Clarinet virtuoso performs with Viet Nam orchestra     

French clarinet player Michel Lethiec will perform with the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra on March 7 & 9 at the French Cultural Centre.

Under the baton of conductor Tetsuji Honna, the musicians will play Concerto for Clarinet and Symphony No25 by Mozart.

Lethiec is noted worldwide. As a soloist and chamber musician he has collaborated with several significant performers and orchestras.

He has given premiere performances of pieces by contemporary composers and made numerous recordings.

Lethiec teaches at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris and atthe Nice Conservatoire.

Work to restore ancient observatory in Hue

The Hue Monuments Conservation Centre has begun the restoration of an observatory vestige in Hue’s ancient capital complex, in conjunction with the Viet Nam Institute for Building Science and Technology.

The VND11 billion (US$500,000) project, expected to be completed in July, is part of a programme launched in June 2011 to restore relics in the citadel to their former glory.

The ancient observatory, called Dong Khuyet Dai, is located in the east of the site. It was one of four observatories that served as a defensive post during the Nguyen dynasty.

Photo exhibition on AO victims opens in S Korea

A collection of photographs capturing meetings between trans-Viet Nam cyclists and Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange (AO) taken by Lee Jong-hun are on display at an exhibition that opened in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on Saturday.

The exhibition is being held by the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK with the support of the MBC Nanum Broadcasting Company.

Lee took the photos when he joined 20 Vietnamese and Korean bike riders on their 1,750km journey across Viet Nam last November.

The riders, representing AO victims, Viet Nam - RoK families and the two countries’ students, had opportunities to meet Vietnamese AO victims during their 26-day journey.

Art programme marks Vietnam-China friendship

An arts exchange programme under the theme “Joining hands to build a peaceful, friendly, cooperative and developing Vietnam-China land border” was held in the city of Ha Giang on March 2.
The event was organised by the local Border Guard Command to herald the 54 th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the Border Guard (March 3, 1959-2013) and the 24 th anniversary of the All People’s Border Guard (March 3, 1989-2013).

It was part of activities to raise patriotism among people nationwide, and to affirm Vietnamese border and island sovereignty. It encouraged officials, soldiers, and ethnic people in the northern border areas to preserve and defend national border sovereignty and security.

At the event, participants had a chance to enjoy various musical performances praising the Party, patriotism and the late President Ho Chi Minh, as well as the glorious heroic traditions of Vietnamese people’s armed forces and border guards.

The performance of officers and soldiers from Yunnan province in the southwest of China at the event also contributed to building and nurturing friendship, mutual understanding and trust between the two peoples.

HCM City Television launches annual awards

Last Friday HCM City Television (HTV) announced the nominees for its annual music, theatre and TV awards.

There are nine awards to be handed out in total, and 46 different nominees. Pop star Ho Trung Dung has been nominated as one of the public’s favourite performers, alongside other acclaimed artists including Duc Tuan, Quang Dung, Van Mai Huong and Uyen Linh.

The nominees in the theatre categories include comedian Hoai Linh, actress Kim Xuan and cai luong (reformed opera) performers Kim Tu Long and Le Thuy.

The TV award hopefuls include actors and actresses such as Quy Binh, Dai Nghia, Le Be La and Lan Phuong.

HTV will conduct a public poll to select the winners beginning on March 18. The victors will be announced on May 4 at an awards ceremony held at the HTV Theatre. The show will also be screened live on HTV7.

Five-minute video clips introducing the nominees will be broadcast every day in the build up, and special 60-minute in-depth features and audience feedback will be shown every Saturday until May 3 to help audiences select the winners, who will each receive a HTV Cup and VND30 million (US$1,500) in prize money.

UN Women's song spreads unity message

Acclaimed singers and musicians from across the globe came together to perform the song One Woman, which aims to spread a message of unity and solidarity.

The song features 25 artists, female and male: Ana Bacalhau from Portugal, Angelique Kidjo from Benin, Anoushka Shankar from India, Bassekou Kouyate from Mali, Bebel Gilberto from Brazil, Beth Blatt from US, Brian Finnegan from Ireland, Buika from Spain, Charice from the Philippines, Cherine Amr from Egypt, Debi Nova from Costa Rica, Emeline Michel from Haiti, Fahan Hassan from the UK, Idan Raichel from Israel, Jane Zhang from China, Marta Gomez from Colombia, Meklit Hadero from Ethiopia, Rokia Traore from Mali, Vanessa Quai from Vanuatu, Ximena Sarinana from Mexico and Yuna from Malaysia.

The song will be released on March 8, International Women’s Day.

One Woman was written for UN Women – the global champion for women and girls – to celebrate its mission to improve women’s lives around the world.

This year, International Women’s Day will focus on ending violence against women, a human rights violation that affects up to 7 in 10 women.

Australian performance marks 40 years of diplomatic ties

Australia’s Bangara Dance Theatre performed at the Hanoi Opera House on March 2, marking the 40th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and Australia.

The celebration’s attendees included Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Hugh Borrowman, along with a number of Vietnamese Ministers and former ambassadors from both nations.

Australia Ambassador Borrowman said the celebration programme shows the rapid development of the bilateral relations, encapsulating Australia’s creativity in expanding cultural exchanges and broadening cooperation between the two governments.

In a message sent to the programme, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that despite their different cultures and histories, Vietnam and Australia cooperate on the basis of mutual benefit and mutual respect.

Vietnam has become one of Australia’s important regional partners thanks to strong trade ties, educational exchanges, and development aid for Vietnam.

FM Binh Minh spoke highly of Australia’s history of extending ODA to Vietnam, significantly contributing to the country’s infrastructure development, education and training, poverty reduction, and socio-economic development.

History’s ups and downs will not impede the flourishing friendship between Vietnam and Australia from growing ever deeper for mutual reward and for the sake of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world, Minh said.

The performance sought inspiration in the 40,000-year-old stories of Australia’s aboriginal people and was accompanied by modern adaptations of traditional dances and music.

Exhibition marks Uncle Ho’s visit to Vinh Phuc

An exhibition showcasing objects evoking Uncle Ho’s visit to northern Vinh Phuc province 50 years ago opened on March 1.

The exhibition’s displays include more than 300 objects, documents, and photos of President Ho Chi Minh’s life and revolutionary career, and capture the encouragement he offered to the province’s Party committee and people.

During his visit on March 2, 1963, Uncle Ho urged Vinh Phuc province to spare no effort in becoming one of northern Vietnam’s most prosperous provinces.

The province has honoured his recommendation over the subsequent 50 years, recording many significant achievements in its renewal and socio-economic development.

Organised by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the exhibition is one of the events marking the start of the 2013 Vinh Phuc Culture and Tourism Week and it will run until the end of this month.

VNN/VOV/VNS