Famous songs by the late songwriter Trinh Cong Son, a talented artist in Vietnamese contemporary music, will be featured in Em và Trịnh – Chuyện những nàng thơ (You and Trinh Cong Son- Love Stories), a concert tour opening in HCM City on Thursday. The tour includes five shows in HCM City, Da Lat, Hue, Hanoi and Can Tho. Photo courtesy of the producer

The event, Em và Trịnh – Chuyện Những Nàng Thơ (You and Trinh Cong Son- Love Stories), includes five shows in HCM City, Da Lat, Hue, Hanoi and Can Tho. 

The first show on New Year’s Eve will highlight pop star Cam Van and young singers Avin Lu, Thinh Suy, CeCe Truong and Lan Thy.

Son’s popular works, including Biển Nhớ, Ru Tình (Lullaby to Love), Huế-Sài Gòn-Hà Nội and Nối Vòng Tay Lớn (Circle of Unity), will be performed.

Organised by Son’s family and Galaxy Studio, the tour is part of a launching project for Em và Trịnh (You and Trinh), a film about the life and career of Son. The film will be in cinemas next year. 

Em và Trịnh portrays Son and his music in the 1960s and 70s. 

Son’s love life is also highlighted. The love between Son and a Japanese fan, Yoshii Michiko, during Son's time in Paris in the 80s, is featured. Yoshii later travelled to Vietnam many times to discover Son and his music. The couple decided to wed. They faced cultural differences and then cancelled the wedding at the last minute. 

Dao Anh and Bich Diem, who inspired some of Son’s famous romantic songs, are featured.

The film’s producer, Galaxy Studio, invited blockbuster director Phan Gia Nhat Linh to guarantee the production’s quality.

Two young actresses, Pham Nguyen Lan Thi and Hoang Ha, play the lead roles in the film. They were chosen from over 500 candidates, including professional artists, from Hanoi, Hue and HCM City.

According to director Linh, the producer and its partners spent more than VND20 billion (US$860,000) on Em và Trịnh. “We hope the film will meet the demands of Son’s Vietnamese and foreign fans,” he said. 

Young Actor Avin Lu as late songwriter Trinh Cong Son in a scene from Em và Trịnh (You and Trinh), a film on the artist’s life and career. The film will be in cinemas next year. Photo courtesy of the producer

Born in Hue in 1939, Son became popular in 1957 with his first song, Ướt Mi (Crying Eyes).

His lasting legacy includes albums of romantic love songs, such as Diễm Xưa (Diem, My Cherished Memory) and Ru Tình (Lullaby To Love), released in the 1960s and 70s.  

Diễm Xưa is well-known in Japan, where it was introduced through singer Khanh Ly in Osaka in 1970. Later, the song was written in Japanese, Utsukushii Mukashi, and was listed among Japan’s top 10 favourite love songs.

Son went on to become southern Vietnam’s most famous songwriter of anti-war music collections including Ca Khúc Da Vàng (Yellow Skin Song), Kinh Việt Nam (Vietnamese Prayer) and Ta Phải Thấy Mặt Trời (We Must See The Sunlight).

He is called the "Bob Dylan of Vietnam” by his fans at home and abroad.

He died in HCM City in 2001 after a prolonged illness.

The first show of the concert tour Em và Trịnh – Chuyện Những Nàng Thơ will begin at 7pm on Thursday at Diamon Plaza Le Duan in District 1. It will be livestreamed on Tiktok Galaxy Play and on YouTube.

Source: Vietnam News

Concert in memory of famous songwriter Trinh Cong Son

Dozens of singers and musicians will perform 20 songs by the late songwriter Trinh Cong Son at a concert to be held in Hanoi next week.