Vietnam National Opera & Ballet artists rehearsing Les Miserables. — Photo Kim Nguyen

The musical will feature artists from the VNOB, along with director Nguyen Trieu Duong and choreographer Linh An.

Les Miserable, published in 1862, is among the most outstanding works by Victor Hugo, and one of the most popular novels from the 19th century. The musical has been performed in over 40 countries in 21 languages.

It also holds the record for the longest running musical in London's West End.

“With what the COVID-19 pandemic has done to mankind and the fight facing all people around the world, we want to put modern human values into a classical work,” said Tran Ly Ly, VNOB’s director.

“We want Vietnamese audiences to have a chance to enjoy a classic like Les Miserable and highlight the humanity and belief in the future of people around the world,” Ly added.

Since the end of last year, the VNOB has been working with organisations such as the French and British embassies, the British Council and the French Cultural Centre to stage the show, and has finally received international copyright permission.

The artists will sing in English with Vietnamese subtitles. Leading roles Jean Valjean, Javert, Fantine, Cosette and Marius will be performed by The Tung Lam; Nguyen Huy Duc; Nguyen Thu Quynh; Dao To Loan and Dinh Nhu Toi.

Duc and Loan are veterans with a series of roles in Carmen, Maria de Buenos Aires, Cô Sao (Miss Sao) and Người Tạc Tượng (The Sculptor).

The artists will be accompanied by live music under conductor Dong Quang Vinh with music by Claude-Michel Schonberg and English lyrics by Herbert Kretzme.

Graduating from Shanghai, Vinh has conducted Carmen, Nutcracker and Swan Lake.

Director Duong graduated from musical theatre at Sheffield Hallam and theatre art for community development at the University of East London.

He has participated as an actor and director-assistant in Miss Saigon, Hamlet, A Dream and Mid Summer Night Dreams.

Choreographer Linh An studied theatre jazz at Broadway Dance Centre in New York and GCSE Dance (contemporary jazz) at Holland Park School, London.

She has worked on projects for the English National Ballet, New York Choreographers’ Forum and Buglisi Dance.

Performances will begin at 8pm at the Hanoi Opera House. Tickets available from VND500,000-1,500,000 (roughly US$21 to 65) at https://nhahatnhacvukichvietnam.com/en/ticket/ or 0977377456 (Ms Huyen) and 0965765946 (Ms Ha). VNS

VN Opera & Ballet Theatre releases video featuring artists’ daily life during social distancing

The daily activities of Vietnamese artists from Vietnam National Opera & Ballet (VNOB) during the social distancing period have been recorded in a video released on the theatre's social media channels.

Ballet Swan Lake to be staged on Swan Lake in Ecopark

The Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) will perform classical ballet Swan Lake on an outdoor stage in Ecopark urban area in the northern province of Hung Yen on January 11.