Hanoi hosts concert to mark Italian National Day

A concert titled ‘Gala Italiano’ to mark Italian National Day will be held at the Hanoi Opera House on June 2.

The music concert will be performed by the “Associazione Concertistica Romana” (Roman Concert Association) along with well-known artists who have held successful performances in Italy, Syria, Turkey and Morocco.

The Roman Concert Association will present to Vietnamese audiences a repertoire of Italian Opera arias by composers Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, Verdi and Puccini.

They will be performed by: soprano Lucia Conte, mezzo-soprano Paola Cacciatori, tenor David Sotgiu, baritone Juan Possidente, pianist Antonio Cama and director Carlo Magni.

The concert is part of the Italia-Vietnam 2012 programme organised by the Embassy of Italy in Hanoi. The programme aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries and bring the best of Italian culture to the Vietnamese people.

Tickets are priced at VND200, 000.

Ho dynasty and citadel documents displayed in Thanh Hoa

A display of more than 500 documents related to the Ho dynasty and the Ho dynasty citadel opened at the Thanh Hoa provincial library on May 25.

The documents include articles, research, scientific theses and literary works in both Vietnamese and French, as well as photographs taken by French artists in the early 20th century. They reflect the unique architectural value of the citadel, the history of the dynasty, and UNESCO's recognition of the citadel as a World Cultural Heritage site.

A translation of ‘La Province De Thanh Hoa’ (Thanh Hoa Province) by French scholar H. Le Preton on the geographical features and history of Thanh Hoa province, published in 1919, is also being showcased at the exhibition.

UNESCO recognised the Ho dynasty citadel as a World Cultural Heritage site on June 27, 2011 and a ceremony to receive a certificate of recognition will be held by the Thanh Hoa provincial authorities on June 16 this year.

Artists honoured for contributions

One hundred and twenty eight art works were presented the State Award for Literature and the Arts and 356 nominees received the Meritorious Artist title at a ceremony in Hanoi on May 27.

Speaking at the gathering at the Hanoi Opera House, State President Truong Tan Sang highlighted the development of the Literature and Arts in Vietnam.

He said there are more and more enthusiastic and talented artists who greatly contribute to the revolutionary cause of the Party and people, as well as to national construction and defence.

The State leader expressed his belief that artists will inherit and uphold the traditions and achievements of Vietnamese revolutionary literature and art.

He also called on artists and writers to create works of cultural value featuring the country’s great achievements in national construction and defence and meet the expectations of the Party, State and people.

Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris is step back in time

Midnight in Paris, which netted Woody Allen an Oscar for best original screenplay, has gone nationwide.

The romantic comedy sees an American family visiting the French capital for business and pleasure. We follow Gil (Owen Wilson), a successful Hollywood writer, who is struggling to find the inspiration to complete his first novel.

He comes to Paris with his fiancee Inez (Rachel McAdams) whose family is in the city of love on business.

Gil falls in love with the city and thinks they should move there after they get married, but Inez does not share his romantic notions of the city or the idea that the 1920s was the golden age. The differing views puts a strain on their relationship as Gil nightly walks about the streets at midnight taking in the atmosphere and the edge of the city imagining he is there 90 years ago.

One night whilst walking Gil goes back in time to the 1920s and has a chance to meet famous writers such as Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald who may help him finally finish his novel but at what cost?

VNN/VOV/SGGP/SGT