Carved sapphire turtle presented to capital

HA NOI — A sapphire turtle made by the DOJI Gold and Gems Group was presented to the Ha Noi People's Committee as a gift for the city's 1,000th anniversary yesterday.

The Giant Precious Sapphire Turtle had spiritual meaning as a symbol of longevity and peace, said DOJI general director Do Minh Phu.

Its natural blue and reddish brown colours gave it a unique beauty, he said.

The turtle is made from a monolithic sapphire, weighs two tonnes and took artisans 200 days to complete.

Legend says a turtle helped King An Duong Vuong build Co Loa Citadel in the 3rd century BC while King Le Thai To, (1385-1433) returned a precious sword to a tortoise in Hoan Kiem or "Returned Sword" Lake after using it to defeat invaders.

Calligraphers exhibit to celebrate Ha Noi

HA NOI — The biggest yet calligraphy exhibition will open at the Temple of Literature today, said its Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities director Dang Kim Ngoc.

About 250 works of various sizes and featuring different calligraphic styles on materials including ceramic, bamboo and do (poonah) paper will be on display with 200 lanterns.

A performance depicting the traditional greeting given successful candidates returning home after passing their royal exams would be party of the opening ceremony, the director said.

The exhibition will end on October 14.

British council awards filmmaker a trip to London

HCM CITY — The British Council Viet Nam on Saturday handed out award certificates to winners at the British Council International Screen Entrepreneur Award.

The national winner, Tran Thi Bich Ngoc, will represent Viet Nam to compete in the international competition, which will take place in London on October 15, announced British Council director in HCM City Alison Ball at the award ceremony.

Ngoc will take a 10-day trip to the UK where she will attend the London Film Festival and will have opportunities to network with UK screen industry partners and national winners from other participating countries. — VNS

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Festivities for Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary off to a shaky start

Students Tuan (L) and Thuy at Ho Guom Lake on the morning of October 1

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Hanoi 1000’s anniversary is, not unlike other events of such magnitude, a cash generating opportunity for many local businesses whether of a formal or informal nature.

Inflated prices and aggressive sellers

Hundreds of photographers around Hoan Kiem Lake earn a living by taking instant photos of willing tourists at a rate of roughly VND 20.000 (US$1) for shot.

On the morning of October 1 the price of a photo was up to VND50,000 - 70,000 ($2.5-$3.5). By the afternoon some photographers were aggressively pursuing costumers.

“I must have already taken some 10 photos and spent lots of money yet they still hassle me to buy more”, a visitor from Thanh Chuong District in the central province of Nghe An said.

As beverages and souvenirs vendors joined the price-hike madness, bottled water could not be found at less than VND20,000 for half-a-litter bottle.

Shuttles to the festivities: Free yet unsatisfactory

Free shuttles were scheduled to transport visitors to and from the sites of the main festivities between 6am and 8pm. However, passengers who showed up at My Dinh bus station, one of the pick-up points, complained of wait times exceeding one hour.

In addition to the long wait, passengers voiced frustration about poorly designed bus routes taking an unreasonable amount of time to get them to their destination.

“The bus route from My Dinh bus station to the festival site involved a huge detour around Thanh Xuan district amounting to a 10-kilometer stretch of road,” Vu Van Hung from the Son La northern province complained.

Nguyen Thi Vui from Co Nhue commune in Tu Liem District in Hanoi reported in distress after being yelled at by unfriendly bus attendants after asking for directions to the festival upon being dropped off at the end of the route.

Disrupted routines

On October 1 many Hanoians struggled to get to their place of employment, especially if their route passed by the downtown area around Hoan Kiem Lake due to several streets closed off for the festivities and the unusually high volume of traffic.

In the coming days, especially from October 7 to 10, many city roads will be closed off to traffic. No measures were taken to alleviate inconveniences for residents having to go to work.

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“Central Highlands Flame” dies of cancer

Y Moan

Photo: Tuoi Tre

Central Highlands’ pop singer Y Moan drew his last breath at the age of 53 at 15:25 pm on October 1, after a prolonged fight with stomach cancer.

Known by his fans as Y Moan, Y Moan Enuoi’s real name is Y Blieo. He was born September 6 1957, one of seven children in an Ede ethnic family of modest means.

Y Moan was discovered after Vietnam’s reunification in 1976. He left his home in the mountains of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and headed for Hanoi upon being recruited by the Song and Dance Troupe.

He studied at the then Hanoi Conservatory of Music from 1979 until 1986. During that time, he met Nguyen Thi Minh Ngau from the northern province of Thai Binh whom he married shortly thereafter. He then also met composer Nguyen Cuong.

Nguyen Cuong wrote Oi M’Drak especially for Y Moan after witnessing his passion for music and love for his land. The song became a turning point for the artists’ respective careers. The song-writer mentored the singer and the two formed a strong bond which lasted throughout their careers.

Y Moan never stopped singing about the Central Highlands' mountains and forests. He also sang songs by known song-writers such as, Tran Tien, Linh Nga Nie K'dam, and Ama No. Songs such as  Oi M’Drak (Hey, M’Drak), Ly ca phe Ban Me (Ban Me coffee cup) and Doi chan tran (Bare foot) expressed his love for his homeland and introduced the beauty of the Vietnamese landscape to millions of people both within and outside the country.

Y Moan’s international performances included China, North Korea, South Korea, Thailand, Germany, Poland and France.

In 1997, Y Moan was conferred the honorary title of Meritorious Artistfor exceptional artistic achievements by the Vietnamese State.  

In 2000 the Culture and Information Ministry recognized his lifetime career achievements.

He was conferred the title of People’s Artist, the highest honor given by the State to an artists, by President Nguyen Minh Triet during his live show Flame of the Central Highlands on August 6 of this year.

Y Moan’s funeral will be held at his private house in Dha Prong village of Buon Me Thuot City in DakLak Province Tuesday. He will be buried at Dha Prong Cemetery on October 5.

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A thousand years in a half-century of images

On the street: Flower vendors peddle through Ha Noi's streets.   Symbolic: Long Bien Bridge, photographer unknown.   Head count: A photographer takes photos of busts of Viet Nam's cultural figures displayed at the exhibition. — VNA/VNS Photo Truong Vi

HA NOI — An exhibition of 1,000 photos opened yesterday starting a series of activities to celebrate the millennium anniversary of the capital.

Under the theme Ha Noi – A 1,000-year-old City, the 10-day exhibition displays a panoramic view of the city since it was liberated in 1954.

Colour and black and white photos on display at the exhibition were selected carefully from the numerous photos of Ha Noi, according to Vu Duc Tan, chairman of the Ha Noi Photographic Artists'Association.

"Although 1,000 photos can't portray the city's 1,000 year history, we expect that visitors will learn more about Ha Noi and understand our love for the city," said Tan.

The exhibition displays Ha Noi in the days after liberation, during reconstruction, through the renewal process and today. Visitors will get a chance to understand the city's development through these periods, and the long-standing culture and outstanding people who have devoted their lives to the capital.

Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) is the venue for an outdoor display of 800 photos while the rest of are showcased at Exhibition House, 45 Trang Tien Street.

Collins, a visitor from the US, said it was a unique experience for him.

"I don't understand all of the photos, for example, the portraits, I don't know who they are or what they do. I like photos that capture artisans at work because I can't find them in my country," he says.

The Association has worked with the Vietnam News Agency Publishing House to publish a book showcasing the photos as a souvenir for visitors.

Artists from other various literary and artistic associations have also found their own way to express their love for the capital through an exhibition featuring thousands of works on the theme of Ha Noi.

Entitled Literature and Arts Works Celebrating Ha Noi's 1,000th Anniversary, the exhibition includes 1,000 works of poetry, prose and literature, 300 paintings, 80 sculptures, 300 photos and 100 musical pieces, many of which have won both national and international prizes.

During the exhibition from October 1-10, there will be poetry, musical shows, film screenings and a seminar on Ha Noi's architecture, in which 25 speakers will focus on Ha Noi's architectural problems over the past 20 years.

The exhibition will run at the Viet Nam Centre for Exhibition, Arts and Culture, 2 Hoa Lu Street. — VNS

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Expats sing happy birthday to Ha Noi

Hey Joe: Joe Ruelle (left) and singerl Lee Kirby record the song Ha Noi Boogie. — Photo by courtesy of Joe Ruelle

HA NOI — Joe Ruelle, a Canadian who has lived in Ha Noi for eight years, has turned his love for the city into a humorous song.

The idea for the song came on a winter's afternoon when a group of Westerners decided to contribute to the city's 1,000-year anniversary celebrations. They wanted it to be casual and, most importantly, fun since anniversaries can get heavy.

After a few months, they ended up with an old-style pop song with a catchy melody and cheeky Ha Noi references, Ha Noi Boogie.

"I wanted the song to have a real doo-wop feel yet be dripping with references only those with some connection to Ha Noi would pick up on. I think it works; it's fun, which was the whole point," Joe said.

The song's simple lyric is about a love affair of a couple, who hang out around the city on a motorbike, try the favourite drink of many local young people – lemon and soda – and experience their first kiss in a park.

I used to drive around this lake I did

I did I did each Saturday with you

With you, with you ka-choo ka-choo koo

Japan on to Korea, where we'd write down our ideas who loved who

The city's famous spots, including Korean Road and Japanese Station – two sections of the road around the West Lake where youths often gather to adorn the road surface with colourful chalk paintings – The Turtle Tower and Old Quarter, are mentioned in the song.

The days are slowly marching on,

The city that I adore is marching on too

Ooo-ooo Ha Noi is moving on too

So take the stage and take your bows and take your birthday number thousand make it true – old and new

"This song is our way of saying ‘Happy Birthday' and thanks for the good times," Joe said.

Although Joe wrote the lyrics and melody, he got improvisation help from the band and assistance from international choir leader Graham Sutcliffe who wrote chorus harmonies.

The three-verse tune was led by vocalist Lee Kirby, who burst on to the Vietnamese music scene in 2009 with an impromptu recording of Vietnamese songwriter Trinh Cong Son's Diem Xua (Diem of the Old Time). TheYouTube video quickly racked up 250,000 hits.

"I saw this guy singing and accompanying himself on the guitar when I dropped into a coffee shop in the Old Quarter," Joe said of his first meeting with Kirby.

"I didn't realise it was Kirby, and asked him if he wanted to join us in the song as the lead vocalist."

The backup vocals feature Viet Nam Television's Channel 4 (VTV4) presenter and actress Ruth Mortimer, Australian teacher and trained soprano Kate Cameron, Dutch NGOer Meke Kamps. The chorus harmonies feature Australian embassy worker Michael Hoy, German radio specialist and actor David Frogier and NGO Englishman Chris Bane.

Joe (Vietnamese nickname Dau) maintains a popular blog in Vietnamese and has hosted various television shows. — VNS

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Singer Y Moan dies of cancer

People's Artist: Singer Y Moan has died after a long fight with stomach cancer at his home in Buon Ma Thuot city in the Central Highlands of Dac Lac Province. — VNA/VNS Photo

HA NOI — People's Artist and pop singer Y Moan died yesterday at the age of 53 after a long fight with stomach cancer.

His funeral will be held in the Central Highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot in Dac Lac Province on Tuesday.

Born in 1957, Y Moan was discovered in 1976 after reunification. He left his home in the mountains of Tay Nguyen (Central Highlands) and headed for Ha Noi when he was recruited for the Song and Dance Troupe.

He studied at the then Ha Noi Conservatory of Music from 1979 until 1986.

He is noted for singing songs about the Central Highlands' mountains and forests written by people like Nguyen Cuong, Tran Tien, Linh Nga Nie K'dam, and Ama No, making sure the land became well-known to millions of people both within and outside the country.

The Central Highlands singer who dedicated his life to panegyrising his homeland was conferred the title of People's Artist by President Nguyen Minh Triet this year.

It is the highest honour given by the State for artists. — VNS

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VN Symphony set for Carnegie Hall

HA NOI — The Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra (VNNO) will perform on the prestigious stages of Carnegie Hall and the Lincoln Centre in New York City from January 8 – 11, organisers have announced.

At the event celebrating the co-operation of Viet Nam, Japan, South Korea and America, VNNO will perform with South Korean pianist genius Isadora Kim, and Japanese conductor Honna Tetsuji.

"This event will help promote Vietnamese symphony as well as culture", said Nguyen Van Tinh, head of the International Affairs Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "We should be very proud of VNNO for its development in the past few years. The upcoming tour will also use musical connections to improve harmony between the four nations".

VNNO will perform compositions to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Ha Noi along with the best Vietnamese symphonies such as the national anthem and the Thang Long concerto, as well as world famous works including Symphony No 4 by G. Mahler.

"These concerts are going to be historic, we have been practising for four years so we are very confident", said Honna Tetsuji, conductor and creative director of VNNO.

The Viet Nam leg of the tour will be held from December 30 – 31 and all proceeds from the event will go to Understand the Heart charity organisation, which helps underprivileged and handicapped children.

City TV in musical ode to Ha Noi

HCMCITY — HCM City Television's HTV9 will broadcast a music programme tomorrow to commemorate Ha Noi's 1,000th anniversary for which celebrations have begun.

The live show, titled Ngan Nam Thang Long-Viet Nam Bay Len (Thang Long A Thousand Years – Viet Nam Is Flying), will feature songs and dances eulogising the city's history, culture, and lifestyle.

Dozens of singers, dancers, musicians, and sound and light effects specialists have reportedly worked hard to prepare for the show.

Popular songs like Ha Noi Niem Tin Va Hy Vong (Ha Noi Belief and Hope) composed by Phan Nhan and Nho Ve Ha Noi (Nostalgia for Ha Noi) by Hoang Hiep will be among the highlights.

The show will start at 8 pm at the HCM City Television Theatre.

India Studies faculty celebrates

HCM CITY — An Indian Research Centre would be established at the HCM City University of Social Sciences and Humanities in the near future, dean of the Indian Studies faculty said yesterday.

Prof. Hoang Van Viet, dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies' Department of Indian Studies at the university, was speaking on the occasion of the Hindi Day celebrated by students and teachers.

There are 460 million native Hindi speakers in the world, second only to Chinese, noted Abhay Thakur, Consul General of India. "Going by the total number of speakers as first or second language, Hindi with 650 million speakers ranks only behind English (1.8 billion) and Chinese (1.35 billion)," he said.

He also pointed out that the US Government has identified Hindi as a critical language under its National Security Language Initiative and grants nearly US$1 million every year to promote its learning.

Can Tho man wins nostalgic tunes prize

HCM CITY — Bui Trung Dang from Can Tho has won the Golden Bell prize for HCM City Television's prestigious annual vong co (Nostalgic Tunes) music contest.

In the second section, involving just signing, he sang Sang Mai Vang Duong (Forever Bright Sun) by Phi Hung.

The Silver Bell and Bronze Bell were won by Dang Thi My Van of Ben Tre Province and Nguyen Binh Trong of Kien Giang Province.

The Vong Co Golden Bell contest turns five this year and HTV plans to celebrate it today with a gala at the theatre. — VNS

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