Multinational troupe offers charitable performances 

 

The Bolondo multinational circus troupe have brought smiles to poor and orphan children in Hanoi with its charitable performances from April 20-25. 

 

The troupe’s seven members, coming from Italy, Spain, Argentina and Brazil, have also dedicated several performances to ethnic minorities living at the Vietnam ethnic culture-tourism village in Dong Mo, Hanoi.

 

Over the past ten years, the Bolondo circus troupe has travelled to 20 countries and territories around the world to perform for disadvantaged people.

 

While in Vietnam, the troupe shared experiences with artists from the Vietnam Circus Federation and was scheduled to make performances in Ho Chi Minh City.

 

Poland gives US$25,000 to restore Hue gate

  

The Foreign Ministry of Poland has agreed to fund more than US$25,000 for the restoration of the front gate of the Temple of Literature in Hue, the former imperial city, in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.

 

The Hue Centre for Relics Conservation said funding would be implemented through the Embassy of Poland in Vietnam.

 

The project to preserve the Linh Tinh Gate has been approved by the provincial government.

 

The project, expected to kick off in June for completion in early 2012, will involve in restoring four downgraded decorative columns made of mortar, at a total cost of VND 1.6 billion (US$80,000).

 

Linh Tinh Gate, built in the early Nguyen dynasty (1802-1945), serves as the front gate of the Temple of Literature in Hue city, a landmark closely linked to the boat marina on the bank of the Perfume River.

 

The structure comprising four mortar pillars with the upper sections decorated with enamel has deteriorated during the war and the post-war period. Currently, only four stone bases of the columns remain intact.

 

Painting exhibition opens Hue Traditional Craft Festival

 

A painting exhibition at the Phuong Nam Cultural Centre opened the Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2011 in Hue city on April 25.

 

The exhibition brings together 67 silk and lacquer paintings by 48 artists from the Thua Thien Hue Fine Arts Association and students from the Hue University of Fine Arts. Works on display feature the daily life and feelings of people in contemporary society as well as the country’s progress in development.

 

The Hue Traditional Craft Festival 2011, themed ‘Vietnamese Cuisine in Hue Ornamental Garden,’ will be held from April 30 – May 3. The biennial festival honours the traditional cuisine and ornamental plants of Vietnam, particularly Hue.

 

Various community activities will be held during the festival, including a ‘Let’s Go to the Kitchen’ programme for high school students, a ‘Happy Meal’ cooking contest for married couples and a ‘Green for the Country’ walk for members of the Hue city Youth Union.

 

Exhibitions boast beauty of Cham temples and towers

 

An exhibition entitled ‘Cham Towers and Temples – the Mystery of Construction’ opened at the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture (DMCS) in Da Nang city on April 25.

 

The exhibition is the result of research by the Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology under the Ministry of Construction, in co-ordination with experts in archaeology, history and the arts. It is considered ‘a significant step in the research on Cham towers and temples, particularly their construction materials and techniques.

 

An exhibition of antiques from collector Lam Du Xenh, a member of the Quang Ngai provincial UNESCO Antique Research and Collection Club, also opened at the museum on the same day. The display includes around 300 artifacts from the ancient Dong Son, Sa Huynh and Cham Pa cultures in Vietnam. Many of the pieces are being shown to the public for the first time.

 

The two exhibitions are among the activities launched by the DMCS to boost co-operation between culture and tourism agencies in the central provinces to raise people’s awareness of heritage preservation and introduce people to the country’s unique ancient cultural treasures.

 

The exhibitions will last until October 25.

 

Drama writing contest on Vietnam’s sea and islands launched

 

A short drama writing contest on the theme of ‘Vietnam’s Beloved Sea and Islands’ was launched in Hanoi on April 25.

 

Entries from a variety of genres, including dramatic plays, plays in verse and classical drama, are encouraged. They should depict the beauty of the land and people’s lives in coastal areas and islands as well as the armed forces in these areas and the achievements of the marine economy during the national renewal process. Entries should also reflect the protection of marine resources, the ecological environment, and maritime security, as well as the country’s sovereignty.

 

All professional and non-professional artists from across the country are eligible and should send their works to the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 51-53 Ngo Quyen Street, Hanoi before October 15, 2011.

 

An awards ceremony to honour the contest winners will be held in November this year.

 

Exhibition to highlight rattan and bamboo products

 

An exhibition of designs, models and photographs of rattan and bamboo products will be held in September at the Vietnam Cultural and Arts Exhibition Centre, No. 2, Hoa Lu Street in Hanoi.

 

The event aims to introduce new designs and high-quality products made of rattan and bamboo, and hounour traditional craft villages and artisans who use the natural materials for their products.

 

All Vietnamese organisations, collectives and individuals are invited to send works to the exhibition. Each group or individual can enter up to five items which have been made in the past five years, and they should be sent to the Arts, Photography and Exhibition Department, 38 Cao Ba Quat Street, Hanoi,no later than June 30.

 

Designs should be drawn in three dimensions on A1 size paper or presented as models between 15 and 150 centimetres tall.

 

Vietnam art exhibition aims to help Japan 

 

An art exhibition showcasing works of Vietnamese painter, Nguyen Thanh Binh opened in Tokyo on April 22 and is dedicated to raise money for Japanese victims of the earthquake and tsunami occurring on March 11.  

 

The exhibition, called “A Celebration of Life and Love”, is displaying 38 oil and canvas paintings focusing on four main topics including Women in Ao dai, Mother and child, Ballerina and Nude, which embody the quietness and pureness through the beauty of women.

 

At the event, the painter said he drives much of his inspiration for the paintings from Japanese Haiku poetry, especially poems of Matsuo Basho. He also expressed his admiration for Japanese spirit and culture and said he hoped the exhibition will help contribute to support Japanese citizens overcome their most difficult moments.

 

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan, Nguyen Phu Binh thanked Toriizaka Art gallery for introducing Vietnamese paintings to Japanese and international friends. He took the chance to express his admiration for Japanese people’s bravery and strong spirit and said he believed the country’s people will soon overcome the current perilous situation.

 

He added Vietnamese government and people are always grateful to the Japanese government and people for their support over the past years and will do their best to join hands with Japan in easing difficulties.

 

At the exhibition, three paintings including “Hope”, “the Conductor” and “Ballerina” were auctioned and sold for a total of 1.6 million Japanese yen (19,200 USD). The money will be sent to earthquake and tsunami victims together with 20 percent out of all the proceedings from selling Binh’s other paintings, said the owner of Toriizaka Art, Karen Thomas.

 

Popular Austrian TV series to set in Vietnam

 

After places like the Seychelles, Mauritius, Bali, and Mexico, Vietnam will be the next setting of Austria’s global love story TV series “The Dream Hotel.”

 

Director Otto Retzer and his crew will be in Vietnam on April 27 to cast about 10 actors and actresses for his supporting roles.

 

The casting will take place from 9am to 3pm on the same day at BHD Star Cinema.

 

The film will be shot in Hanoi, Hue and Ha Long Bay from May 4 to June 2.

 

After 8 years on air with two episodes every year, the series has attracted around 12 million viewers in Austria and Germany.

 

Each 90 minute episode uses a love story plot to showcase different cultures and locations around the world.

 

The series is broadcast on German ARD and Austrian ORF channels from January to February.

 

New beauty pageant rules draw fire

 

Vietnam’s most recent draft for a new art and performance law is being criticized for allowing girls who have criminal records or plastic surgery to sign up for beauty pageants.

 

Explaining the rationale for opening beauty pageants to ex-convicts, Vuong Duy Bien, a senior official from the Ministry of Culture, Information and Tourism which is responsible for drawing up the draft, said the new rules want to give ex-convicts a chance to rebuild their lives.

 

“If they reform well and change into better persons, they deserve to be treated like others,” Bien said.

 

For many, this isn’t realistic.

 

Duong Xuan Nam, a chief organizer of Miss Vietnam for many years, said beauty queens are expected to have clean records.

 

“If we crown a girl who was expelled from school, imagine the public’s outrage,” Nam said.

 

As for allowing girls who have gone through plastic or transgender surgery to take part, Quang Tu, head of New Talent Model Agency which has churned out two beauty queens, Miss Vietnam 2006 Mai Phuong Thuy and Miss Vietnam 2010 Ngoc Han, said this was simply not fair for natural beauties.

 

Tu said if surgeries were accepted at all, only minor ones should be allowed.

 

Nam is more critical. He said the new draft law actually encourages young women to turn to surgery to be more beautiful.

 

“This means beauty pageants in Vietnam would be accessible only to the rich”, Nam said.

 

Japanese band to perform in Ho Quynh Huong’s show

 

Japanese band Gypsy Queen will come to Vietnam and perform in Ho Quynh Huong’s live show in Ho Chi Minh City’s Lan Anh stadium on May 21 and in Hanoi’s Cultural Friendship Palace on June 4.

 

Ho Quynh Huong met Gypsy Queen when she performed in Japan and invited them to come to her show. The band was interested and accepted her invitation.

 

Despite disaster in Japan, Gypsy Queen affirmed they would perform as the only guest at her show.

 

“I feel lucky and touched,” said Ho Quynh Huong.

 

Gypsy Queen is a band comprised of a bassist, guitarist, drummer and a female vocalist. They have travelled to play in many countries and sung in different languages.

 

For the upcoming live show, Gypsy Queen’s leader, Aki, composed a duet song for vocalist Shinon and Ho Quynh Huong to perform together. His song is about the Japanese spirits towards the devastating earthquake and tsunami in northern Japan last month.

 

Tickets for Ho Quynh Huong’s live show is at VND500,000-2 million (US$25-100). There are also special discounts for students.

 

Exquisite show leads to more

 

With electrifying performances, singers Tung Duong and Le Cat Trong Ly started a new highbrow musical show program in Hanoi last week.

 

Viet Tu, the Music Space program’s director, said he couldn’t sleep the night after the show as well-known audience members kept sending messages to congratulate him.

 

Among them was musician Anh Quan, who suggested organizing a show featuring another duo, himself and his famous wife, singer My Linh.

 

Tu said he would certainly have a show for My Linh in the future.

 

As for May and June, he has already booked two other big-name duos: Tuan Ngoc - Nguyen Thao and Quoc Trung - Thanh Lam.

 

Better yet, many audiences have booked tickets to these upcoming Music Space series.

 

Tu said the success of the Tung Duong-Le Cat Trong Ly show proves the viability of the Music Space model.

 

Though tickets are limited (only 300 were sold for last week’s show) and expensive, (ranging from VND1 million (US$ 48.3) to 3 million (US$ 145)), audiences are given the best of sound, light, stage and musical performances.

 

Tu and other producers also insist on keeping televisions out.

 

“When it has become a regular name for music fans, ticket prices will naturally go down,” Tu said.

 

Organized monthly in an old French auditorium at Hanoi’s University of Medicine, Musical Space aims to create a space for high quality music by featuring leading musician and singers.

 

The program’s choice of Tung Duong and Le Cat Trong Ly was applauded wildly.

 

“These two aren’t just singers,” said Ho Quang Binh, a renowned music critic who played MC at the show. “They’re artists.”

Source: TT, VN