Single mums tell their stories in photos 

Eighteen single mothers from Tan Minh commune, Soc Son district, Hanoi had the chance to share their happiness and sadness as well as desire for a brighter future at an exhibition opened in the Vietnam Women’s Museum on March 7.  

Entitled, “Single mothers’ stories”, the event was the result of cooperation between the Vietnam Women’s Museum and the Embassy of Finland, aiming to raise the economic and social status of a group of disadvantaged women.

Through 200 photos and objects, the exhibition tells true stories about the women who have to carry two burdens on their shoulders as they fulfill the functions of both mother and father, in spite of gender prejudices.

The exhibition also shows the change in the community’s perceptions and actions regarding the issue of single mothers on the way to achieving the goal of gender equality.

The exhibition will take place at the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, 36 Ly Thuong Kiet Street , Hanoi for five months and then move to Tan Minh for one month.

Concert on “the sound of Germany”

A concert themed “The sound of Germany” will take place at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House on March 9. 

The performance will present to music lovers the great masterpieces of famous composers including L.V.Beethoven, John Williams, Klaus Badelt, Georges Bizet and Edward Elgar, performed by violinist Le Ngoc Anh Kiet under the baton of well-known conductor Lior Shambadal, the principal conductor of the Berliner Symphoniker.

Violinist Le Ngoc Anh Kiet is a member of the Berliner Symphoniker Orchestra and the “The Trio Berliner”. He is also one of the founders of the “Strings Quartor Saigon – Berlin” music school, which mostly caters to Vietnamese children living in Germany.

Tickets are available at the HCMC Opera House and HBSO office, 3 Phan Van Dat Street in District 1, for VND250, 000 and VND150, 000 and for students at a discount VND60, 000.

Japanese jazz musician to perform in Vietnam

Acclaimed Japanese jazz musician Yamashita Yosuke will perform in the Spring Jazz Concert hosted by Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra (VNSO) at the Hanoi Opera House in two days of March 12 and 13 at 8p.m.

He will perform Gershwin’s classic jazz Girl Crazy (Overture), Someone to Watch Over Me and especially his own work, Sudden Fiction.

Born on February 26, 1942 in Tokyo, Japan, Yosuke began playing music professionally at the age of 17 in 1959. Four years later, he released his first recording and became a pioneer of avant-garde and free jazz.

His sudden inspiration compositions are usually compared with those of American jazz musician Cecil Taylor.

He has been a visiting professor of music at Senzoku Gakuen College of Music, Nagoya University of Arts, and his alma mater, Kunitachi College of Music, in addition to publishing work on improvisation and music.

Tickets from VND 150,000 (US$ 8), especially VND75,000 (US$ 4) for students, can be obtained in Hanoi at PR Department of VNSO – 226 Cau Giay, Opera House – 1 Trang Tien, Sketch Magazine – 25 Truong Han Sieu and SHOP P – 8 Nha Chung. They can also be booked online at www.vnso.org.vn and ticketvn.com.

HBSO announces Spring-Summer program

The HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) promises a great Spring-Summer season of entertainment with symphony concerts, ballet, contemporary dance, opera and choir by international and local artists.

The “The Sound of Germany” concert featuring masterpieces by Ludwig van Beethoven, Georges Bizet and Edward Elgar conducted Lior Shambadal and featuring Vietnamese violinist Le Ngoc Anh Kiet, both from the Berlin Symphony Orchestra (Berliner Symphoniker) will start the season at the HCMC Opera House in District 1 at 8 p.m. on March 9.

Joining the well-known symphony No. 5 “Destiny” and Egmont Overture by Beethoven, will be the soundtracks from two Hollywood movies “The Schindler’s List” and “The Pirates of Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl”.

The season will continue with two ballets performed for the first time: The Monsoons by choreographer/Meritorious Artist Ha The Dung on March 19 and May 19 and the ballet Tango by choreographers Bui Ngoc Quang, Nguyen Phuc Hai and Nguyen Phuc Hung on April 19 and June 6.

On April 9, a symphony concert named “Russian Voices” will feature pieces by Russian composers like Modest Mussorgsky, Alexander Borodin and Alexander Arutunian.

For “Russian Night” on May 9, young artists who have been educated in Russia like violinist Bui Cong Duy, conductors Tran Nhat Minh and Nguyen Anh Son and pianist Vu Ngoc Linh will reunite on stage. They will play Violin Concerto in D Major and the 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky, Rhapsody on the theme of Paganini by Sergei Rachmaninov and “Dawn on the Moscow River” by Modest Mussorgsky from the opera Khovanshina.

All the programs will start at 8 p.m. at HCMC Opera House, 7 Lam Son Square in HCMC’s District 1.

Tickets are available at HBSO Office, 3 Phan Van Dat Street, District 1, at VND250,000, VND150,000 for general public, and VND60,000 for students. Contact 3823 7419/6270 4450 or email info@hbso.org.vn for more information.

Containers band wins Hard Rock Battle

Five piece rock band, Containers from HCMC, won the final round of Hard Rock Battle of the Bands on Saturday night at the Café in HCMC’s District 1 to represent Vietnam at the regional contest on Mar. 20.

The band made up of Tay Phong, Bac Tri, Nam Vuong, Dong Nhat and Trung Canh played hard rock/heavy metal songs about city life.

The Containers performed a 30 minute set of their own songs and popular hits to beat challengers, SagoMetal, The Battery and Winfield in a close contest.

The jury consisting of music journalist Tri Quyen, rocker Tran Lap from The Wall band and musician/producer Curtis King had already tipped The Containers as the band to beat.

The band won VND10 million in cash, a contract with Hard Rock Café Vietnam and a video clip and a recorded song sponsored by Hard Rock Café HCMC.

Audiences worldwide can access www.hardrock.com to vote for their favorite bands. The four bands with the most votes in each four regions will become the Global Ambassadors of Rock to play at the three day music festival, Hard Rock Calling 2011 at Hyde Park, London from June 24 to 26.

Researchers eye Chieu Kinh shrine

The Hue Royal Citadel Preservation Centre has started to research the Chieu Kinh shrine archaeological site in the first step of a project to restore the relic.

Guided by extensive research, experts from the Architecture Department of Waseda University in Japan will conduct the work directly. Japan has provided US$70,000 of the project's total price tag of VND3.2 billion ($147,500). Viet Nam will provide the remaining funding.

The restoration is expected to be completed in 2015.

Chieu Kinh shrine in the Hue Royal Citadel was built during the first period of King Gia Long's reign. This 160sq.m shrine consists of one compartment and double lean-tos. It was destroyed in the historical upheavals of the early 20th century, leaving only the foundation behind.

Swiss Food Festival kicks off

Hundreds of guests including representatives from the Swiss Embassy in Ha Noi attended the opening of the Swiss Food Festival on Monday at Movenpick Hotel.

"Although the food culture of Switzerland tends to be influenced by its neighbours, particularly Italy, France and Germany, the nation also has its own high-quality, locally produced ingredients that make the cuisine itself unique," said Executive Chef Nguyen Ngoc Lam, who has worked for several five-star hotels in New Zealand.

Swiss foods include the internationally renowned cheese fondue and cheese raclette as well as veal zurichoise, riz casimir, various roestis, alpine herdsman's macaroni, barley soup and many other dishes.

"If you have a sweet tooth, traditional home made tarts such as chocolate tartlets and carac, Swiss walnut tart, Swiss chocolate roll, pistachio panna cotta and many other sweet temptations will definitely enrich your dining experience," a couple from Switzerland said.

The festival will wrap up tomorrow, March 10.

Documentary on disabled kids screens

The video documentary Con Duong Hy Vong (Facing Forward) premiered at the Goethe Institute in Ha Noi last week before an audience of hundreds.

The documentary follows international and local experts in their work with children with disabilities and their families. The film shows the challenges of these families and how parents learn to better understand the special needs of their children and the importance of encouraging and stimulating their development through specially-designed interventions.

The film was produced by the Office of Genetic Counseling and Disabled Children, Rehabilitation Centre Peace Village and Deutsche Gesellschaft for Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). By bringing early intervention and rehabilitation to families, these agencies help boost the acceptance of these children by their families and the wider community.

Singing contest shapes up

A singing contest of songs by Trinh Cong Son will be held on March 26-29 at Nam Chau Hoi Quan (Nam Chau Club House) in Hue city, according to an official statement from the Music Association of the central province of Thua Thien – Hue.

In addition to an award from the organising board, the winning contestants will be asked to sing in the live Trinh Cong Son – 10 Nam Tro Ve Cat Bui (Trinh Cong Son – 10 Years Since His Death) show at Nghinh Luong Dinh on March 30.

Trinh Cong Son lovers of all ages may register at the Thua Thien – Hue provincial Literature and Arts Association (26 Le Loi Street) until March 20.