Grand Opera on Saigon River
At the press conference introducing the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival held on the afternoon of May 8, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said that the art program "The River Tells Stories" (scheduled to take place on the evening of May 31) continues to be the highlight of this year's festival.
With the theme “Legendary Train”, the program directed by Le Hai Yen will recreate the heroic historical story of the nation, through a grand outdoor musical on the Saigon River.
Director Le Hai Yen said that the show “The River Tells Stories” season 1 is a nostalgic look back at a panoramic cultural picture of the history of exploration, formation and development of Ho Chi Minh City associated with the Saigon River. From the time of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Cho Lon - Ho Chi Minh City, one of the largest economic and cultural centers of the country is summarized through the chapters: “The Beginning”, “Reclamation”, “Building the Citadel”, “On the Wharf, Under the Boat”, “Prosperous Commercial Port” and “Brilliant City by the River”.
“The River Tells Stories” season 2 will tell a story about modern history, through legendary ships that have come and gone on the Saigon River, associated with special milestones of the country and the nation.
From the junks of the Nguyen Dynasty (18th century) crossing the East Sea to set up markers to affirm the nation's sovereignty over the sea and islands; to the cradle of the Vietnamese shipbuilding industry - Ba Son factory; the story of the strike of more than 1,000 Ba Son workers associated with the revolutionary activities of President Ton Duc Thang; Uncle Ho's journey to find a way to save the country on the Amiral Latouche Tréville ship that changed the fate of the entire Vietnamese nation; or the first ship after liberation connecting the sea route between the South and the North... will be recreated in a very special way using modern art and entertainment technology.
Director Le Hai Yen added that the play will have climaxes and heroic highlights, with large scenes and details that emphasize the depth of emotions, delving into the characters' inner psyche: "It is the first outdoor musical to take place right on the Saigon River. We will combine the special effects of cinema, music, ballet with modern entertainment technologies from 3D mapping, drone shows, ... to recreate a massive historical story of the nation. With a scale of nearly 1,000 actors, the performance space will be like a large but not fixed film set. All the scenes of the entire show will have floating stages, moving stages that change with each chapter, each scene to continuously surprise the audience."
Audience-Centered
Commenting on the live stage show “The River Tells Stories” season 2, Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Historical Science Association, Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Association, noted that those who make the show, especially those responsible for the script, need to have the most authentic and reliable historical documents. Because when exploiting historical elements, the public will evaluate and perceive more strictly.
At the same time, the program script needs to have valuable and impressive details to create emotional points for viewers and make them remember those historical stories after watching.
Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau said: “I also hope that this year's program will meet the expectations of the city's residents and tourists. We must try to maintain it, including the art program "The River Tells Stories" and make it a brand."
As a business closely associated with the Saigon River, with a chain of floating restaurants on the river, Mr. Nguyen Hai Linh, Chairman of Elisa Group, said that the Organizing Committee needs to do better in communication work, so that all residents and tourists know about the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, especially the live show "The River Tells Stories".
Mr. Nguyen Hai Linh expressed his wish to have a large-scale live theater program: "It is even more difficult to tell historical stories that can awaken in the audience a concern and move towards good things. I think this program is doing just that."
Compared to the first time, the second Ho Chi Minh City River Festival has not only expanded in scale and duration, but also increased tourism connection activities between Ho Chi Minh City and the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions.
With a diverse range of activities in tourism, culture, entertainment, art, sports, cuisine, and shopping; this event is oriented to become a brand, contributing to positioning Ho Chi Minh City - a river city rich in cultural identity.
This year's 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival will increase the duration, expand the scale and diversify activities with many venues such as Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi area, Bach Dang Park, Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal area, Lan Anh Marina (Thu Duc City), Viet Star Wharf (District 7), Binh Dong Wharf (District 8), Suoi Tien Cultural Tourism Area, other tourist areas and destinations in Ho Chi Minh City. For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City has included in the Festival artistic fireworks display; reenactment of the Western floating market; organization of an open river swimming competition, stand-up paddleboard championship; demonstrations of jet skiing, sailing, paragliding... and other interactive activities to serve residents and tourists. |
Source: https://vov.vn/du-lich/san-tour/don-doi-bua-tiec-nghe-thuat-trong-le-hoi-song-nuoc-tphcm-lan-2-post1094056.vov
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