Hue city people’s memories captured on silk

An installation art exhibition by Kristine MacCarroll and Levitus Geoff featuring silk pictures of the people of the ancient capital of Hue is now open at 15 Le Loi, Hue City.

Titled “Forest of Memories,” the exhibition incorporates video interviews of 12 Hue residents and their silk portraits to give visitors a sense of being in the middle of a rich cultural forest of the ancient city.

MacCarroll, a French artist and Geoff, an Australian said they came up with the idea of an exhibition combining Western and Vietnamese arts after years of experiencing life in Vietnam.

The exhibition will be running until April 23.

Ho Chi Minh City to stage Hunchback of Notre Dame

“The Hunchback of Notre Dame” will be performed as an opera in Ho Chi Minh City this month in Vietnamese.

The opera’s 20 songs will be translated by musician Ha Quang Minh and performed by singers like Doan Trang, Y Garia, Trung Dung, Nguyen Thao, Le Hieu, and Trong Bac.

The shows, on April 22 and 23, will be held at WE club, 172H Nguyen Dinh Chieu, District 3.

Musicals combining Western opera and Vietnamese reformed theatre — like “Lan and Diep” in 2008 and “Ngan nam tinh su” in 2009 – have been created to bring opera to Vietnamese audiences.

Two operas were performed this year by musician Ta Dac based on Nguyen Du’s epic poem “The tale of Kieu.”

Singer Duc Tuan, one of the few people to release an opera album in Vietnam, is planning to release another.

Minh says: “It is hard to find singers who can [also] act and dance at the same time. The cost of staging an opera is also a concern. That is why we have not had a real opera yet.”

Traditional Korean music graces central province

Traditional musicians and performers from Korea’s Chungbuk province brought their art to Tuy Hoa city’s central stage in Phu Yen Sunday night.

The central province sent their Sao Bien traditional musical troupe to join the show, showcasing a combination of ethnic instrumental using dan da (lithophone) and ken da (stone harmonica) together with other central folk music.

On their part, Korean artists captivated audience with their dazzling performances, including mask dance, sogo (small hand drum) dance, beona (spinning hoops and dishes) and a Korean’s symbolic folk song, Arirang, which is considered as Korea’s unofficial national anthem.

The event, said a senior official, will serve as an opportunity to promote cultural values of Korea and Vietnam, and strengthen tourism ties between the two.

Super Junior’s concert to change venue

Superior Junior will perform at Go Dau Stadium in Binh Duong Province on May 7, instead of Military Zone 7 Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City as initially planned.

The organizer, Vietvision, said audience members would be taken by bus to the new venue, which is 30 km from HCMC.

Tickets, which range from VND1.2 million (US$ 60) to VND3.5 million ($175) are now available at www.supershow3vn.com.

Formed in 2005 by SM Entertainment Co. Ltd., the 13-member Super Junior is the world’s largest boy band and has won numerous awards in and outside South Korea.

When the band first performed in Vietnam last match as part of an MTV campaign to help fight human trafficking, they drew 50,000 avid fans, mostly teenage girls.

Exhibition gives peek into life on floating houses

An exhibition on the lives of people living in floating houses on Hanoi’s Red River is giving people a rare look into the less flashy side of the capital.

Painter Nguyen Hong Phuong has brought a real floating home from then river and journalist Vu Lam has on display 126 photos depicting people’s lives on the river.

Hoa, the owner of the house, continues to live in it to give visitors an authentic experience.

“We hope to make people see the happiness inside the poor houses,” Lam said.

“The house — whatever people call it, a house or a tent — has its own meaning to people who live in it.”

The exhibition at the Vietnam University of Fine Arts, 42 Yet Kieu, Hanoi, will run until April 7. Admission is free.

Traditional folk game of Central region attracts foreign visitors

Bai choi, a folk game that originated in the central region, has recently attracted many foreign visitors in the ancient town of Hoi An.

Local authorities have organized free courses at the Hoi An Culture Center to restore and preserve this ancient game. All the course classes are popular with many young local people as well as international tourists from Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Australia and France.

Artist Luong Dang, one of the most famous Bai choi artists in the country, runs the courses. He learnt the folk game at an early age of 8 years. He has a treasure-trove of thousands of bai choi songs from his 30-year career in this art form.

He has studied northern folk music and cai luong (Southern amateur music) which he mixes with bai choi songs.

Bai choi, singing and playing cards, is an ancient traditional activity during Tet season in the central region.

For a small amount of money, players receive a bamboo card. On the card is a traditional ideograph, which has a specific name. To start the game, the MC lifts his or her bamboo vase of sticks and pulls one out. He or she then recites a poem or sings a folk song. The last word of the song suggests the name of one of the cards the audience has picked. Players with the right card receive a small silk flag. After nine songs, if you have a card with three right names, you become the winner.

Nights of short films in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City

Three nights of short films is being organized in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City from April 1 to 9 by the French Cultural Center and Wallonie-Bruxelles Delegation in Vietnam.

Every night movie lovers will have a chance to see seven interesting short films from Vietnam, France and Belgium (Wallonie-Bruxelles) for around 105 minutes.

The films, with Vietnamese subtitles, include Logorama, an animated short film directed by François Alaux, Hervé de Crécy and Ludovic Houplain. It won the Oscar in 2010 for “Best Animated Short film”. Chienne d’histoire (BarkingIsland) an animated film by Serge Avedikian won the Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival in France in 2010. Immortal by Mathieu Labaye, French roast by Fabrice O. Joubert, Phone store by Berivan Binesva, Na Wewe by Ivan Goldschmidt from Belgium and Vietnam’s Dog day by Phan Gia Nhat Linh will be filmed at the event.

Film screenings are scheduled at L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien, Hanoi on April 1; French Cultural Center, 1 Le Hong Phong, Hue on April 8 and IDECAF, 31 Thai Van Lung, Dist 1, HCMC on April 9.

Korean centre to boost exchange with weekly show

The Hanoi-based Republic of Korea Cultural Centre will launch a variety show every Wednesday afternoon to provide opportunities for Korean and local artists to perform and enjoy each other’s culture.

Titled “Art Corner in Wednesday Afternoon,” the show will feature performances in various areas such as music, fine arts, magic, tea drinking culture, fashion, marital arts by artists from both countries.

Audience members can also book their own performances in advance.

The first show themed “Jazz” featuring a Vietnamese band, Phuong Bach will be held on April 6 at the centre, 49 Nguyen Du.

More information can be found at www.vietnam.korean-culture.org.

Students offered 50 pct discount for Bob Dylan’s concert

Legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan All students are eligible for a 50 pct discount on ticket prices at Bob Dylan’s live show to be held on April 10 at Ho Chi Minh City-based RMIT University.

Ticket prices for students now cost VND225,000 (US$11.5) each.

The legendary American folk singer will start his live show with the songs of Trinh Cong Son, a late great Vietnamese composer whose life and works Dylan admires.

Bob Dylan, who turns 70 this May, has been a towering figure in music for over 5 decades.

He has been honored with numerous awards, including several Grammies as well as an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

Time Magazine ranks him among 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

Discount tickets are now available at 25/4 Nguyen Binh Khiem Street, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 or Thanh Nien Media Corporation at 2B Cao Thang St, District 3.

Giant ceramic mosaic to grace national festival

A giant ceramic mosaic featuring images of Vietnamese life and history will be displayed at Hung Kings’ Temple as part of this month’s Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary in the northern province of Phu Tho.

The ceramic work, which is 72 m long and 9.9 m high, was designed by painters Le Ngoc Han, Mai Van Ke and architect Ngo Thanh Tung in 1998.

Phu Tho Province spent VND24 billion (US$1.2 million) to make the mosaic, which has become one of only three giant ceramic mosaics in Vietnam.

One of the remaining two is the 4-km-long Hanoi Ceramic Road completed last year to celebrate Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary. This work has been recognized by Guinness World Record as the longest of its kind worldwide.

The other one is the 75-m-long Ben Duoc Temple Ceramic Wall evoking the post-1975 history of Saigon in Cu Chi Tunnel created by the Ho Chi Minh City University of Fine Arts.

Never seen photos of Vietnam’s Bob Dylan to be published

Some photos that have never been published of the late legendary composer Trinh Cong Son is soon to be displayed at the upcoming debut of “Ru doi di nhe” music album held in Ho Chi Minh City on April 9 to raise funds for Agent Orange victims.

Son is considered the Bob Dylan of Vietnam and is one of the most famous composers in Vietnamese history.

These photos were shot by his close friend Dr. Pham Van Dinh in the 1980s and 1990s.

Nations unite at fifth European Food Festival

The European Chamber of Commerce (EuroCham) will lay on some mouth-watering dishes and entertainment for the fifth European Food Festival in the city at 5:30 pm on Saturday.

Hosts at the German International School in Tan Binh District will bring the international and Vietnamese community together to sample European cuisine, with live entertainment from en-vogue bands to the best dance troupes in town, and activities for children and adults alike.

Chefs from five-star hotels and signature restaurants and bars in HCMC will dish out a wide selection of European cookings like German sausages, Italian lasagna, lots of assorted baguettes and pizzas among others.

Wines and cheese will be catered for by Tan Khoa, TKM, The Ware House, Trentham, Metro, Big C and An Nam. The never-ending drinking and eating list also includes Lipton’s tea, Fanny’s ice cream, Baileys Irish Cream, juices from Mekong le fruits and French coffee Malongo, with beers from Holland and Germany.

Ao Thuat Gia magicians and DJ KaiserT will perform with tons of activities for children at the kids’ corner.

Guests will have the chance to win a pair of round-trip tickets to Europe thanks to sponsors Qatar Airways in a lucky draw, among other prizes and there is also a cosmetics charity sale.

For more information and tickets call (08) 3827 2715.

Arts ceramic exhibition in town

A sculptural work made of ceramic on display at the HCMC Association of Fine Arts - Photo: Le Vi

An art ceramic sculpture exhibition by 20 artists of the newly-established Saigon arts ceramic club opened on Monday at the HCMC Association of Fine Arts.

The exhibition, at 218A Pasteur Street in District 3, displays 60 pieces of ceramic and ceramic in combination with oil on canvas and lacquer.

The works are mostly human statues or imitated works of musical instruments, lamps, bowls and plates or vases.

Each work is the combination of soil, fire and enamel, which are familiar materials to Vietnamese people. They bear witness to the passion, meticulousness and dexterity of the sculptors.

The exhibition runs until April 14.

Vietnamese, foreign calligraphy works on display

Eighty calligraphy works by Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean calligraphers are on display at an exhibition that opened in the northern province of Phu Tho on April 4.

The exhibition is held as part of activities to commemorate the nation’s legendary founders, the Hung Kings, which was recognised as an annual national event in 2007.

The calligraphy works, based on poems from President Ho Chi Minh’s Prison Diary, Zen poems from the Ly-Tran dynasties (1009-1400) and contemporary poems, were created on various materials.

Also on display at the exhibition are 50 posters on President Ho Chi Minh.

The event was aimed at expressing gratitude to President Ho Chi Minh and the country’s ancestors as well as introducing the traditional culture of Vietnam.

The exhibition will run until April 14.

First-ever Japanese singing festival opens in Hanoi

The Hanoi Children’s Palace, the Japan Centre for Cultural Exchanges in Vietnam and the Vietnam-Japan Friendship Association co-held a Japanese singing festival in Hanoi on April 3.

Among the participants at the first-ever festival were Japanese Ambassador Yasuaki Tanizaki and President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) Vu Xuan Hong.

Nearly 500 students who love the Japanese language from 10 secondary and high schools in Hanoi performed Japanese songs praising the friendship with and love for Japan.

During the festival, Hanoi’s children presented 5,000 paper cranes made by themselves to their Japanese peers. More than VND40 million was raised during the event in support of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims.

Bronze drums offered to Hung Kings

Twenty three bronze drums, called “Bronze Drums – Resounding of the Ancestral Land”, have been presented to the Hung Temple National Historical Relic in Phu Tho province, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and President Ho Chi Minh relic site at the Presidential Palace.

A ceremony was held on April 2 in Phu Tho to offer the biggest bronze drum to the Upper Temple in the Hung Temple National Historic Relic.

Addressing the event, Nguyen Thi Kim Hai, Vice Chairwoman of the Phu Tho provincial People’s Committee, highlighted the history of the Hung Kings Temple which is closely linked with ancient bronze drums found at the foot of Nghia Linh Mountain. The bronze drums have great significance for the Hung Temple National Historical Relic, she added.

Ms Hai emphasised that the offering of bronze drums shows people’s sincerity and respect for the Hung Kings. The offering aims to promote cultural preservation in line with the late President Ho Chi Minh’s teachings: “the Hung Kings had the merit of founding our country, you and I must defend it together.”

The death anniversary of the Hung Kings will be commemorated together with the Hung Kings Temple Festival from April 7 (the fifth day of the third lunar month) to April 12 (the 10th day of the third lunar month) in Phu Tho province.

Legend has it that the dragon, Lac Long Quan, met and married the fairy, Au Co, who later gave birth to 100 eggs from which 100 children sprang forth. The couple then parted because of their different origins. The dragon went towards the sea with 50 of their children, while his wife went to the mountains with the other half of the clan. The eldest son, who followed his father, later installed himself as Vietnam’s first Hung King. Vietnamese people today are said to be the descendants of those children.