Le Hong Anh got five Laos Party and Sale officcials

Le Hong Anh, Politburo member and permanent member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat, on December 10 received five Lao Party and State officials who were in Vietnam to get PhD degrees.  Mr Anh spoke highly of research efforts by the Lao officials, saying that their PhD theses address theoretical and practical issues in both Laos and Vietnam. He expressed his belief that the PhD theses will be applied in reality to support the implementation of the Resolution of the recent 9th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and the country’s five-year socio-economic development plan for the 2011-2015 period. Bunthoong Chitmany, Politburo member and Head of the LPRP Central Committee’s Commission for Inspection, thanked Vietnamese leaders and relevant agencies for creating favourable conditions for the Lao officials to fulfill their course. He said he hopes that Vietnam will provide continued support to Laos in training and developing human resources to serve the country’s renewal process. The five LPRP officials were awarded PhD degrees at a ceremony in Hanoi on December 10 by the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics and Public Administration.

(CPV/VNA)

Vietnam and Lao finish border market i

Source: VOVNEWS  Vietnamese and Lao localities aim to complete border marker planting by June 2012 according to a plan approved by the two countries’ Governments. The borderline between Vietnam’s central Quang Tri province and the Lao provinces of Savannakhet and Salavn will have a tLkaotal of 68 markers. Quang Tri is one of ten Vietnamese provinces bordering Laos. So far, 51 markers have been planted along the common borderline. By the end of this year, about nine more markers are expected to be installed despite hard terrain and harsh weather.

(CPV/VOVNEWS)

The first of Guitar gala will be organized in Hochiminh city Academy of Music

Guitar gala 2011, the first of its kind in Vietnam, will take place at the HCM City Academy of Music from December 8-18. The event draws the participation of 55 guitarists from all over the country as well as international guests. It aims to commemorate the 55th establishment of the guitar faculty at the HCM City Academy of Music. The gala is expected to enter the list of Vietnamese records as it attracts the largest number of guitarists to play a piece of music./.(CPV/VOV)

Today, a poetry collectilon will be held

A poetry collection featuring famous Austrian authors has been made available to the Vietnamese public. Tu Que Huong Mozart (From Mozart's Homeland) features 83 poems by Nikolaus Lenau, Rainer Maria Rilke, Ingeborg Bachmann, Fanz Kiessling, Erich Fried and Christian Ide Hintze. Part of the collection focuses on Fried and Ide Hintze, who had close ties with Vietnam. Erich Fried (1921-88), known as the most famous Austrian poet of the 20th century, wrote around 30 poems about the war in Vietnam. One of his most well known works, "und Vietnam und" (1966) (And Vietnam and), is a stirring protest against the indiscriminate destruction of modern warfare. "While Erich Fried never visited Vietnam, we cannot deny his support for the country. It is a pity that he is not more famous among Vietnamese readers," said translator Quang Chien. Hintze was the first Western author to teach at the Institute of Literature of Nguyen Du in Hanoi in 1993. He is known for his beat poems and seen as one of Austria’s finest new media artists. The launch of the poetry collection was organised by the Austrian Embassy in Vietnam and the East-West Language and Culture Centre in celebration of Austrian National Day and the upcoming 40th anniversary of Austria-Vietnam diplomatic relations. The 199-page collection is available at 40,000 VND (2 USD) via the country's main book shops./.

(CPV/VNA)

Hanoian will have chance to see 23 photos which were chosen for the final round of the Masterpiece Photo Contest 2011

(CPV) - Thirty two photos chosen for the final round of the Masterpiece Photo Contest 2011 will be displayed in Hanoi from December 9th -17th. First prize, which is worth 100 million VND and 30 consolation prizes will be awarded by the board of examiners. The theme of the contest this year is the beauty of modern architectural works nationwide built from 1900. The contest has attracted 2,867 entries of amateur and professional photographers. The award ceremony will be held on December 18th in Hanoi.

BTA

vietnam welcomes the performance of Venezuelan artists

Two Venezuelan musicians, Maurice Reyna and Yoko Yoshizawa, will perform in Vietnam from December 12-19. The show is part of activities held by the Vietnamese Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Venezuelan embassy in Hanoi to mark the 200thanniversary of Venezuela's independence. Maurice Reyna and Yoko Yoshizawa will join Vietnamese artists Lam Nguyen and Bui Manh Dung to perform Latin American music pieces on the guitar and harp. Maurice Reyna started playing the cuatro guitar at the age of five and has become a well-known musician and radio and TV producer. As a guitarist, he has introduced traditional Venezuelan music to many countries around the world. Harpist Yoko Yoshizawa was born in Japan and is the founder of the Ucaima band. She has performed Venezuelan folk music in many countries in Europe and looks forward to playing in Vietnam.

(CPV/VOV News)

Guitaris, Nguyen Thi Kim Chung appears in the public performance

Sitting pretty: Guitarist Kim Chung will perform at her fourth live show guitar recital, which will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the HCM City Music Conservatory’s founding. — VNS Photo

HCM CITY — It has been five years since guitar virtuoso Kim Chung performed on the stage.

The guitarist, whose full name is Nguyễn Thị Kim Chung, stayed idle for a long time because she was not eager to perform in public and was operating a candle-making factory.

She now spends most of her time lecturing her students at HCM City Music Conservatory and writing arrangements of her favourite music pieces to be performed at her fourth live show guitar recital, which will celebrate the 55th anniversary of the conservatory’s founding.

Besides classical pieces by Vivaldi and Rodrigo, the guitarist will also perform several Vietnamese songs arranged herself and by musician Phùng Tuấn Vũ.

She will be accompanied by the HCM City Symphony and Orchestra at the beginning of the concert and then will take the stage for a solo performance.

“I will play songs in which I can perform the tremolo technique. I have also decided to organise a live concert of guitar music each year to serve classical-music fans,” she said.

Three of her CDs of classical music for guitar sold 10,000 each, which is a resounding success in Việt Nam, where most buyers prefer albums by foreign musicians.

During the past five years, she ran a factory producing art candles named Angel Light in HCM City’s Tân Bình District. The factory, which had several huge orders from foreign clients, employed 40 workers.

But she has now returned to the guitar, which she began learning when she turned six years old.

Chung aims to sell 400 tickets to her concert. Her previous three concerts sold out. She is also planning a live show in Hà Nội after Tết (Lunar New Year holiday).

She enrolled in the HCM City Music Conservatory when she was 15 and was trained by musicians Bùi Thế Dũng and Phùng Tuấn Vũ.

She graduated from HCM City Music Conservatory in 1999 with merit level and was awarded a scholarship by the Spanish Agency for International Co-operation to study at the Madrid Royal Musical Conservatory.

At the school, she was trained by Professor Jose Luis Rodrigo, once a student of famous cellist Andres Segovia.

The guitar recital will be held at 8pm on Saturday at the music conservatory.

The concert takes place on the occasion of the Gala Guitar event, with the participation of more than 70 well-known guitarists from around the world, from today to next Monday at the music conservatory.

Vietnamese-Australian guitarist Lê Hoàng Minh, Japanese guitarist Kozo Tate, John Jiang from Taiwan and others musicians will play at the gala. — VNS

Searching funds

Curtains: Members of the 5B Voõ Vaên Taàn Theatre perform a scene from the play Caùnh Ñoàng Baát Taän. — File Photo

HCM CITY — Several projects to build new theatres and art performance venues in HCM City remain on paper due to a lack of funds.

A modern circus theatre in District 11 was intended to be built in 2002 at a cost of VNÑ400 billion (US$19 million). Plans included a stage that could be elevated or lowered, allowing it to be used for circuses, music performances, and fashion shows.

“We’ve waited for the new theatre, which the city’s authorities promised us several years ago,” said Nguyeãn Trí Tröôûng, deputy director of HCM City Circus Troupe.

Founded in 1986, the theatre has moved several times, from Leä Thanh Theatre to Lam Sôn Swimming Pool, both in District 5, and then to an area near Ñaàm Sen Park in District 11 and later to the city’s Botanical and Zoological Garden.

The Troupe recently invested VNÑ500 million ($23,800) to upgrade its canvas tent theatre that is now located in the September 23 Park.

Another big project was a symphony and opera performance venue, which would cost four times that of the District 11’s circus theatre. It would be built in the Thuû Thieâm New Urban Town in District 2.

“An international competition will be organised to select the best design for the symphony and opera theatre,” said Nguyeãn Thaønh Rum, director of the city’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.

However, over a year has passed and no competition has been organised.

The HCM City Symphony and Opera Theatre currently gives monthly performances at the city’s Opera House.

A sum of nearly VNÑ70 billion has been put aside by the city’s People’s Committee to rebuild Höng Ñaïo Theatre, the venue for caûi löông (reformed theatre) performance of Traàn Höõu Trang Troupe.

The theatre, which was in a decrepit state, was dismantled last year.

As the construction of the new theatre has not started, the site is now a low-budget beer shop attracting noisy crowds every night.

“If we get money from the city, the reconstruction of Höng Ñaïo Theatre will start in February 2012,” Nguyeãn Vaên Hoàng, deputy director of Traàn Höõu Trang Troupe, said.

Shows put on by the Troupe are organised in different theatres in the city. Hoàng said his troupe was losing its audience.

HCM City authorities have also planned to upgrade the Small Drama Theatre at 5B Voõ Vaên Taàn Street in District 3 and turn it into a major theatrical art centre in the city.

“We, audience members, have been dreaming of attending performances in modern venues,” Nguyeãn Vaên Taøi, a fan of caûi löông, said.

“Projects to build new theatres for the city will help promote more dynamic dramas and art performances,” said Leâ Duy Haïnh, chairman of the city’s Theatre Artists’ Association.

“But a shortage of funds has delayed our projects,” he said. — VNS

Adventure trips to NinhBinh province

Pedaling tourism: Adventure tourists cycle through Ninh Bình’s Van Long Nature Reserve. — VNS Photo Thanh Ha Keeping up: Running is one of the various events held as part of the adventurous Ninh Bình Challenge tour. — Photo courtesy Viet Adventure

They bike, run, climb and boat. They are ex-hausted, but all of them feel happy after an adventure tour in the Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Bình Province.

The adventure tour is called the Ninh Bình Challenge. In the Challenge, participating tourists are divided into teams of three and begin their tour through an area known as “Ha Long Bay on land”, an area of rice paddies surrounded by majestic limestone karsts about 90km south of Ha Noi.

The gorgeous countryside and its water buffalo and green and gold rice paddies confirm all the postcard fantasies about Viet Nam.

“This is the first time I have taken part in this kind of adventure tour,” said Pham Thai Minh from HCM City. “The race is fun and the panorama is beautiful.”

“Amazing weekend in Ninh Bình! Biked, ran, climbed, rowed, zip lined instead of abseiled, and didn’t throw up once, haha!,” said tourist Adam Maingot. “Viet Nam truly is a beautiful country.”

Chris Birt, a British geoscientist, said he had heard about Ninh Bình and decided to participate in the tour with a view to seeing everything with his own eyes despite having to fly over 1,700km from HCM City to Haø Noäi and take a two-hour bus ride to the province.

He was really satisfied by the unique tour, he said. Ninh Bình was a great travel destination with imposing and jagged mountains and children cheering as his team passed by. Birt said he would be back next year with his family so they could share the experience with him and visit Bai Dính Pagoda and the surrounding area.

“I was very impressed with the scenery,” said his teammate, American Joshua Turner. “The race was easier than I expected so I was able to enjoy the scenery while running.”

Turner’s team took the top position after two days of events. He cautioned, however, that Ninh Bình was not yet a great place for cyclists due to the truck traffic.

“My previous adventure race was west of Dallas, Texas, and was one long day,” Turner said. “The competition there was much tougher and we came in about 20th out of about 200. Ninh Bình is much prettier though and I’m sure it’ll be much more competitive next year.”

“I wanted to make something different for tourists in Viet Nam,” said Jean-Luc Voisin, director of the Viet Adventure Co, organiser of the Ninh Bình Challenge.

“I hope they can really see Vieät Nam through what’s happening in the villages, not only passing by and looking as tourists often do in normal tours,” Voisin said. “I have worked with the local residents for many years, and I hope that my customers will have chances to admire the beauty of the country through the daily lives of the people.”

He said he modeled the Challenge after adventure tours in southern provinces like Bình Thuan and Dong Nai after he realised that nothing similar was on offer in the north. He chose Ninh Bình after seeing it on a television documentary.

Cliffhanger: Tourists compete in the rock climbing event. — Photo courtesy of Pham Hoang Van

Adventure tours, said Voisin, help people discover their own limits through running, climbing, boating and biking.

“It’s a strong motivation for people to compete with themselves and prove that they can do a lot of different things and overcome challenges,” he said.

Participants in the Ninh Bình Challenge had to train regularly in preparation for their tour, which would require them to mountain bike for 50km before a 14km hike, 20m of rock climbing and 4km of boating.

“I went to a gym one month before the tour to improve my strength and endurance,” said Minh, who nevertheless suffered a cramp during the biking tour.

Birt and Turner said they went cycling every weekend and running four times a week to make sure that they would able to meet the Challenge.

Among around 50 adventurers, Jordan Kindness, a 10-year-old girl, was the youngest racer. But she brought a surprise to all the rivals by successfully passing all the obstacles and, together with her parents, winning the adventure category – even after sinking a traditional boat and having to start this part of the race.

Kindness met no difficulty in finishing the 25km biking and 8.5km running events. And while rock climbing and zip lining tested the strength and skills of the adult participants, for Kindness, it was a piece of cake.

“It’s hard to keep up with her – she has to wait for us,” laughed her parents.

For her performance, Kindness received a special offer to take part in Viet Adventure’s next event, the Madagui Trophy, in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong in February. — VNS

Hanoi Opera House was 100 years old

Certificates of National Heritage were awarded to the Hanoi Opera House and August Revolution Square in downtown Hanoi during a ceremony held on December 9 to mark the centenary of the historic theatre. The ceremony was held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and was attended by Politburo member Pham Quang Nghi, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu, and Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Hoang Tuan Anh. Participants also included representatives of diplomatic corps. Addressing the event, Mr. Anh affirmed the Hanoi Opera House is an icon of the capital city and deserves to be honoured as an indispensable part of Vietnamese cultural heritage. Construction of the Opera House began in 1901 and was completed 10 years later. Since then, the original architectural work has helped beautify the capital city and has seen many historic events of both Hanoi and greater Vietnam. It has also contributed considerably to the country’s international integration process by hosting many art programs and friendship meetings between Vietnamese people and their international friends. On this occasion, the Publishing House of the Writers Association debuted a book on the theatre, which clarifies the position, role, and contributions of the theatre over the past 100 years. The book is comprised of 100 photos featuring the Hanoi Opera House.

(Source: VOV)