VietNamNet Bridge – Aficionados of Vietnamese classical music are eagerly awaiting the start of this year-end season with singers like Duc Tuan and My Le set to perform live for the first time with symphony orchestras.

My Le is one of the singers who will perform live for the first time with symphony orchestras.

Dem Nhac Van Cao is scheduled for November 25 and 26 at the Ha Noi Opera House and later in the month at the HCM City Opera House.

“It is the appropriate time to hold my first live music show since I began my professional singing career six years ago,” says Tuan.

Duc Tuan had risen to fame when he won the first prize in HCM City Television’s music contest, Tieng Hat Truyen Hinh, in 2000.

Although he is still young, his renditions of semi- classical songs by composers Van Cao, Pham Duy and Trinh Cong Son have been very popular, and attracted a large number of fans across all age groups.

Mermaid returns

After a three-year break, a female pop singer My Le surprised fans and critics alike with the announcement of her My Nhan Ngu (Mermaid) in Symphony concert.

“I will perform foreign and Vietnamese classics by composer Pham Duy and two late musicians Van Cao and Trinh Cong Son,” Le says.

The pop songs that had made her famous will be adapted to the symphony style, also performed at the show with the HCM City Orchestra.

“I had studied at the HCM City Conservatory since I was seven. So I hope to have a chance to show off my opera voice,” said Le.

My Nhan Ngu in Symphony is planned for the end of this December at the HCM City Opera House.

My Le came to be known as the “Mermaid” after she released her Tieng Hat My Nhan Ngu (The Voice of the Mermaid) album in 2004. Fans like both her voice and the fashionable clothes she dons for her performances.

Organisers hope the two live symphony performances will kick off a new trend of bringing classical music to the audiences including teenagers and youth. Until now, most live performances have been of pop, rock and music of similar genre.

Performing live with classical music orchestras was very difficult in the past because, apart from the local authorities, there were no sponsors for such events.

With their large fan following, organisers are hoping Duc Tuan and My Le will draw first blood for such performances.

Whitewash

This season of live shows also welcomes familiar pop and romantic music performances.

Singer Dam Vinh Hung who is pursuing pop and romantic music of the 30s and 40s will perform in the Da Tiec Trang (The White Banquet) concert on October 1 at HCM City’s White Palace.

The concert will have singers, guests and even the audience wearing white. Furthermore, apart from the white walls of the hall, the stage will be decorated with white objects including white flowers and white carpets.

Hung said he would reimburse the fare to audience members who wear white clothes when attending the show.

Anniversary music

The year-end will also feature many commemorative music performances.

Famous pop singer Dan Truong will hold a show named Thap Dai My Nhan (Ten Great Beauties) on November 29 at the Quan Khu 7 (Military Zone 7) Stadium that may be his last live show, the singer said.

Cam Ly, another well-known artiste of long standing, is also preparing a live show to mark 15 years of being a singer on November 15 at Lan Anh Music Centre and on December 12 in Can Tho City.

Ly said she would sing only romantic songs and folk songs after the show. In the past, her shows would include many kinds of music including pop, romantic and folk songs.

Some artists have not got the year-end season off to a good start, critics feel.

Pop star My Tam began the season with a five-city concert tour titled Thoi Gian va Toi (Time and Me).

She finished her first performance at HCM City’s Tao Dan Stadium on September 7, but critics slammed it saying it had nothing new to offer.

They are hoping that the two live symphony performances will brighten up the season considerably and provide fresh impetus to the music show business in Viet Nam.

(Source: Viet Nam News)