Viet Nam News The contemporary shows Làng Tôi (My Village), À Ố Show and Ter Dar (Going in Circle) are unique circus performances using bamboo as the main prop. The shows have been performed around the world and captivated audiences in Asia, Europe, America and Australia. À Ố Show recently made its 1,000th performance six years after being launched. Director Tuấn Lê, one of the shows’ creators, is the only Vietnamese to have performed in Canada’s Cique du Soleil as a solo artist. Raised in Germany, he was also the first Asian person to receive the Award of Excellence from the International Jugglers’ Association in 2010. Du Nguyễn interviews Tuấn Lê about the success of the shows. Many works are not performed often due to lack of interest from audiences. Why have your shows had long runs not only in Việt Nam but also abroad? Việt Nam is a … [Read more...] about Folk culture of the past inspires contemporary art
Wandering through vietnamese culture
Director Tuan Le: Vietnamese culture is a vast repertoire for the arts
In an interview granted to Nhan Dan (People) Weekly Newspaper, he shared that for him, every art programme is arranged like a dream during which the audience will forget their hardships in life and be able to live in their own dream. Question: How can you touch the hearts of an audience who can’t understand your language of art? Director Tuan Le: There are certain similarities in culture and human behaviour among nations around the world. Of course, we cannot forcefully integrate the similarities in our artworks, we must do it in a delicate way. For example, the Teh Dar show is inspired by the indigenous culture of the Central Highlanders, but it goes beyond that to tell a story of tribes in many other countries and continents, not only limited in Vietnam. If Teh Dar is not introduced as a Vietnamese show, no one will know about this. That is why Teh Dar has universal appeal. It is said that running for traditional culture is a current trend in today’s life, what do you … [Read more...] about Director Tuan Le: Vietnamese culture is a vast repertoire for the arts
Scholar still fights to save Vietnamese culture
By Hà Nguyễn Hữu Ngọc was born and raised in Hà Nội, but it wasn’t until he left the city in 1946 to join the national resistance war against the French that he realised just how much he loved his hometown. Living in deep forests, eating cassava and potato, he missed Hà Nội’s steamed glutinous rice, the fragrance of steamed green bean and particularly phở (beef noodle). “When eating these foods daily, we could think them characterless. But when living far away, we understand their value,” the cultural scholar says. While he could return to Hà Nội to savour his favourite foods after the war was over, he fears that today the wars, market economy, and exposure to western culture are polluting Vietnamese traditional villages. Since his first extended trip outside the capital, he has dedicated his life to celebrating and preserving Vietnamese culture so that locals and foreigners will fight … [Read more...] about Scholar still fights to save Vietnamese culture
Overseas Vietnamese artist nurtures love for Hanoi through sketches
VietNamNet Bridge – For painter Etcetera Nguyen, Hanoi is like a lively painting that brings endless inspiration to artists. Famous site: One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi. Nguyen, born Nguyen Quang Truong, left Vietnam in 1988. Now he has returned from the US and plans to spend the rest of his life in his homeland. He loves wandering and painting all around Hanoi. Recently, the Kim Dong Publishing House selected his sketches of Long Bien Bridge, O Quan Chuong Gate, Dong Xuan Market and the Old Quarter as illustrations for the book Ha Noi Rong Ruoi Quan Quanh (Wandering in Ha Noi) by the late author Bang Son. After three years living in Thailand, Nguyen settled in the US since 1991. He worked as a journalist at Viet Weekly magazine in California, where many Vietnamese people live. In 2006, when Viet Nam hosted APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum), he and two other reporters came to Vietnam to report on the event and also record the current situation of the country. … [Read more...] about Overseas Vietnamese artist nurtures love for Hanoi through sketches
Overseas Vietnamese artist nurtures love for Hà Nội through sketches
Viet Nam News By Trần Hoàng Nam For painter Etcetera Nguyễn, Hà Nội is like a lively painting that brings endless inspiration to artists. Nguyễn, born Nguyễn Quang Trường, left Việt Nam in 1988. Now he has returned from the US and plans to spend the rest of his life in his homeland. He loves wandering and painting all around Hà Nội. Recently, the Kim Đồng Publishing House selected his sketches of Long Biên Bridge, Ô Quan Chưởng Gate, Đồng Xuân Market and the Old Quarter as illustrations for the book Hà Nội Rong Ruổi Quẩn Quanh (Wandering in Hà Nội) by the late author Băng Sơn. After three years living in Thailand, Nguyễn settled in the US since 1991. He worked as a journalist at Viet Weekly magazine in California, where many Vietnamese people live. In 2006, when Việt Nam hosted APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic … [Read more...] about Overseas Vietnamese artist nurtures love for Hà Nội through sketches