Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Hanoi show feature 1000th Anniversary

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Hanoi show feature 1000th Anniversary

More than 1000 artists, veterans, and ordinary people will perform in a two-hour show at Hanoi’s Hang Day Stadium on October 3.

The Panorama of Hanoi’s 1000th anniversary

Writer Nguyen Khac Phuc, the script-writer of “Thang Long – Hanoi in the Age of Ho Chi Minh” program.

The show, named “Thang Long – Hanoi in the Age of Ho Chi Minh”, will be one of the biggest events of Hanoi’s 1000^th anniversary (October 1-10).

The show will feature Hanoi’s history from the early 20^th century to the present, with four stages: the early 20^th century, 1945, 1946, and the current time.

The general director of this great show is composer Duc Trinh, assisted by People’s Artist Cong Nhac and People’s Artist Tran Binh.

“This is not an art show but a night for us to imagine Hanoi in horrible circumstances in the past,” said the show’s scriptwriter, writer Nguyen Khac Phuc, at a press conference in Hanoi on August 19.

Phuc said that this show is great but most of participants worked for free.

“The principle is truthfulness. We will tell people how two million people starved to death in 1945. We don’t aim to terrify people but to turn tragedy into a strength for our nation,” the writer said.

The sketch of stage for the show on October 3.

“This is not a play, but the truth. I hope that this show will touch the audience’s hearts with its truth,” he added.

Senior artist Dam Anh Thuc, who is in charge of music for the show, said that a choir of 1,000 veterans will sing the most outstanding songs about Hanoi.

“Our history has famous generals and also quiet people,” writer Phuc said. He related 13 chefs who managed to poison French soldiers in 1908 but failed and were beheaded.

“Thang Long-Hanoi was built by such people. Why don’t we glorify them?” Phuc said.

The show will open for free at 8pm, October 3 and will be aired live on Vietnam Television (VTV).

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.