Thefestival is organised by the HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera(HBSO) in 2005 to highlight classical music, opera and dance.
More than200 Vietnamese and international artists will take part in 12 performances atthe city’s Opera House.
For the opening performance, HBSO and the GoetheInstitute in HCM City have prepared for more than a year to stage DieFledermaus for the first time in Vietnam.
Theoperetta, set in Vienna in the 19th century, features Dr Falke’s plan toembarrass his friend Eisenstein who leaves him at a park after a costume party.
Thework’s libretto was written by German dramatist Karl Haffner and author andcomposer Richard Genée.
First staged in 1874 in Vienna, it is regarded asthe most celebrated and most frequently performed operetta.
The Vietnamese version will be directed by Germandirector David Hermann.
German vocal master and conductor Askan Geisler istraining HBSO artists to sing in the original language of German.
Theperformance will feature Cho Hae Ryong of the Republic of Korea, Pham Duyen Huyen,Dao Mac, and Phan Huu Trung Kiet, together with HBSO’s vocalists, musicians anddancers.
ConductorGeisler and HBSO conductor Tran Nhat Minh will lead the orchestra on August 19and 20, respectively.
On August22, young Russian talents from the Maestro Foundation and the SpivakovFoundation will continue the festival with a concert.
YoungVietnamese talents, pianist Nguyen Lan Anh and violinist Tran Le Quang Tuyen,will introduce works by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Chopin, Prokofiev and Sarasate onAugust 24.
Thefestival will include a performance featuring compositions for guitar on August25, featuring guitarists Nguyen Thanh Huy of Vietnam, Anton Isselhadt ofGermany and Pongpat Ponpradit of Thailand, and the Saigon Guitar Quartet.
Musiciansfrom the International Chamber Players and Vietnam National Academy of Musicwill present three concerts from August 23-25.
The first, titled A Night with French ChamberMusic, will feature compositions for piano and violin by Faubré, Debussy andChausson.
In thesecond concert The Eight Seasons with Vivaldi & Piazzolla on August24, the artists will play with violinists Bui Cong Duy, Tran Huu Quoc and Vu VietChuong and American violinist Gregory Lee.
The lastconcert, European Journey: Countries and People, will include works byWagner, Dvorak, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Glinka and Hummel.
On August 26, HBSO will host a performance ofcontemporary Vietnamese music by Nguyen Manh Duy Linh and Vu Viet Anh, and aballet Gone through Love choreographed by Nguyen Phuc Hai and NguyenPhuc Hung.
Thefestival will close with a special concert featuring violinist Hoang Tuan Cuong,German cellist Ulrich Horn and HBSO Symphony Orchestra. They will perform worksby Brahms, Smetana and Tchaikovsky.
The twoconcerts will be led by conductor Le Phi Phi, who lives and works in Macedonia.
Thefestival includes two outdoor concerts on August 19 and 27, featuring the BrassEnsemble from HCM City Conservatory of Music.
The OperaHouse is located at 7 Lam Son Square in District 1. More information on thefestival’s schedule can be found at www.hbso.org.vn. Tickets are availableat www.ticketbox.vn.-VNA