Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese guitarists to perform in Da Nang

Guitarists from Malaysia and Thailand will perform with local artists in the Da Nang Guitar Concert at Nguyen Hien Dinh Theatre on December 29.

Da Nang city's event and festival centre said it's the first time the annual concert will have foreign and local guitarists play together to celebrate the new year.

Artists will play solo, duo, quartet and quintet guitar pieces with a violin accompaniment for the guitar festival's fourth year running.

Tickets are available at the Nguyen Hien Dinh Theatre at 155 Phan Chau Trinh street, or at 102 Le Loi street in Da Nang.

Vietnam Television’s annual New Year concert to ring in 2016

The annual special concert titled VTV New Year Concert will be broadcast live on VTV channel on January 1, 2016 by Vietnam Television.

Around 40 leading singers will join in the event, including My Linh, Thanh Lam, Hong Nhung, Tung Duong, My Tam, Ho Quynh Huong, Thu Minh, Ha Anh Tuan, Uyen Linh and among.

The artists will bring popular Vietnamese and international songs to music lovers, such as I believe I can Fly, Hero, The prayer, Mua xuan dau tien (The first spring), Hay yeu nhau di (Let’s love) and more.

Songs will be remixed into various types, including electronic music, jazz, dance, and contemporary folk.

The show will use spectacular visual effects used in motion pictures that will be implemented by talented staff members. The stage uses 3D projection technology to create a virtual-reality room in which the artists perform as well as making a splendid space, said Director Do Thanh Hai.

Forgotten Nham Duong relic site gets restored

The ruined Nham Duong relic complex in the northern province of Hai Duong, the cradle of the Tao Dong Zen Lineage in Vietnam, will be restored, according to the province’s People’s Committee.

The values of the relic in terms of history, culture and religion were brought under spotlight at a scientific conference held in Hai Duong on December 14.

According to Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Chairman of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha (VBS) Executive Council, the Nham Duong pagoda was an affiliate of the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen Lineage from 1279-1400 under the Tran Dynasty, and after the Tao Dong Zen Lineage was introduced into Vietnam, the pagoda became the cradle of the Lineage in the country.

Nguyen Quoc Tuan, Director of Institute for Religious Studies, said the Tao Dong Zen Lineage entered Vietnam in the later half of the 17th century and Zen Master Thuy Nguyet is the head of the 36th generation of the Tao Dong Zen Lineage in Vietnam.

The Nham Duong pagoda is surrounded by nearly 30 caves of different sizes, with the most striking is Thanh Hoa Cave where Master Thuy Nguyet passed away.

In the caves, archaeologists excavated numerous artefacts dating from the stone and bronze ages.

The area was also a shelter for Vietnamese soldiers in the resistance wars against France and the United States.

The complex was recognised as a national cultural heritage site in 2003 and has currently under restoration.

Vietnamese films on screen in Germany

A Vietnam Film Week is underway in Berlin, Germanyn from December 12-15 as an activity to mark the 40 th anniversary of the Vietnam-Germany diplomatic relations.

Four Vietnamese films are being screened during the event, which was jointly organised by the Department of Cinema under the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Embassy of Vietnam in Germany.

The four films are the award-winning “Hoa vang tren co xanh” (Yellow flowers on the green grass), “Nha Tien tri” (the Prophet), “Trung So” (Jackpot) and “Quyen”.

Addressing the week’s opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Germany Doan Xuan Hung said the year 2015 saw a series of important events in bilateral relations, with the State visit of President Truong Tan Sang being a highlight.

The visit has opened up new opportunities for the bilateral cooperation between the two nations as well as facilitated the integration of Vietnamese people into the host country, Hung said.

The diplomat also noted that during the past two years, Vietnam’s cinema sector has made several appearances in the framework of the Berlin International Film Festival.

He expressed hope that the film week will become an annual event in a bid to introduce Vietnamese films to local people and the overseas Vietnamese people in Germany.

Famous Bollywood filmmakers to visit Vietnam

Fourteen well-known Bollywood filmmakers will come to Vietnam, heard a press conference on an Indian Film Festival in Vietnam organized by the Embassy of India in Hanoi last week.

The filmmakers will attend a seminar on “Vietnam – India cinematographic cooperation and its role in promoting tourism” and drop by some northern tourist destinations in Vietnam like Halong Bay and Bai Dinh Pagoda as well as HCMC and the Mekong Delta. Preeti Saran, Ambassador of India to Vietnam, said the seminar will be held on December 19 in Hanoi with representatives of the Vietnam Cinematography Department and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

The seminar aims to create opportunities for filmmaking cooperation between the two countries with actors from Vietnam and India taking part. Bollywood has cooperated with countries like Switzerland, Spain and Ireland to make films in recent years, thus helping boost tourism ties between India and these countries.

Vietnam and India have yet to join hands in any film projects and the number of tourists traveling between the two countries is small, so cooperation in the film industry can promote travel.

The Indian Film Festival, organized by the Embassy of India in cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, lasts from December 12 to 23 in Hanoi, Danang and HCMC.

Interested spectators can get free tickets on the first come first served basis to watch famous Indian films such as “Three Idiots”, “Oh my God”, “Taare Zameen Par”, “Paheli”, “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, “Dil Chahta Hai”, “Wake up Si” and “Jodhaa Akbar”.

For more information, visit http://indembassy.com.vn/whatsnews_details.php?id=48.

Photographers to hold Dalat exhibition

A group of photographers will organize an exhibition featuring 40 of their photos on the hilly resort city of Dalat on the occasion of Flower Festival 2015 there late this month.

Photographers Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Tran Bao Toan, Dang Van An, Nguyen Tat Thang and Vo Trang, who are living and working in Dalat, captured all the best moments of people and stunning natural landscapes in the Central Highlands, especially in Dalat, also known as a flower city.

All of the photos printed on satin and laminated wood will be displayed at a café amidst the romantic pine tree forest.

The “Dalat in my eyes” photo exhibition will be held on December 27 at Dandelion Coffee, 1 Yersin Street, Ward 10, Dalat City, Lam Dong Province.

Great treats at leading hotels for festive season

Leading hotels in town are rolling up their sleeves to prepare their culinary programs for revelers to enjoy Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Caravelle Saigon Hotel, 19-23 Lam Son Square, District 1, HCMC

Santa Claus will be at the Caravelle Saigon with the sound of jingling bells and a bag full of sweets, ready to share the Christmas joy with guests from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on December 15, 17 and 24.

Café de l’Opera is infusing its Afternoon Teas with some Christmas magic from now until December 23 from 12 noon to 5:30 p.m. There are holiday-themed delights such as Christmas cookies and traditional fruitcake, Veuve Clicquot Champagne and a choice of loose-leaf Ronnefeldt tea, and Christmas Teas. Caravelle Christmas Goodies are also available at the café for guests to buy until December 26.

Tapas Kitchen will feature exquisite ingredients from around the world, presented in bite-sized portions, accompanied with the luscious sparkle of the finest champagnes of the Champagne Corner. Especially, Caravelle Saigon and Moët Hennessy is holding a silent auction for Vietnam’s only publicly available champagne bottle of Moët & Chandon Impérial Golden Leaf. All the proceeds raised from the winning bid will go to Heartbeat Vietnam Program of VinaCapital Foundation to help children suffering from heart defects.

Nineteen Restaurant has Christmas Eve Gala Dinner, Christmas Day Luncheon and Christmas Day Dinner Buffet featuring traditional holiday dishes, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, as well as a free flow of fine wines and signature cocktails. Early diners on Christmas Eve will be treated to a musical performance from the Children Choir as well as the hotel’s in-house carolers; and a live jazz quartet will play festive tunes from 8 pm on December 24. The restaurant also runs a lavish Year-End Buffet on December 31.

Reflection on level 3 has two sensational menus for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinners. The restaurant is also serving Children’s Set Dinners to delight youngsters with mini-menus, Christmas cookies, hot chocolate and more.

Saigon Saigon Bar on level 9 are promised to bring revelers two unforgettable bashes on December 24 and 31, featuring performances of local popular dance troupes.

New World Saigon Hotel, 76 Le Lai Street, District 1, HCMC

The hotel has run 12 Days of Christmas Activities leading up to December 25, featuring Jewelry Workshop, Christmas Cocktail Class, DIY Christmas Card Design, Zumba Dance Class, New World Junior Master Chef and Christmas Treasure Hunt, Christmas Eve Carols, and a meeting with Santa Claus on Christmas Day, among others.

Besides Christmas activities and decorations, there are special offers to celebrate this holiday season, such as Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet and Christmas Day Lunch Buffet respectively on December 24 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. and December 25 from 11:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Parkview restaurant; Christmas Eve Dinner Set Menu and Christmas Day Lunch Set Menu respectively on December 24 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and December 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Dynasty restaurant.

Christmas Gourmet Offerings, including turkey, beef or Gammon ham, are available at Saigon Bakery from December 15 to 26.

Parkview will host a New Year’s Eve International Buffet on December 31 from 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. while Dynasty has a New Year’s Eve Set Menu on the same day from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. There is a Countdown Party at The Terrace on December 31 from 11 p.m. till late to admire fireworks and enjoy New Year Eve Cocktail, midnight supper and live band, and DJ performances.

Those who spend the holidays at the hotel between December 18 and 27 or between January 29 to February 14 will enjoy a special room rate from VND2.2 million per night, including complimentary buffet breakfast for two persons at Parkview and a 20% discount on any treatments at The Spa.

The Health Club will be offering a 30% discount on a one-year Health Club membership rate and a 40% discount for groups of five people or more from now until December 31.

VNA/VNS/VOV/SGT/SGGP/TT/TN/Dantri