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| FAVOURITE RETURNS – The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will restage the award-winning Ballet Kiều at the city Opera House on March 29 and 30. — Photo courtesy of HBSO |
HCM CITY — The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will restage the award-winning Ballet Kiều at the city Opera House on March 29 and 30.
The ballet consists of three acts and 15 scenes based on Truyện Kiều (The Tale of Kiều), the 18th-century poetic masterpiece by the great poet Nguyễn Du (1765-1820).
The piece, written and directed by scriptwriter and choreographer Tuyết Minh, revolves around the life of Thúy Kiều, a beautiful and talented young woman who sacrificed herself to save her family. It also recounts her trials and tribulations.
It features classical European ballet techniques with contemporary folk dance language while still maintaining the core values of traditional Vietnamese art.
The ballet is co-choreographed by Minh and Nguyễn Phúc Hùng, general director in charge of HBSO’s programmes.
Minh, a pioneer in popularising contemporary dance, has written, directed and choreographed 18 ballets and contemporary dances such as Con Tạo Xoay (The Spinning Top) and Vợ Chồng A Phủ (A Phủ and His Wife).
She was an instructor at the Việt Nam Dance Academy, and then a lecturer at the Hà Nội Academy of Theatre and Cinema.
She is currently the Permanent Vice Chairman of the Việt Nam Dance Association.
Hùng, a graduate in choreography of Fontys Dance Academy in the Netherlands, has choreographed several contemporary dances such as Chạm Tay Vào Quá Khứ (Touching the Past), Đi Qua Tình Yêu (Gone Through Love), and Falling Angels.
Ballet Kiều was first staged in HCM City and Hà Nội in 2020.
The play won the excellence awards at the National Dance and Music Festival in the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) province of Đắk Lắk in June 2022.
Music for the ballet was created by musicians Việt Anh and Chinh Ba.
Anh, who earned a Master of Music at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, is known for his instrumental works, movie soundtracks, and pop songs.
Chinh Ba, founder of CAB (Culture and Arts Base) in Hội An, is a multimedia artist having worked in poetry, art, sound, music and theatre.
Ba will also participate in the performance as a narrator.
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| GRACEFUL ELEGANCE – Dancer Thạch Hiểu Lăng and dancers from HBSO Ballet will perform in the Ballet Kiều. Photo courtesy of HBSO |
The ballet will feature young dancer Thạch Hiểu Lăng as Thuý Kiều.
Lăng began to learn dancing when she was four years old. She has worked with HBSO in ballets such as Cinderella, Carmen, Giselle, The Nutcracker, and Coppelia.
She won second prize at the National Dance Talent Competition in Hà Nội in August 2023.
The performance will also include Meritorious Artists Hồ Phi Điệp and Đàm Đức Nhuận, and young dancers Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh and Sùng A Lùng.
Dancers from HBSO Ballet and HBSO Symphony Orchestra will be featured as well.
Two shows of Ballet Kiều will begin at 8pm at 7 Lam Sơn Square in District 1. Tickets are available at the venue and ticketbox.vn. — VNS
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