Korean Film Festival 2012 in Hanoi and Danang

The Republic of Korea (RoK)’s Cultural Centre in Vietnam in co-ordination with Megastar Media Company has organized the Korean Film Festival in Danang (Dec. 3-4) and Hanoi (Dec. 6-8).

The event, titled “Connecting souls”, aims to celebrate the 20th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the RoK.

The festival opened with the screening of “Masquerade”, attracting over 10 million viewers.

Other films such as As one, Punch, A werewolf boy and Jumbagi will be shown during the event.

The RoK’s Cultural Centre has invited poor children from houses of gratitude in Hanoi to watch “Jumbagi”.

Stage director Choo Chang-min and film producer Won Dong Yeon of “Masquerade” are scheduled to have a talk with Vietnamese counterparts to share experience in developing the movie industry.

Pianist Trang Trinh to enthrall Hanoi audience

Popular young pianist Trang Trinh (or Trinh Mai Trang) comes to L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien Street in Hanoi for what promises to be a spectacular performance on December 20 at 8 p.m.

Pianist Trang Trinh - Photo: Courtesy of organizers

The 26-year-old will contribute three popular pieces by Beethoven - Tempest, Moonlight and Pathetique - at the concert at 24 Trang Tien Street. These works were composed during 1797-1802 when the German genius was treated for deafness.

Born in 1986 in Hanoi, Trang began music lessons aged four. In 2004, she won a scholarship granted by the British Royal Academy of Music.

She has joined numerous contests, including Francis Simmer Prize, Gretta GM Parkinson Prize and Lilian Davis Prize.

In 2006, she won the Festival Paganini and thrilled London’s spectators via Franz Liszt’s ‘Dance of the Dead’ with Edward Gardner, music director of the English National Opera.

Tickets are VND120,000 with students enjoying half price.

Vietnamese blooms in flower contest

Nguyen Ngoc Truc, a student at the TAFE NSW Sydney Institute, has won third prize in a Flower Arrangement Competition in Australia.

Truc, from Da Lat, is studying flower arranging at institute. She will return to Viet Nam after the course.

The competition was themed "Wild Flowers for a Farmer's Wedding" in honour of the Australian Year of the Farmer. In the final round, there were 103 candidates from 13 schools and colleges.

Truc used white and green colours with a touch of pink in her arrangement. She created strips of brown leaves around the basket in order to increase simplicity, suitable for a farmer's wedding and to stress the beauty of wild flowers in Australia.

K-Pop Festival attracts 50,000 fans in Hanoi

The K-Pop Festival 2012 concert was held at the My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on the night of November 29, with performances by two Vietnamese singers and 17 famous bands of South Korea.

The event, the biggest of its kind in Vietnam, opened with impressive performances by Thanh Lam, Tan Minh and other artists of Dong Bang Shin Ki (TVXQ), SNSD (Girl’s Generation), Beast, Sistar, B.A.P, T-ara, Son Dam Bi, Kara, Miss A, FT Island, Teen Top, Infinite, Hyun A, Ailee, B1A4, Fiesta and Chaos.

Approximately 50,000 young fans came to My Dinh to enjoy the show and were ecstatic with the colorful performances.
 
The Teen Top band, singing a Vietnamese folk song called ‘Beo Dat May Troi’ drew an enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Souvenirs inspired by ancient sculptures

A collection of souvenirs named Thong Diep Ngan Nam (One Thousand Years' Message), inspired by artefacts dating from the Ly dynasty (1009-1225), was showcased to the public on Sunday.

The collection of five sculptures, carved dragons and phoenixes, based on antiques found at Thang Long Citadel's vestige, are created by a group of sculptors named Circle Group.

Historian Le Van Lan said the collection depicted the Ly dynasty's symbol.

"It's not easy to turn imposing decorative objects on ancient palaces which were buried in earth's womb into pretty souvenirs," he said.

"The sculptors must have high skill and passion for Vietnamese culture."

Australian embassy toasts Volunteer Day

A photo exhibition on the contribution of Australian volunteers in Viet Nam opens tomorrow at the Australian embassy in Ha Noi to mark International Volunteer Day, December 5.

The week-long exhibition will feature more than 80 photos provided by Australian volunteers and their host organisations around Viet Nam.

The images provide insight into the life of volunteers and the people they work with and support.

Viet Nam receives the third largest contingent of volunteers from the Australian Volunteers for International Development, which is funded by the Australian Government.

More than 80 are currently working on projects aligned with the Australian Government's priorities in Viet Nam – like human resource development, economic integration, and environmental sustainability.

Japanese series celebrates 20th anniversary

A festival entitled Doraemon and Friends will be held in HCM City on Sunday by the Kim Dong Publishing House to celebrate 20 years since the Doraemon series was first published in Viet Nam.

Festival goers can enjoy the first chapter printed in a giant book, join games inspired by the story, and pose for photos in a space created for Doraemon and his friends.

A Japanese cultural space will be arranged at the venue to introduce origami (the art of paper folding), kusudama (made by using folded paper units glued together) and yosakoi dance.

Doraemon is a Japanese manga series created by Fujiko F Fujio which later became an anime series and an Asian franchise. It's about an intelligent robotic cat named Doraemon, who travels back in time from the 22nd century to aid a pre-teen boy, Nobita Nobi.

The majority of Doraemon episodes are comedies, with lessons regarding values such as honesty, perseverance, courage, family and respect for elders.

Tchaikovsky concert to be held in HCM City

The Ho Chi Minh City Symphony Opera and Ballet Theatre will hold a concert on December 9 to introduce a number of famous works by Tchaikovsky.

The participation includes two internationally-renowned artists from Serbia: cellist Filip Tomic and pianist Boris Kraljevic.

Tchaikovsky was one of the most prominent composers of European classic music and among the most influential musical talents in the history of world music.

During the programme, the audience will have a chance to enjoy his ballet “Romeo and Juliet”, Variations on a Rococo Theme for cello and orchestra and concerto for piano No. 1, Op. 23.

The concert will be staged and conducted by the reputable and experienced Meritorious Artist Tran Vuong Thach.

Thach, director of the HCM City Symphony Opera and Ballet Theatre, has performed with orchestras from Germany, Italy, Spain, Scotland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Serbia and the Republic of Korea.

VOV/VNS/VNA/SGT/SGGP