The Clair-obscur saxophone quartet is a collective of four outstanding performers fond of experimenting and of blurring the boundaries among musical genres. Apart from works written directly for saxophone quartet they enrich their repertoire with many arrangements they have made themselves of pieces in the most varied styles. The diversity of moods in their presentations is expressed symbolically by the ensemble’s title, which is the name of an old painting technique working with contrasts between light and darkness. The quartet concentrates mainly on performing chamber music, but also engages in music theatre ranging from ballet to cabaret. It has already appeared in numerous important venues in many countries of Europe as well as in New York’s Carnegie Hall. The members also play in classical orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic.

Jiří Lábus is one of the most versatile theatrical and film actors of his generation. His name is most often associated with comic roles and television shows intended for children, such as the series Arabela. He is also very popular as a dubber, for instance of the character Marge in the American animated series The Simpsons. But his range of work is much broader, as shown by numerous character roles; for example his riveting portrayal of a serious dramatic character in the film Amerika based on Franz Kafka’s novel won him a Czech Lion award. Since the 1970s he has been an indispensable component of the ensemble of Studio Ypsilon, creating a whole series of unforgettable characters. For his outstanding performance of the main role in Vian’s play Medusa’s Head he won a Thalia Prize in 1997.

Jan Jiráň is a true Renaissance man: a composer, song-writer, actor, theatrical pedagogue, stage director, producer, and arts reporter. In the 1980s he performed in scenes and songs he created together with Martin Stropnický. He has composed music for numerous productions by various theatres, and in 1987 became a regular member of the acting ensemble of Studio Ypsilon. He has served as director for dozens of audiobooks and compact discs intended mainly for children, collaborating with such artists as Marek Eben, Libuše Šafránková, Jiří Lábus, and Ivan Trojan. For many years he has been working with Czech Radio and Czech Television, and he has shared in the writing of several books. In 2016 he won a Prize for Support and Development of Audiobooks in the Czech Republic.