Special impressions from the opera "Princess Anio" celebrating 50 years of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations

The opera "Princess Anio" performed at the Hanoi Opera House left a special impression on the public, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

The opera Princess Anio was planned and produced by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and the Executive Board of “Princess Anio” (Brain Group, Yamaha Music Vietnam Co., Ltd., and the National Organization for the Promotion of International Exchange (NPO) to mark the milestone of 2023, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Japan.

Những ấn tượng đặc biệt từ vở opera 'Công nữ Anio' kỷ niệm 50 năm quan hệ ngoại giao Việt Nam-Nhật Bản

Artists from both countries participated in the opera 'Princess Anio' to celebrate 50 years of Vietnam-Japan diplomatic relations. (Photo: Kien Dang)

This is a completely new work with content built on the true love story between Princess Ngoc Hoa from Hoi An, Vietnam and merchant Araki Sotaro from Nagasaki, Japan about 400 years ago, at the beginning of Japan's Edo period.

The true love story from 400 years ago is proof that between the two countries Vietnam and Japan, there has existed a good relationship of two equal partners who trust each other.

The two people love each other based on equality, overcoming national and class differences. By recreating a true historical story through the opera, the Organizing Committee hopes that the work will become a symbol to promote the good relationship between Vietnam and Japan in the next 50 years, 100 years.

Taking on the role of Honorary Advisors for the Project are Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio and Vietnamese Ambassador to Japan Pham Quang Hieu.

At the same time, the Project is also sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Japan Cultural Affairs Agency, as well as receiving encouragement and support from local leaders of the two countries, along with the attention and support from units and organizations in the public, private and educational sectors of both countries.

The main roles in the Opera are performed by talented young opera singers from Vietnam and Japan. The role of Anio on the nights of September 22 and 24 is played by Dao To Loan - a Soprano who won the First Prize at the International Opera Competition, and the role of Sotaro is played by Kobori Yusuke - a Tenor who won the Second Prize at the 16th Tokyo Music Competition and the First Prize at the 88th Japan Music Competition. On the night of September 23, the two artists playing the main roles are Bui Thi Trang and Yamamoto Kohei.

Performing the main roles in the Opera are talented young opera singers from Vietnam and Japan. (Source: Organizing Committee)

The special feature of the play is that all the actors sing aurally, without using any sound-supporting equipment. This requires the artists to have real inner strength, good technique and extremely serious and meticulous vocal training. On the other hand, currently only the Hanoi Opera House has the standards for the artists to sing aurally, without sound loss.

Japanese artists have had to practice hard to be able to sing Opera in Vietnamese. Artist Kobori Yusuke (as Araki Sotaro) once shared: “The most difficult problem for me when learning Vietnamese is the richness of Vietnamese vowels. Vietnamese has too many vowels.

To overcome this, in Japan I had Vietnamese pronunciation practice sessions with Vietnamese teachers, each session lasted 1-2 hours. During those sessions, I practiced singing, pronunciation, listening, speaking, and mouth shape to pronounce correctly.

The Opera does not have a heavy, academic feeling but is very close and everyday with a clear plot, familiar and easy-to-understand dialogue and especially emotional music; sometimes deep and passionate, sometimes bustling and joyful...

The stage is designed grandly, combining cinematic effects, giving the audience special visual impressions.

In addition, the play also bears a strong Vietnamese cultural imprint: Most of the female actors wear ao dai throughout the opera, the sound of the monochord, lullabies, the ancient Hoi An scenery...

Along with Kobori Yusuke and Dao To Loan taking on the main roles, the play also features artists Khanh Ngoc, Dao Mac, Nguyen Huy Duc, Goto Kazuma, Kawakoshi Miharu...

The stage was designed grandly, combined with cinematic effects, giving the audience special visual impressions. (Source: Organizing Committee)

Sharing after the show, artist Dao To Loan said, “It is truly an honor and pride to be able to participate in such a big project as the female lead. I think there are not many opportunities like this for Vietnamese artists to participate. I gave it my all, did my best, and to the best of my ability. The pressure was so great that I couldn’t eat or sleep, but I also knew how to balance it. The pressure was on the whole crew, not just me.

As an audience member, singer Dinh Trang, runner-up of Sao Mai 2013 in the chamber music category, also said: "I feel very happy and pleased to witness the artist, my beloved colleague, perform successfully. This is an opera that truly invests in expertise and high-quality images.

I witnessed the artists practicing very carefully, thoughtfully, and with great responsibility, so I was very moved by the highly professional performance, which sublimated and strengthened the friendship between the two countries."

The performance on the night of September 22nd received a standing ovation from the audience. After the performance, the Crown Prince and Princess of Japan stayed behind to applaud the performance for nearly ten minutes along with hundreds of spectators.

Some touching images of the opera performance "Princess Anio" at Hanoi Opera House: (Photo: Kien Dang)

The opera Princess Anio will be performed at the Hanoi Opera House for three nights on September 22, 23 and 24. Next, on September 27, the work will come to the Hung Yen audience at the Provincial Convention Center. In November 2023, the Japanese public premiere will be held at the Hitomi Memorial Hall of Showa Women's University, Tokyo.

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