Italian artists to perform Tosca in Hanoi 

The musicians will enchant an audience with the most famous classic Italian works such as Tosca and Madame Butterfly, and will also perform modern classical compositions by Ludovico Einaudi, Ennio Morricone and Stefano Bracci.

Stafficci studied at the Conservatory “F. Morlacchi” of Perugia and graduated with the highest grades. Safficci then focused on classic Italian Opera’s repertoire with the help of her teacher, soprano Antonietta Stella.

Stafficci took part in many master classes in Italy and abroad with world-renowned artists such as Raina Kabaivanska, Katia Ricciarelli and Carmen Gonzales.

Ragni is a pianist who has a degree in philosophy, and he also writes books and works as a critic.

This event is a part of the Y-Viet 2011 Program. The price of ticket is from VND150,000. Tickets will be available at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien street or can be booked by email: ticketvn@fpt.vn.

Vietnam, Mongolia cooperate in writing

The Vietnam and Mongolia Writers’ Associations signed a cooperation agreement in Hanoi on May 26.

The two sides focused on literature exchanges and development cooperation in the spirit of strengthening friendship between the two countries.

They agreed to publish works of literature to introduce each country’s landscape and people and establish a fund for literature development in both countries.

On July 12, the signed document will be officially approved in Mongolia.

So far, the Vietnam Writers’ Association has established relations with 34 writers’ associations and literature organisations in the world.  

Seminar on Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia fine arts

A seminar on Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia fine arts was held in Vientiane, Laos on May 26.

Speaking at the event, Laos’ Deputy Minister of Information and Culture Buangounsaphuvong stressed the important role of fine arts in the construction of each country.

The President of the Vietnam Fine Art Association, Tran Khanh Chuong, said that in the future, the association will co-ordinate with the Cambodia and Laos Fine Art Associations in organising creation camps of friendship in order to improve professional skills and exchange products in the field of fine arts.

Besides, painter Tran Khanh Chuong presented the insignia of the Vietnam Fine Art Association to 7 Lao officials and some Vietnamese publications to the Cambodia and Laos Fine Art Associations.

Korean artworks on show in Hanoi

Chalk paintings of teddy bears and painted stones in traditional style are among the objects on display at an exhibition of the works of three Korean artists that has opened at the Korean Cultural Center in Hanoi.

“3 people, 3 personalities” features 43 works by Woo Kyeong Hwa (teddy bears), Yoo Haejung (stones), and Kim Minseung (pencil paintings of Korean youth).

“We hope Vietnamese will understand Korean artists’ personalities and their love of art through their works,” Keum Gi Hyung, director of the center, says.

The exhibition will go on until May 30.

Acrobats, puppets to perform Gulliver’s Travels

The Ho Chi Minh City-based Circus Art Troupe and Puppetry Art Troupe will perform “Gulliver’s Travels” using a mixture of acrobatics and puppetry at a show starting this month.

It will feature 500 artists from the two troupes.

“Gulliver’s Travels,” a satirical novel written in 1727 by Irish author Jonathan Swift, narrates the adventures of Lemuel Gulliver, an English doctor who travels overseas and meets up with peoples in strange lands who range from being tiny to gigantic.

For long, the book has been adapted into movies and plays.

The show will be held every day at the circus at 23/9 Park, District 1, from May 28 to June 5.

CAMA Festival will showcase worldwide talent 

The fifth CAMA Festival will see both local and world-class musical talent wow fans on Saturday at American Club in Hanoi, reports Lao Dong newspaper.

On the main stage are P.K.14 (Beijing), rock band Okamoto’s (Tokyo), The Standards (Thai/U.K.), indie pop band Ball Park Music (Australia), 6789 (Vietnam/Malaysia), hip hop/island dance group Grrilla Step (Australia) and local artists Rosewood, Re-Cycle, Gibbon Suburbia and Dang Nam Phuong.

On the electronic stage DJ Tri Minh (Vietnam),  Olaf Zeumann Ensemble (Germany), DJ Yark (U.K.), DJ Slim V, DJ Polo, DJ Cache, DJ Vaughan and DJ Slippy will keep the fans on their toes with their banging tunes.

“Artists at this year’s CAMA Festival are so unique,” said Nick Greenfield, representative of CAMA Vietnam. “We are so lucky to have breaking-through Asian artists and bands from all over who will make it a wonderful festival.”

The event will be produced in partnership with Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and will raise much-needed funds to support FFI’s primate protection program. FFI’s approach to conservation is to use sound science, while involving and providing benefits to local people who inhabit areas closest to the forests. Former hunters, who are paid to become community support rangers, and key people from the community are brought together to help manage the forests.

Ticket prices for the event at 19-21 Hai Ba Trung Street are VND400,000 at the door or VND350,000 in advance, VND200,000 for students with valid Vietnamese student IDs on the day of the show and kids under 10 get in free.

Tickets are available at Al Fresco’s, 23L Hai Ba Trung Street, HCMC and numerous venues in the capital. For more information contact info@camafestival.com.

PV