Musician Do Hong Quan and Him Lam Moon Opera

Eight years after the premiere of the opera Red Leaves, musician Do Hong Quan made an impressive comeback with the opera Him Lam Moon, a work participating in the campaign to create literary and artistic works "Living forever with time" in the period 2022 - 2025.

Associate Professor, Doctor, musician Do Hong Quan was born in 1956 in Hanoi, the son of the famous musician Do Nhuan. He came to music from a young age, directly tutored by his father. He then studied piano under the guidance of music educator Thai Thi Lien, who taught many famous artists and musicians, and then studied abroad at the Moscow Conservatory. Graduating with a red diploma with a Concerto for violin and symphony orchestra, he completed the highest level of graduate study in composition, and at the same time studied symphony orchestra conducting with Professor L. Nikolaev. That very basic training process created a very talented orchestra conductor and composer.

Musician Do Hong Quan, with his abundant creative ability, is not only satisfied with composing songs, but also composing in accordance with the duties of a modern musician, writing many instrumental works, film music, and stage music such as Ballet Hong Hoang, Nocturne Tieng Echo, Trio for three flutes, Toccata for piano, Concerto for violin and orchestra, Variations for piano, Four paintings for Oboe, percussion and piano, String Quartet, Ngu Hanh for percussion, Fantasy - Symphonic Mo Dat,... and recently Sac Xuan for monochord and national symphony orchestra, Tro Mot for Symphony Orchestra, Dang Rong Len, Loi Cua Da, Chiec la dau mai, Hoa Gao, Gui ve song Luc nui Huyen... His instrumental works have been performed in many countries such as: France, Russia, Germany, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Latvia, and published in Russia and the US.

Musician Do Hong Quan conducts the orchestra.

In the field of musicals, inheriting the achievements of his father Do Nhuan, a musician who pioneered and built modern musicals in our country, Do Hong Quan, since he was Deputy Director of the Youth Theater, has been the musical author of two new plays: Love Story (based on the novel Love Story, 1989) and Silami (1991), which were staged at the Youth Theater and were very attractive to young audiences. In particular, in 2016, he wrote the musical Red Leaves (Music by Do Hong Quan, script by poet Nguyen Thi Hong Ngát), bringing a new vitality to Vietnamese musicals, following in the footsteps of his father and brother's generation who pioneered and pioneered the Vietnamese musical stage.

In 1965, there was the first musical, Miss Sao, by musician Do Nhuan. In 1975, there was the play, The Sculptor, also by musician Do Nhuan. During such a long period, due to the conditions of social life as well as musical life, there were few great, long-lasting works.

In 2011, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 844/QD-TTCP on supporting literary, artistic and journalistic works about the two resistance wars against France and the US from 1930 to present.

In 2013, the Department of Performing Arts chose musician Do Hong Quan to write an opera through a very strict review board, and only after approval could it be staged and performed.

Musician Do Hong Quan and Him Lam Moon Opera

A group of musicians visited Dien Bien and composed 10 years ago: Musician Do Hong Quan, artist Chieu Xuan, musician Truong Ngoc Ninh, musician Pham Ngoc Khoi, musician Duc Trinh, musician Ha Dinh Cuong, musician Van Thao.

The appearance of a new musical in the musical life is in line with the spirit of Decision 844, on a large scale, unprecedented, mobilizing the Vietnam Symphony Orchestra, with a number of artists up to 80 people, mobilizing the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet with the main vocalists, excellent soloists, winners of domestic awards as well as graduates of graduate schools abroad...

Indeed, the birth of Red Leaves at that time enriched the musical life. It proves that no matter how you look at it, the source of Vietnamese music is still developing, and that investment in culture and art is effective in bringing long-term benefits to social life. Moreover, what is the role of culture and art? If it is not to depict, reflect, and revive historical documents of the past, then what can be used to recall that period except historical lessons and documentary images? If we want to renew and revive history, we must invest in culture and art.

The Red Leaf Opera at that time created a very positive wave of public opinion among the public and the press. Female journalist Vuong Ha noted: “The Red Leaf Opera was a work commissioned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The play was performed at the Hanoi Opera House and was highly appreciated by experts and the public, because after 40 years, there was a return of a musical composed and staged by Vietnamese artistic talents.

Red Leaves then had dozens of performances in localities such as Vinh Phuc, Thanh Hoa and then Quang Binh, Quang Tri, as desired by musician Do Hong Quan and the production team: The musical reaches the most ordinary people. Red Leaves also won the A prize in the musical category of the 2016 Music Awards, participated in the Green Road 9 Singing Festival held in Quang Tri, received up to 11 awards for the collective and individuals; including the excellent award in the opera category, singer Dao To Loan won the Gold Medal.

Director of the Department of Performing Arts Tran Ly Ly shared: “The work Red Leaves is a painstaking work of art, filled with much dedication to contribute to the country's art a work of the highest level, full of revolutionary enthusiasm and love for life.”

Eight years have passed, following the success of Red Leaves, this spring musician Do Hong Quan completed the opera Him Lam Moon. Aiming at the milestone of May 7, 2024 ahead when the whole country is looking forward to celebrating the 70th anniversary of the historic Dien Bien Phu victory, in addition to his work as Chairman of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, musician Do Hong Quan has devoted himself to composing and artistic work, the final act of the opera Him Lam Moon was completed in the early days of this spring.

“I keep looking forward to that day, so that the opera Him Lam Moon can be released on time and can be performed right in the middle of the Dien Bien Phu battlefield in the past. However, because this is a work written to respond to and participate in the campaign to create literary and artistic works "Living forever with time" in the period of 2022 - 2025, it still has to go through the acceptance process before it can be staged and performed. If there is a positive impact from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army, I hope that the opera Him Lam Moon will soon be accepted and soon built by the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet so that together with the parade troops and parade planes, the opera Him Lam Moon will contribute to the jubilation of the festival celebrating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien victory and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the army" - Musician Do Hong Quan confided.

The work promises to be a bright spot for our contemporary music, a milestone in the creative career of musician Do Hong Quan.

Truong Nguyen Viet

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