HCMC – Autumn Melodies Arts Festival 2017

19 – 27 Aug 2017
HCMC Opera House

From HCMC Ballet Symphony Orchestra & Opera (HBSO):

200 artists from multiple USA, European countries and Vietnam’s best talents will offer a musical extravaganza consisting of 12 programs ranging from opera, chamber music, symphonies to contemporary dance, all held at the Opera House of HCMC from 19 to 27 August.

The unique of its kinds in the practice of academic arts and periodically held across Vietnam, Autumn Melodies Arts Festival 2017 will be one that quenches the thirst for music in all the city’s music-loving hearts.

PREMIERE OF DIE FLEDERMAUS – A VIENNESE CLASSIC OPERETTA.

Opera lovers in HCMC will surely be entertained by the very first enactment of Johann Strauss II’s notable operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat) directed by David Herman, conducted by Askan Siegfried Geisler and orchestrated by Tran Nhat Minh, with special vocal coaching by linguistic and vocal trainers from Germany. Die Fledermaus will be delivered in two evenings of 19 and 20 August.

Through a journey from the bedroom to ballroom and eventually behind the bars, Johann Strauss has created a richly colorful operetta filled with courtship trickeries, confusion and trivialities of the old-aged aristocrats. The procession of deceits to one another by the theatrical piece will carry the the audiences to the higher up and lower downs of emotions, which demonstrates his striking observation upon the urbanites’ lives.

A MUSICAL JOURNEY ACROSS NATIONS

No visa called for, no long-distance flights needed, the musical world offered by Autumn Melodies 2017 will transport the listeners to Europe and Japan in a glance of the eye.

Starting in HCMC, The Outdoor Brass Concert “Fanfare” taking place in morning of 19 August at the front of Opera House will be the kick-off for Autumn Melodies 2017. This is a very special gift to all music lovers living in the city.

Japan is the first country appearing in Autumn Melodies 2017 Feast, essentially in the evening of 22 August, Sakura Kitakyushu String Orchestra will deliver a highly traditional list of works with Japanese Four Seasons by composer Masaaki Hayakawa, Triptique by Yasushi Akutagawa and traditional medley composed of 04 folk tunes.

The following afternoon and evening will transport the audiences to Russia as represented by Young Talents (at 5PM, 23 August); French Chamber Music Night (8PM, 23 August) and Young Vietnamese Talents Concert (5PM, 24 August). The prince of instruments, guitar, will have His majesty’s space in a Classical Guitar Concert by Saigon Guitar Quartet with invited performer Vo Thuy Ngoc Tuyen (HCMC), Pongpat Pongradit (Thailand) and Anton Isselhardt (Germany).

However, the premium offerings in chamber music of the Arts Festival 2017 will be 8 Seasons (24 August) and Gala Night Journey Through Europe: People and Landscapes (25 August), demonstrated by the outstanding talents from Vietnam Academy of Music and international who come together under International Chamber Players, empowered by the virtuosity of Bui Cong Duy and Chuong Vu who will offer their finest skills in solo performances.

A GREETING FROM VIETNAM’S TALENTS

“Accidentally running into, accidentally departing from, all happens for a reason. We are not indifferent to these, rather we learn how to comfort ourselves so that in the next encounter, we put out a gentle smile on our face, subtly.” Gone through love, performed on 26 August evening and choreographed by Nguyen Phuc Hung and Nguyen Phuc Hai will unveil various angles about love, with participation of young ballet dancers Tran Hoang Uyen, Nguyen Thu Trang, Phan Tieu Ly, Sung A Lung, Phan Thai Binh and Nguyen Minh Tam.

In the same evening, HBSO will introduce the latest compositions Symphony Suite “Reminiscene” by Nguyen Manh Duy Linh and Spring Prayers, a Suite for choirs and orchestra by Vu Viet Anh.

GRAND FINALE WITH BRAHMS, SMETANA & TCHAIKOVSKY

There is hardly a better finale than the music by the greats of Brahms, Smetena and Tchaikovsky, delivered by the remarkable soloist Urich Horn (Germany), Hoan Tuan Cuong (Germany) and conducted by Le Phi Phi returning from Macedonia, happening on the evening of 29 August.

With a 20 year long experience performing internationally with numerous orchestras and ensembles such as Berlin Philharmonic, Ulrich Horn is unquestionably the Festival’s player of highest caliber.

Shortly before, in the morning (29 August), the Outdoor Brass Concert “Fanfare” will have their 2nd performance at the Opera House as our farewell to the audiences.

Debuted in August 2005, AUTUMN MELODIES showcases the finest of Vietnam’s talents who study and gain achievements in the country and beyond in academic arts. Now held biannually, at unprecedented excellence and artistic values, AUTUMN MELODIES Art Festival has become a staple part of the city’s entertainment life.

PROGRAM

Tickets:

* At HBSO Box Office: No.7 Lam Son Square, Dist. 1, HCMC (basement)
* Phone: 028 3823 7295, Ms. Ngoc: 090 360 4539
* Booking online: ticketbox.vn
Website: hbso.org.vn

Follow updates on Arts Festival AUTUMN MELODIES page.