English theatre brings Shakespeare to Vietnam

Shakespeare’s tragedy Macbeth will make its way to Vietnam’s stage at the end of this October with the performance of the English music theatre troupe TNT Theatre Britain.

Founded in 1980 by the known English art director Paul Stebbings, the group has toured more than 40 countries on three continents, from major theatres in Tokyo and Berlin to Verona and Stockholm with musical productions featuring from classic to contemporary theatrical works.

Choreographed by Eric Tessier Lavigne with music composed by Paul Flush, the musical is Paul’s first major Shakespeare production whose success has generated many productions by TNT.

This year´s Macbeth will run in three European countries and continue with three Asian ones including Vietnam.

In 2009, TNT Theatre Britain also put on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in five biggest cities of Vietnam.

The Macbeth musical will have its premier shows in Vietnam at HCM Opera House on June 26-29 before moving to Hanoi and Da Nang.

City orchestra to perform chamber music

Artists from the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera will perform chamber music composed by Johannes Brahms, Louis Spohr, Camille Saint-Saens, and Antonin Dvorak at a concert in the city on August 9.

The concert will consist of two parts.

The first will see cellist Pham Tuan Anh and pianist Pham Dieu Thao performing Brahms’ “Sonata in E Minor, op.38 for Cello and Piano.”

Korean soprano Cho Hae Ryong and pianist Joo Eun Young and Vietnamese clarinetist Dao Nhat Quang will then perform “Six German Songs for Soprano, Clarinet and Piano” by Spohr.

In the second part, Quang and Joo will return with “Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, op.167” by Saint-Saens’s.

The show will wrap up with Dvorak’s “Quintet in A Major, op.81 in 4 movements” by violists Tang Thanh Nam, Nguyen Truc Thuyen and Bui Anh Sơn, cellist Nguyen Tan Anh, and pianist Ly Giai Hoa.

Tickets to the concert at the Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son in District 1, will cost VND250,000 and 150,000 and VND60,000 for students.

Dioxin victims’ efforts to overcome fate showcased

An exhibition of photos featuring Vietnamese Agent Orange victims has opened in Ho Chi Minh City to mark the 50th Day for Dioxin Victims, August 8.

“Vietnamese dioxin victims overcome destiny” at the War Remnants Museum has more than 50 images depicting the daily lives of the victims and their efforts to overcome their handicap.

At its opening on August 2 visitors also met with some dioxin victims, who not only did not complain about their hardships but also showed they had moved on and learnt to live happily.

For instance, Le Van O, 18, who was born without eyes, skillfully played the guitar and organ.

“I can hear everyone sing and touch the big presents you gave me. That makes me so happy,” he said.

Visitors were deeply touched by the story of Tran Thanh Son, a dioxin victim who does not have the use of either leg and one arm but is now a lecturer at Hung Vuong University.

Len Aldis, a British socialist who has for years solicited international support for Vietnamese dioxin victims, was also present.

The exhibition, organized by the city’s Culture, Sport and Tourism Department, Association for Victims of Agent Orange, Information and Exhibition Center, and the museum, will go on until August 10.

K-POP singing contest to be launched in Vietnam

The Korean Cultural Center in Vietnam will launch a singing contest named “K-POP” in Vietnam in order to select the winner for the international K-POP competition to be held in the Republic of Korea (RoK) on November 26.

Vietnamese citizens aged between 15 and 45 can register to take part in the contest - which requires participants to sing in Korean language.

The qualifying round will be held in Hanoi on September 10 and in Ho Chi Minh City on September 3. Seven candidates with the highest scores will be selected to enter the final round, scheduled for Hanoi on October 1.

Buddhist architectural traces uncovered

A 13th-15th century piece of Buddhist architecture has just been unearthed in a garden in the north-western province of Yen Bai.

Atop two hills in the province's Van Chan district, archaeologists have found various remnants of stone, brick, tile and ceramic decoration in the form of lotus flowers. These floral motifs appear similar to ones used in Buddhist buildings of Tran dynasty (1225-1400).

On the Pu Chia Chua Hill, bricks and tiles have been uncovered just below a 35-40cm layer of soil. Experts suggested that the area served as a workshop for producing materials for a nearby Buddhist structure.

The excavation team has asked permission from local authorities to enlarge the area of investigation, hoping to find a Buddhist architectural complex from the Tran era.

If they are right, the building would be the only remnant of Tran Buddhist architecture ever found in the west of the province.

Ho Chi Minh City gets new tourism slogan

“Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City” is the city’s new tourism slogan, the Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism said.

Coined by Cowan Vietnam Co, an advertising agency, the slogan will be used in all the city’s tourism publications and events like the International Travel Expo in September.

In other news, the Vietnam Administration of Tourism is planning to cooperate with the European Union to get European copywriters and marketers to create a new tourism logo and slogan for the country after it decided to jettison a logo and slogan chosen from a contest held last year.

“Vietnam – a Different Orient,” the winner of the contest, attracted criticism for failing to highlight the attractiveness and advantages of Vietnam as a destination.

Fahasa launches vote for favorite Vietnamese book

Fahasa is encouraging readers to vote for their favorite books.

The publisher, which celebrated its 35th anniversary on Wednesday, said both Vietnamese and foreign readers can name their favorite books in Vietnamese – original and translated -- by voting at its stores or online at www.fahasasg.com.vn.

Writers and translators winning the most votes will win prizes as will readers.

The poll will run until February 15 next year.

At the anniversary ceremony, Fahasa was conferred the Independence Medal, third class.

Multi-level authorities in yearbook for first time

Vietnam Publication Joint Stock Company (Vietbooks) on Tuesday officially announced the yearbook of the 13th National Assembly, Government and the 2011-2016 tenure People’s Council and People’s Committee.

Le Tran Truong An, Vietbooks chairman, said that the yearbook for the first time introduces sufficient information on multi-level authorities.

The work provides readers with private information of Government officials, including the Prime Minister, leaders of agencies under ministries and members of provincial and city People’s Councils and People’s Committees.

Vietbooks will officially launch the yearbook in November priced at VND860,000. The firm will also distribute the book to remote areas, sea islands and the nationwide library system and media agencies.

HBSO serves up a treat next week

HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will stage an opera spectacular at HCMC Opera House at 8 p.m. on August 9, featuring well-known pieces by world famous composers.

The first part will see Sonata in E Minor, op.38 for Cello & Piano (I&III mov.) by Johannes Brahms and Sei still mein heiz, Zweigesang, Sehnsucht, Wiegenlied, Das heimliche lied and Wach auf (Six German songs for Soprano, Clarinet & Piano by Ludwig Spohr).

The second part will feature Sonata for Clarinet & Piano, op.167 by Camille Saint-Saens and Quintet in A Major, op.81 by Antonin Dvorak.

Admission is VND200,000 and VND150,000. Tickets are on sale at HCMC Opera Box Office, 7 Lam Son Street in HCMC’s District 1, and may be booked by calling 08 3832 2009 or 08 6270 4450.

PV