Characters from the popular opera Carmen have performed as contemporary Vietnamese people by artists from Vietnam National Opera and Ballet at Hanoi Opera House on November 23 and 24.
About 150 artists will perform in Carmen. (Photo: VNOB)
Hanoi (VNA) - Characters fromthe popular opera Carmen have performed as contemporary Vietnamesepeople by artists from Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) at Hanoi OperaHouse on November 23 and 24.
The modern Carmen features about 150artists and musicians of the VNOB, Hanoi Voices Choir and Erato Children Choir.The opera was completed in 1874 based on the novel by Prosper Merimee. It wasthe last work of composer Georges Bizet.
Through music and dramatic melodies withSpanish elements, the composer told a tragic story and depicted a Gipsy womanwho is straightforward but wild. Swedish director Helena Rohr and set designerAnnsofi Nyberg will aim to bring one of the most popular and frequentlyperformed operas in the world closer to Vietnamese audience.
"This version of Carmen focuses on thetheme of domestic violence in today’s society, particularly towardswomen," said opera singer Thanh Binh. "The opera portrays Carmen as avictim rather than someone who is to blame for what happens - as is so oftenseen in more traditional versions."
"The director is skillful to tell thestory in contemporary society in Vietnam, so the audience will follow andunderstand the story, and connect it to their own lives," said Binh, whoplays Jose.
This Carmen is set inside a Vietnamesecigarette factory where the two main characters work. Carmen is from Hanoi andJose is from the northern province of Yen Bai.
Carmen decides to divorce Jose because heacts like a caveman. Becoming a single mother and facing many difficultiesdoesn’t get Carmen down, though her future is far from certain.
Huong Diep voices Carmen while Thanh Binhand Anh Vu do so for Jose. Manh Dung lends his voice to the toreador, whoin this version is a famous Thai boxer.
The artists sing in French and havedialogue in Vietnamese under the baton of conductor Dong Quang Vinh. The operadebuted at Hanoi Opera House to celebrate the building’s 100th anniversary in2011.-VNA
The Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) and Spanish musicians will perform classical operas, music pieces and ballets at Hanoi Opera House on April 15, the second day of the performance.
Eight teams will join the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Vietnam, the Philippines, Sichuan Club (China), and Australia, while Group B consists of Vietnam U21, Korabelka Club (Russia), Taiwan (China), and U21 Thailand.
Despite strong home support and high expectations, Vietnam were unable to overcome the defending champions, who secured their third consecutive win over Vietnam in a regional final, following previous victories in 2014 and 2023.
The event, part of Vietnam’s cultural diplomacy strategy through 2030, was jointly organised by the Vietnamese Embassy in Venezuela and USM’s Faculty of International Relations. It attracted thousands of students from universities across Venezuela.
For the first time, Vietnamese audiences will have the opportunity to experience the ballet masterpiece "Don Quixote" in its original version by renowned choreographer Marius Petipa.
The contest carried deep meaning as it was the first time the life of Vietnamese women abroad had been highlighted as the central theme, said poet and writer Nguyen Quang Thieu, Chairman of the Vietnam Writers’ Association.
The event formed part of Vietnam’s ongoing campaign to seek UNESCO World Heritage status for the complex at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, scheduled to take place in Paris in July.
Creative cultural festivals are fast emerging as a new catalyst for tourism development in Vietnam, as localities increasingly invest in these vibrant events on a more systematic and larger scale.
This marks the first time Vietnam has hosted a continental-level Muay event which will feature competitions across 28 weight categories in combat and eight performance categories.
Coming to the Vietnamese booth, visitors had the chance to take part in a bamboo dance, a workshop on painting woven bamboo or rattan, or quizzes about Vietnam.
These are impressive achievements, not only showing the efforts and prowess of Vietnamese paddlers but also serving as proof of the sports sector’s strategic and systematic investment.
The cultural event in Canberra not only fostered cultural exchanges between Vietnam and Australia but also contributed to promoting Vietnam’s image internationally
The U23 competition will run from June 16 to 22, followed by the U17 event from June 23 to 28, while athletes competing in the U23 category will undergo weight and skill checks ahead of the matches starting June 18, while similar checks for U17 athletes will take place before June 23.
Vietnam continues to sit just behind continental powerhouses Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, China, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The event served as a vibrant display of solidarity, promoting peace, cooperation, and development through cultural dialogue, and reaffirmed HCM City's role as a dynamic hub for cultural diplomacy and international friendship.
The Indian Film Festival not only honours the artistic value of cinema but also contributes to strengthening the friendship and enhancing cultural exchange between the people of Son La in particular and Vietnam in general and India.
An art exchange programme between Vietnam and Cambodia was held on the evening of June 13 in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long as part of the 2025 Cambodia Culture Week in Vietnam.
Digitalisation does not mean commercialisation or oversimplification of culture. It is a way of selecting, adapting, and spreading traditional values through a modern language.
About 150 artists will perform in Carmen. (Photo: VNOB) 
