Shapes of Sounds offers new folk arts performances
The Voice of Ho Chi Minh City People (VOH) has launched a special art project offering folk music, dance and singing performances this month as part of its efforts to preserve and introduce Vietnamese traditional arts and culture to residents and visitors.
Folk music artists from art troupes and theatres from Shapes of Sounds, a new cultural project launched by the Voice of HCM City People (VOH), are helping to preserve Vietnamese culture. (Photo courtesy of VOH)
HCM City (VNA) - The Voice of Ho Chi Minh City People (VOH) haslaunched a special art project offering folk music, dance and singingperformances this month as part of its efforts to preserve and introduceVietnamese traditional arts and culture to residents and visitors.
The project, called Shapes of Sounds – "Dang Hinh Am Vang," offers differentperformances of folk arts originating from the northern, central and southernregions. The performances are staged by talented artists of leading artschools, art troupes and theatres in HCM City.
Each show — featuring folk songs and dances, and musical pieces - is directedand produced by veteran artists, musicians and cultural researchers.
The performers are accompanied by Vietnamese music played by a symphonyorchestra and folk music instrumentalists in tranh (Vietnamese zither), sao(flute), bau (Vietnamese monochord) and nguyet (two-stringed long neck moonflute).
The project, Shapes of Sounds - Dang hinh am vang, offers a series of showsfeaturing cai luong (reformed opera), the south’s traditional music begun 100years ago.
The highlighted show is Da Co Hoai Lang (Night Drumbeats Cause Longing forAbsent Husband). It features cai luong stars of the Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre,one of the region’s leading traditional theatres.
The show was named after the famous vong co (nostalgic tunes) song written in1919 by well-known musician Cao Van Lau of Bac Lieu province, who is recognisedas a guru of cai luong theatre.
The song tells of the love, anguish and pride of a young woman watching herhusband leave to fight for the country.
Vong co songs are sung by southern farmers after working in the fields. The songsfeature the feeling, dreams and hopes of people. They are often used in cailuong.
The first show of Shapes of Sounds - Dang hinh am vang is expected to be stagedregularly at the VOH Theatre./.
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Folk music artists from art troupes and theatres from Shapes of Sounds, a new cultural project launched by the Voice of HCM City People (VOH), are helping to preserve Vietnamese culture. (Photo courtesy of VOH) 
