Bob Dylan’s show to tribute legendary Trinh Cong Son

There will be an hour tribute to the legendary song-writer Trinh Cong Son in Bob Dylan’s show scheduled to take place in Ho Chi Minh City-based Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University (RMIT) on April 10.

Trinh Cong Son has been dubbed the “Vietnamese Bob Dylan” for his anti-war songs.

He is widely considered one of the most salient figures of modern Vietnamese music with more than 600 compositions. April 1 this year will commemorate the 10th anniversary of his death.

Bob Dylan’s show organizers have contacted Son’s family to prepare for the tribute. However, the famous American singer-songwriter will likely not perform any of Trinh Cong Son’s songs or music, according to newswire Dat Viet.

“Currently we cannot say anything for certain as everything is still under preparation and we’re in the process of trying to obtain the permit,” said Nguyen Trung Truc, Son’s brother in law.

This is no confirmation from RMIT yet. However, Bob Dylan’s show promises to be a spectacular performance set up by his own crew.

The Minnesota-originated Bob Dylan dropped out of school and went to New York to pursue his dream of becoming a music professional. At age 20, he was signed to Columbia Records and his career started to take off.

Dylan has both amplified and personalized musical genres, exploring numerous distinct traditions in American music—from folk, blues and country to gospel, rock and roll, and rockabilly, to English, Scottish, and Irish folk music, embracing even jazz and swing.

He was listed among 100 most influential people of the 20th century by the Time Magazine in 1999.

“Clean Cut Kid” and “Masters of War” are two songs he wrote about the Vietnam War.

Ho Chi Minh City Cinematography Awards presented

Winners of the Ho Chi Minh City Cinematography Association Awards 2010 were honoured at a ceremony held recently in the city.

In the feature film category, Dao Ba Son won ‘Best Director’ for his film ‘Long Thanh Cam Gia Ca’ (The Fate of a Songstress in Thang Long).

The ‘Best Actor’ award belonged to Quach Ngoc Quan for his outstanding performances in two films, ‘Long Thanh Cam Gia Ca’ and ‘Khat Vong Thang Long’ (Aspiration of Thang Long). Young artist Lan Ngoc was presented the ‘Best Actress’ title for her role in ‘Canh Dong Bat Tan’ (Endless Field).

Le Phuong Nam bagged the ‘Best Director’ of a television movie with his film ‘Vit Keu Dong’ (Ducks Quacking in the Field) and the ‘Best Film’ prize went to ‘Nga Re’ (Branching Point) directed by Nguyen Truong Phuong, which also brought in the ‘Best Actor’ award for Huynh Dong. Two films, ‘Van Hoa Sai Gon – Gia Dinh’ (Saigon – Gia Dinh Culture) and ‘Trang Non’ (New Moon) won the award for ‘Best Documentary.’

Vietnam, Korean artists join exhibition

Eighty works of art by artists from Vietnam and the Republic of Korea (RoK) are now on display in the Vietnam-RoK International Exchange Exhibition that opened in Hanoi yesterday.

The beauty of nature, life and people of both countries are vividly expressed through the works on show. Images from daily life such as autumn leaves, lotus flowers, and the countryside are colourfully depicted in various media including oil paint, lacquer, ceramic and paper.

The exhibition features many popular and respected artists from the RoK such as Professor Lee Jae Hwan from the Daegu Arts University; Professor Lee Ho Sung from Baekseo Arts University; Chairman of the RoK Fine Arts Association Cha Dae Young, and Chairman of the Gangnam Fine Arts Association Park Mi Yong as well as a number of younger artists.

“The exhibition is significant because it brings an opportunity for Korean artists to introduce Hanoians the beauty of traditional and modern fine arts from the RoK. It also helps usher in new potential for fine arts exchanges between the two countries,” said Professor Lee Jae Hwan.

One of the participating Korean artists, Beom Seok Seo, said “I’m very happy to join this exhibition for the second time after the first one in Hanoi in 2010. This time gives me fresh inspiration because Hanoi has just celebrated its 1000th anniversary.”

“I hope this exhibition will become an annual event, thus providing more opportunities for artists from both countries to exchange experiences and learn more about each country’s culture,” he added.

Four Vietnamese artists, including Le Kim My, a lecturer at the Hanoi Fine Arts University, Tuyet Nga, Doan Hong and Dang Tin Tuong also have their works showcased at the exhibition.

The exhibition will last until February 22 at the Korean Cultural Centre, 49 Nguyen Du, Hanoi.

Photo exhibition marks start of Mexico Year

The exhibition, ‘Mexico, Country of Colours’ with 30 photographs taken by Ricardo Espinosa opened in Hanoi on February 18 to herald Mexico Year in Vietnam.

The display is a vivid presentation of the cultural identity and history of a country full of colourful festivals.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Huynh Vinh Ai highlighted recent steps taken in bilateral relations, especially in art and culture.

He said he believed that the exhibition would lead to a stronger friendship and more understanding between the two nations, which are far away in distance but have many similarities in culture and history.

The Mexican Ambassador Sergio Rivadeneyra said that the photos highlight the attraction of Mexico’s beauty spots, architecture, art, festivals, traditional culture and customs.

He also presented the Vietnamese National Library with a collection of books in Spanish by Mexican authors.

The exhibition will last until February 25.

‘Evening of Smiles’ to raise funds for children with facial deformities

‘An Evening of Smiles’ will be held to raise funds for children with facial deformities on March 5 at the Sofitel Plaza, No. 1 Thanh Nien Street in Hanoi, according to an announcement made at a press conference in Hanoi today.

At the fundraising event, the thirteenth of its kind, participants can join in an auction for a number of artworks donated by well-known Vietnamese painters such as Pham Luc, Thon That Bang, Nguyen Thanh Binh, To Chien, and Thanh Hai, as well as French artist, Helene Kling, according to Nguyen Viet Phuong, Country Director for Operation Smile in Vietnam - the event’s organiser.

Addressing the press conference, Hank Tolimson, Representative of Chevron Vietnam Ltd., the fundraiser’s sponsor, said Chevron was happy to be involved in Operation Smile to help disadvantaged children gain access to medical treatment. The company has co-operated with the medical organisation for many years and has made a long-term commitment to Vietnam to help improve the development of healthcare, education and women,

Solider-painter Pham Luc represented the artists who donated paintings for the auction and said he was happy that his artwork could contribute to improving the quality of life for unfortunate children.

A short but moving video called ‘The Power of One’ was also screened at the press conference. The video features hard life of children born with facial deformities as they face difficulties with breathing, drinking, eating and speaking, as well as medical and psychological problems. It delivers a strong message and calls upon everyone to strive together to create a brighter future for such children and help them integrate into the community.

Approximately 1 in 500 children in Vietnam is born with a facial deformity. Operation Smile Vietnam, a non-profit organisation, has provided free surgeries to about 12,000 children across the country since its establishment in 1989. In 2011, the organisation aims to provide treatment to 2,000 underprivileged children.

Poetry Day opens in Hanoi

Thousands of poetry lovers in Hanoi flocked to Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature) this morning to enjoy a variety of activities to celebrate the 9th Vietnam Poetry Day 2011.

The annual Poetry Day featured three stages on which different types of poetry were read including traditional, modern and children’s poetry.

According to Huu Thinh, chairman of the Vietnam Writers Association, this year’s Poetry Day was also an occasion to mark the 100th anniversary of President Ho Chi Minh leaving the country in 1911 to seek for ways to save the nation.

Visitors to the event had the chance to view portraits of famous Vietnamese writers who won the Ho Chi Minh Award in a temporary statue garden honouring men of letters. President Ho Chi Minh’s poems written in calligraphy and translated into different languages were also on display at Thien Quang Tinh.

The stage for modern poetry this year attracted familiar young poets such as Vi Thuy Linh, Nguyen Vinh Tien, Phan Huyen Thu, Pham Van Anh, Nguyen Thuy Quynh, Mai Van Phan, and Lo Cao Nhum. Some new faces were also introduced including Luong Dinh Khoa, Hoang Anh Tuan, Phung Hai Yen, Nha Thuyen, and Dam Thuy Duong.

The organising board of the Vietnam Writers’ Association also selected 50 outstanding verses by 50 poets attached to red balloons to release into the sky.

For the first time, poetry clubs from Hanoi and nearby areas were invited to join the Poetry Day. They set up their own booths to introduce books and poems, and also organised various exchanges.

'This is my first time participating in Vietnam Poetry Day. The Japanese also love poems. In Japan, we have a day for literature but there is no special day only for poetry like in Vietnam. Today I brought some haiku, a traditional form of Japanese poetry, to share with Vietnamese poetry lovers here,' said Takeji Yoshikawa, Director of the Japan Foundation Centre for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam.

In addition to the major events in Hanoi, other related activities took place the same day in Nghe An province - Uncle Ho's homeland, and at Nha Rong Wharf in Ho Chi Minh City where Uncle Ho boarded the ship that took him abroad seeking ways to save his country.

DPRK exhibition opens in Hanoi

DPRK Ambassador to Vietnam Kim Chang Il and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho Anh Tuan cut the ribbon to open an exhibition on Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) books and fine arts in Hanoi on February 15.

With more than 200 works, the exhibition features the DPRK’s beauty and achievements during its national construction and defence over the past 60 years.

The exhibition, the fourth of its kind in Vietnam, is to mark the 69th birthday of DPRK leader Kim Jong-Il and aims to bolster solidarity between the two countries and to raise their traditional friendship to a new height.

Vietnamese reporter wins photo prizes

Viet Van, a reporter from Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper, won the first prize at a photo contest launched by the UK Charnwood Arts.

He earned the prize for a photo captioned ‘Dieu Bi An’ (Mystery of Woman).

Charnwood Arts is an independent community arts and media organisation based in the Borough of Charnwood in the East Midland of Britain .

Van has also won a certificate of honour for a set of photos he named ‘Su Don Doc’ (Solitude) at a competition held by the Worldwide Photography Gala Awards (WPGA).

The WPGA event saw the competition among 1,020 sets of photos from 44 countries.

Sea festival 2011 spotlights Truong Sa Day

The sea festival scheduled to take place in Nha Trang central city from June 11 -15 will highlight Truong Sa Day.

At the fest themed “Nha Trang – sea rendezvous”, the audience will have a chance to learn about the Truong Sa archipelago and Vietnamese islands through workshops, photo exhibition, and film screening.

The event also features other cultural and art activities like Miss Khanh Hoa beauty contest, Cau Ngu whale worship fest, bird’s nest fest, cuisine fest, film week and traditional art performances.

According to the organizers, the biennial fest is aimed at promoting the province’s traditional cultural values and tourism industry to the world.

Nha Trang named 2nd best city for beauty contests

Global Beauties, an online magazine covering international beauty contests, has rated Nha Trang as the world’s second best host city for beauty pageants.

According to a list released last Tuesday for the Global Beauties Awards aimed at honoring best host cities for beauty contests last year, Chinese city Sanya is on top.

Another Chinese city, Chengdu, is in third place.

The Global Beauties Awards honors contestants, presenters and directors in categories such as Sexiest Woman Alive, Supermodel Look, Men’s Pageant of the Year, Best Pageant Presenter and Best National Director.

Miss Vietnam World 2010 Luu Thi Diem Huong, who won the Best in Swimwear contest at the Miss Earth pageant, was third in the Best in Asia category behind Indian Nicole Faria and Filipino Venus Raj.

Nha Trang hosted the 2010 Miss Earth and 2008 Miss Universe pageants. Thanks to its beautiful beaches and mild weather all year round, it is one Vietnam’s most popular tourist destinations.

Lantern Fest concludes

The 3rd lantern festival aimed at celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Cat concluded Wednesday night in Hoi An ancient town in central Vietnam.

According to organizers, the fest attracted around 25,000 local and international visitors who enjoyed lanterns in different shapes and sizes hung along the streets in Hoi An, a UNESCO heritage site.

The fest also featured a lantern competition with 87 entries from 58 units across the country.

Artworks namely “Den dan” by Huynh Van Ba, “Doc binh doi” by “Huynh Suong”, “Gom do”, “Den gom” by Le Quoc Tuan with wonderful decorations and different shapes attracted applause and attention from visitors.

Tuan’s “Sum Vay” won the first prize in the commercial lantern category while the “Hoa Binh – hoi nhap” lantern made by Hoi An’s Tour Guide Office was awarded first prize in another category.

In the commercial category, another two artworks “Ganh xuan ve tren pho” by Thanh Ha kindergarten school and “Mat mieu mung xuan” by Ha Linh secured top prize.

The organizers also gave away other 16 prizes.