Hong Nhung does not view her upcoming collaboration with Quang Dung (L) as a trendsetter but rather as a “devotion to art”

Hong Nhung and Quang Dung reunite for an intimate show of class.

Called Co dau bao gio (Has it ever?), the show at On the Six in Dong Khoi Street will be limited to an audience of 100 diners and come with a local record-setting ticket price of VND3 million (US$172).

The evening will start off with a cocktail party and an exhibition of paintings by one of Vietnam’s most distinguished composers, the late Trinh Cong Son, whose songs will feature strongly in the show.

Hong Nhung and Quang Dung will then perform for an hour and a half, after which the evening will conclude with a buffet and the chance for patrons to chat and be photographed with the singers.

The producers describe the show as “classy” to the combination of sophisticated music and fine cooking. As such, they insist the audience wear evening dress and behave with decorum.

It’s the intimacy of being so close to the famous pair that will make the evening extra special, they say.

Hong Nhung is very excited about her latest collaboration with Quang Dung. “The theme this time is the acceptance of life’s joys and sadness in a positive and grateful spirit, and being open to others,” she says.

“There’ll be no nostalgia, no dramatics, no tricks! Co dau bao gio will grab the audience’s attention because of its romantic atmosphere.”

After their previous concert series in a large theater had run its course, more than a few people commented that Hong Nhung and Quang Dung did not mesh well.

The pair could not agree less. Says Dung, “We are close friends on and off stage. I’m very comfortable singing with Nhung; she understands me, we understand each other.”

Nhung feels the same. “After singing together for so long, we can express feelings and emotions onstage as we would in life. I’m sure that this time we will please the most fastidious of listeners,” she says.

“Unlike in a big theater, the set-up for the new show can be easily changed if there are any problems with the sound or whatever,” says stage Director Pham Hoang Nam.

“In a small, enclosed space, a singer must have a truly good and powerful voice as there are no distractions like choreographed dancers and lighting tricks to cover up any deficiencies on the part of the performer,” he adds.

Nhung is aiming for quality above all else too. “We don’t want the show to be seen as a trendsetter in the Vietnamese entertainment industry so much as the best artistic production we can put on. It’s the quality that will make or break this show,” she says.

While the tickets have yet to be released, nearly every table on opening night has been booked already, including by foreigners who have come to cherish the voices of Hong Nhung and Quang Dung as well as nhac Trinh, as Trinh alled.

Their new album, also called Co dau bao gio, contains ten songs by Trinh, who has been dubbed the “Vietnamese Bob Dylan,” plus a few tracks of each singer covering a hit or two of the other.

Hong Nhung, or Bong (her nickname meaning goby), was one of Trinh Cong Son’s favorite singers and he even wrote songs just for her such as Bong bong oi.

“I really feel happy and grateful. I have been given so much in life,” says Nhung.

“For example, though I didn’t have a romantic dinner with my boyfriend on Valentine’s Day, I got so many flowers and gifts from my audience at the Rex Hotel. Now, come what may!”

Quang Dung enjoys life these days too. “After years of hustling, I can relax and look back with satisfaction at those hectic days. I’ve left the constant pushing behind and mellowed out,” he says.

To reserve a table at On the Six or simply find out more, call 0903 717 771.

Reported by Kim