever stage partner.
'Every violin has a character. Markees is bright, brilliant and coquettish. I'm very excited to be able to play Antonio Stradivari's violin. It's much better than the violins I've played before. It is incomparable.
