NDO - The Europe meets Asia in Contemporary Dance Festival, take place in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from September 20 to October 14, with the aim of promoting contemporary dance in Vietnam, expanding international cooperation and bringing people into dialogue with each other. The remark was made by Director of Goethe Institute Vietnam Wilfried Eckstein, who is Chief Organiser of the dance festival ‘Europe meets Asia in Contemporary Dance’ 2017, at a press conference held in Hanoi on September 19. “Dance is an important artistic medium worldwide. It is an artistic language which tells stories, expresses mental and emotional conditions in our life, and gives us new perspectives. Topics and techniques, feelings and thoughts, creative energy and perseverance are expressed”, he said. Launched in 2011, the festival is an initiative of the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC), held in collaboration with the Vietnam National Opera and … [Read more...]

NDO – Despite being busy with teaching and performing, Bui Cong Duy successfully organised the 2017 Vietnam Connection Music Festival. He granted an interview to Nhan Dan (The People) Weekly Newspaper to share about how to bring classical music closer to audiences and the training of classical music artists in Vietnam. Q: You continued to be an organiser of a music festival. Was this year’s Vietnam Connection Music Festival (VNCMF) different from previous years? A: The 2017 VNCMF took place from August 12-26 in Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City. Compared to the two first years, the festival’s content had numerous changes. Specifically, this year’s festival featured different melodies from many countries around Europe. In addition to French and German music night, a gala night was held to introduce pieces by composers from Russia, UK, Hungary and former Czechoslovakia. The works, which were performed in Vietnam for the first time by world famous artists, has … [Read more...]

NDO – The Mons International Romantic Film Festival (FIFA Mons) will open at 8pm September 8, at the National Documentary and Scientific Film Studio (NDSFS), No.465 Hoang Hoa Tham Street, Hanoi. The event was co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Vietnam National Studio for Documentary and Scientific Films and the Wallonie–Bruxelles delegation to Vietnam. The audiences will have an opportunity to enjoy four love films at 8pm from September 8 to 11, including The Unknown Girl produced by Belgium and France, Daughter (Iran), Marija (Germany and Switzerland) on September 10 and Aurore Tabort (France), respectively. Among them, the film ‘The Unknown Girl’ will open the festival. The film is a 2016 Belgian-French drama film directed by the Dardenne brothers. Starring Adèle Haenel, Olivier Bonnaud, Jérémie Renier, and Louka Minnella. The film tells the story of a young doctor who lets the door buzzer of her small … [Read more...]

In middle of August, Vietnamese cuisine was introduced at the festival along with famous Southeast Asian food. This is a chance to promote Vietnamese traditional food to international friends. Chef Cam Thien Long, a young winning chef who loves to cook traditional dishes of the country combined with the art of Western decoration, triumphed with bun thit nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork and rice noodles). Tourists were absorbed by the dish; therefore, they flocked to the booth of Vietnamese cuisine. Chef Cam Thien Long revealed the recipe’s secret is how to marinate meat with normal spices and dense milk. Additionally, seasoned fish sauce also plays an important role in the dish. People are surprised by watching chef Long is preparing Vietnamese traditional dishes because these dished are displayed in countryside items such as bamboo basket, rattan or bamboo frame yet they are so delicious. Chef Long said that … [Read more...]

NDO - The Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in the Dong Mo tourism area of Son Tay town, Hanoi, will host a variety of activities throughout this September in order to celebrate the National Day (September 2, 1945 -2017). The programme is expected to feature around 300 artists, actors and students of 12 ethnic groups from 11 localities across the country. A typical rural market at Dong Van karst plateau will be recreated at the event, introducing visitors to indigenous specialties, folk games and dances of the ethnic minorities groups in the northern province of Ha Giang. A total of 60 photos depicting the life, natural landscapes and people of Ha Giang will be displayed at the event. Notably, a traditional boat race from Phu Tho province will be featured for the first time at the village as part of the programme. The boat race aims to honour the country’s sportsmanship, and show their gratitude to their national … [Read more...]

NDO/VNA – A wide range of entertainment activities will be organised in Ho Chi Minh City during the National Day holiday from September 2-4. During the holidays, the Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11 will offer numerous activities themed the “Autumn Festival”. A kite, 50 metres long and 30 metres wide, carrying about 4,000 wishes written by visitors to the park over the summer, along with two other giant kites that will help fly 70 smaller kites. Visitors can also enjoy unique traditional and modern arts and take part in street music performances and they can benefit from a 50 percent discount on tickets if wearing Vietnamese flag-themed T-shirts. At the Ho Chi Minh Monument Park and on Nguyen Hue walking street in District 1, a free musical programme will be held by the Ho Chi Minh City Student Culture Centre, on the evening of August 30. A number of students will perform pieces of traditional and modern music along with presenting school fashion … [Read more...]

NDO – World documentary heritages in Vietnam are being introduced at an exhibition which officially opened at Van Mieu – Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature) in Hanoi on August 26. On display are over 70 photos and archives on printing woodblocks, imperial rescripts and imperial literature on Hue imperial architecture, in addition to 16 reproductions of woodblocks produced under the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), which have been recognised by UNESCO as world documentary heritages. Through the exhibition, visitors will be provided with information on the official names of the country, imperial examinations of the Nguyen Dynasty and the national spirit through poems on Hue imperial architecture. Each page of the printing woodblocks tells a story about the country’s names through the course of the historical periods, from the Hung Kings era to the Nguyen Dynasty. Through imperial rescripts, many issues related to education and … [Read more...]

NDO – Nearly 200 international and Vietnamese artists will participate in the 11th Autumn Melodies Arts Festival, held from August 19 to 27 in Ho Chi Minh City. The event is the only festival in Vietnam in the field of symphony, chamber music, opera and ballet. This event is held every two years. The ‘great party’ promises to bring the high quality spiritual foods closer to the music lovers. On the occasion, Meritorious Artist Tran Vuong Thach, who is also the conductor and Director of Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra (HBSO), granted an interview to Nhan Dan Weekly Newspaper to share about the festival. Changing in selective thinking Q: Compared to the 10 previous times, what is the new feature of the 11th Autumn Melodies Arts Festival 2017? A: The biennial Autumn Melodies Arts Festival has long been a high-quality brand of art in Ho Chi Minh City, filtering the quintessence across three types - Opera, … [Read more...]

NDO – Since it was founded in late 2006, the Hanoi-based To He JSC has established itself as a successful model of a social enterprise awakening hidden talents among Vietnamese children with disabilities and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping them out of poverty by selling their handmade clothes and accessories. The story of To He started in 2005 when a group of friends, Nguyen Dinh Nguyen, Pham Thi Ngan and Nguyen Thi Thanh Tu, visited the Thuy An care center for elderly and disadvantaged children, in the Ba Vi district of Hanoi, as volunteers. They organised weekend art activities and drawing sessions for the children there, which helped them to learn more about the children’s difficulties, as well as their optimism and simple wishes in life. Through painting activities the group found that inside every child hides a talent, which motivated them to launch a project to provide more opportunities for kids to have fun and promote their … [Read more...]

NDO – An art exhibition, showcasing over 20 paintings, videography pieces and installation art works, commenced at the Korea Foundation (KF) Cultural Centre in Seoul on August 16, under the support of the Vietnam Embassy in the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Korea Foundation. The works, created by Vietnamese and RoK’s artists, depict social changes in both nations over the past 30 years. The exhibition is part of activities marking the 25th founding anniversary of Vietnam – RoK diplomatic relations. Speaking at the opening ceremony, KF Executive Vice President Yoon Keum-Jin stated that the event is the biggest display of Vietnam’s contemporary art in her country to date. She expressed that young Vietnamese and Korean artists share a common concern over fading traditional culture amid rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Vietnamese Ambassador to the RoK Nguyen Vu Tu stated that in just 25 years, the ties between the two countries … [Read more...]