Spring concerts to be held in Hanoi  

A Gala Spring Concert and Ballet by artists of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Company under the baton of Graham Sutcliffe will take place at the Hanoi Opera House on February 28.  
 
The music performance will present to music lovers famous classical works of Mozart, Delibes and Tchaikovsky such as ballet Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Wedding Figaro.

Sopranos Thang Long and Vanh Khuyen, tenor Nguyen Vu, violinist Thanh Ha, dancers Diem Quynh and Han Giang will join the show.

Tickets are priced at VND150,000-VND500,000 and available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street.

Earlier, conductor Jonathan Webb and artists of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Company will also perform at a spring concert on February 17.

They will introduce well-known works of J. Brahms and A. Dvorak.

Tickets are priced at VND150,000-VND500,000 and available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien Street.
 
Vietnamese water puppet show dazzles French spectators

A Vietnamese water puppet show taking place at Claude Levi-Strauss Theatre in Paris has attracted a lot of French spectators.

The performance, directed by French director Dominique Pitoiset, has made them better understand Vietnam’s water puppetry and other cultural values.

Artists from Vietnam National Water Puppet Theatre (VNWPT) performed with folk songs and music presented by Ngo Thi Thanh Hoai. The show is a fascinating mix of Vietnamese folk music, water puppet performance and lighting effect.

It is part of a cultural cooperation project between VNWPT and Bordeaux en Aquitaine National Theatre. After more than a year of preparation, the first show took place at Bordeaux en Aquitaine National Theatre.

Nguyen Tien Dung, VNWPT’s deputy director said the show is imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity through the presentation of folk music, and puppet costumes.

This is the second time VNWPT has performed a total of 80 shows in France.

On February 11, a roundtable seminar on Vietnamese water puppetry was held at Quai Branly and presided over by director Dominique Pitoiset and his co-workers.

“Brahms Cycle” concert to open in Hanoi

The Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra plan to organize a special concert entitled “Brahms Cycle” to introduce masterpieces by famous German musician Johannes Brahms.

The event is scheduled to take place at the Hanoi Opera House on February 15-16 following the great success of some large music projects, including “Mahler Cycle”, “Beethoven Cycle” and “Mozart Cycle”.

During the concert, music lovers will have the chance to enjoy some masterpieces, including Piano Concerto No.1 d minor op.15 and Symphony No.1 c minor op.68 performed by French pianist Michel Bourdoncle.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) was one of the great composers of the Romantic period (19th century), basking in the glory of his career in Austria. He was also known as one of the Three B's (Beethoven, J.S. Bach, and Brahms).

OV singer triumphs at German song contest

Vinh Khuat, an Overseas Vietnamese singer, has won the HÖREN! 2011 - Hannover Song Contest with his song ‘Loving you 2nite’.  

He was selected by 900 fans who were very impressed by his singing and dancing music on the piano.

Regarded as a, Lionel Richie of Vietnamese descent, Khuat now has the chance to record his first music album.

HÖREN! 2011 is a song contest for students initiated by Hannover University in cooperation with the Hannover Department of Journalism and Communication Research (IJK) and the Hannover Multimedia Vocational School (MMBbS).

Hanoi exhibition features plastic toys

An exhibition featuring installation artworks made from plastic Vietnamese and Japanese toys will be open in Hanoi from February 17.

Titled “The plastic model of Paramodel is Paramodel,” the exhibition showcases works made by the group called Paramodel including two Japanese artists, Hayashi Yasuhiko and Nakano Yusuke.

At the exhibition, the two will use toys and daily objects to create both specific mini-sculptures and massive and room-scale installations. The artists also said they will present things in simple ways that anyone, even without any knowledge of art, could easily understand.

Also on February 17, Paramodel will have a workshop at Vietnam University of Fine Arts at 42 Yet Kieu Street.

Formed in 2001, the group received the honor of the Sakuya Konohana Award in 2008 from Osaka City, Japan.

Group member Hayashi Yasuhiko graduated from Kyoto City University of Arts’ Fine Arts Department while Nakano Yusuke studied in the Nihonga (Japanese-style painting) Department at the same university.

The group said their name is a mix of the words “paradise,” “Paradox,” and “Model.” Also, it comes from the Japanese word “puramoderu” which means plastic toy dioramas.

The installation exhibition at the Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange at 27 Quang Trung Street will run until March 11.

Valentine’s Day comes with sweet melodies

Stages in Vietnam’s biggest cities, Hanoi and HCMC, are ready for sweet and romantic performances on the special day of loveIn step with the exciting atmosphere of Valentine’s Day celebrations around the world, Vietnamese people will mark the holiday with many musical concerts in the two biggest cities, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Around 24 local singers will perform in the concert titled “Dem Valentine The Ky” (The Century’s Valentine Night) on February 23 in District 7 in HCMC.

Held by MTV Vietnam and CloseUp, the event has drawn many artists including Ho Ngoc Ha, My Tam, Dam Vinh Hung, Uyen Linh, Thu Minh, and Van Mai Huong,
At the event, 100 participating couples will kiss to set a record of “The century’s love confession”.

The event will take place at the Crescent Mall at 107 Ton Dat Tien in Phu My Hung.

On the night of Valentine’s Day, another concert by many singers including Le Khanh, Pham Van Mach, Doan Trang, Lam Truong, V.Music band, Le Quyen and Duong Trieu Vu will also be organized in District 3.

Titled “Valentine’s Day- Concert for Couples”, the event will take place at Lan Anh Stage at 291 Cach Mang Thang 8 Street and will be broadcast live on YanTV.

Also in celebration of Valentine’s day, couples going to Galaxy Nguyen Du, Nguyen Trai and Tan Binh cinemas on February 14 will have the opportunity to take part in a game called “Choose posters, win combo.” Pairs of participants will take two posters from two different boxes. If the posters match, the couple will win a beverage and popcorn combo.

In Hanoi, the well-known duo Ha Anh Tuan and Phuong Linh will give audiences a romantic Valentine’s night with hits like “Thien Duong Goi Ten” (Heaven is calling), “Con Mua Tinh Yeu” (The Love Rain), “Nhu Yeu Lan Dau” (Love Like The First Time), “Giac Mo Anh Va Em” (The Dream of Us) at the concert titled “Ngay Chung Doi” (The Day We’re Together).

The show, to be held by musician Huy Tuan and Brothers Band, will also feature the voice of the 2010Vietnam Idol runner-up Van Mai Huong and Thanh Bui, one of the top 8 finalists of the 2008 Australian Idol in duet performances of the sweet songs “Beauty and the Beast,” “Tonight I celebrate my love for you,” and “Quando Quando.”

“Ngay Chung Doi” will take place on February 14 at The Rooftop Bar and Restaurant at 83 Ly Thuong Kiet in Hoan Kiem District.

Also that night, young singer Thanh Tam will also celebrate the day with her mini show titled “Dem Tinh Nhan” (The Night of Lovers).

At the concert, the 23-year-old actress and singer will perform songs like “Xe Dap” (Bicycle), “Nhac Lai Trong Noi Nho” (Remind The Memory) and “Nhu Một Thoi Quen” (Like A Habit) and some new songs.

Thanh Tam said she will also have duet performances with audience members at the show.

“Dem Tinh Nhan” will take place at Arges Lounge at 52 Ba Trieu Street.

Renowned singers, including My Tam, Uyen Linh, Tan Minh, and Khac Viet will also attend a show titled “Cam On Tinh Yeu” (Say Thank To Love) on February 14 at the Palace of Culture and Vietnam-Soviet Friendship at 91 Tran Hung Dao Street in Hoan Kiem District.

Women in Pham Cung’s eyes

‘Women in my eyes’ painting exhibition by Pham Cung, 80, opened in HCMC’s Association of Fine Art on Wednesday.

The show displays 37 works of oil on canvas, depicting portraits of women in varied ages and gestures. Unlike skinny supermodels on the catwalks, women in traditional or modern costumes and appearance in Pham Cung’s paintings are painted as curvaceous as Cung said that women need to have a full-figured body to express the hidden strength of women. He added that apart from a beautiful and attractive outlook, women need to be healthy to fulfill the duties of a mother and wife.

Cung said in his eyes, women are noble, pure and beautiful and every man has to respect and cherish women like a treasure from God. “I prefer to depict the beauty of women to young girls, as I appreciate wives and mothers,” said the artist.

The exhibition runs to February 18 at the association, 218A Pasteur, HCMC’s District 3.
 
Jazz hero Franck Amsallem comes to Hanoi

Pianist, musician and singer Franck Amsallem will give a jazz extravaganza at French Cultural Center (L’Espace) in Hanoi at 8 p.m. on March 8.

At the gig, the artist will perform many famous jazz pieces such as I got Rhythm or Summer Time.  And by playing both classic and modern jazz, the artist will bring great pleasure and inspiration to listeners.

He has produced eight albums and guided famous musicians like Gerry Mulligan, Charles Lloyd, Joshua Redman, Maria Schneider and Harry Belafonte. Amsallem used to say that it is a pianist’s job to move us and he has succeeded in doing just that and his legendary performances are inspirational.

Tickets are available at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street, Hanoi at VND120,000.
 
Russian artists to perform at Hue Festival 2012  

Two Russian performing art troupes will participate in Hue Festival 2012, scheduled to open on April 7, said Yury B.Materiy, the Russian Consulate in Da Nang City, at a meeting with Ngo Hoa, Deputy Chairman of the People’s Committee of Thua Thien-Hue Province.  
 
Currently, 40 performing art troupes from 30 countries and territories have registered to participate in the festival this year.

The Festival in Hue is part of the many activities planned for National Tourism Year 2012 organised by Thua Thien-Hue Province, in an effort to promote Hue as a Festival City and highlight Thua Thien- Hue Province as one of Vietnam’s cultural and tourist centres.

Mr. Materiy said that he was in communication with Russian tour agencies to bring Russian visitors to Hue City, especially during Hue Festival 2012.