HCMC – The HCMC Ballet, Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) has revealed the outline of its schedule for the months June 2020 to January 2021. The previous schedule for the whole of 2020 had to be abandoned because of the coronavirus, and this new schedule, though not complete, gives a good idea of much of what’s in store.
The new season begins on June 13 with Beethoven’s Symphony Number 5 and Mozart’s Concerto for Two Pianos in E Flat, with Nguyen Thuy Yen and Pham Nguyen Anh Vu as soloists. The conductor will be Tran Vuong Thach, the HBSO’s music director.
Next follows the ballet Kieu on June 20. More details will follow next week. Discounts of 20% are offered for these first two events.
On July 11 and 12 there is a program of Film Music, with works by Leonard Bernstein, Ennio Morricone, Elton John and Freddie Mercury. Tickets are VND450,000 to VND900,000 for this special concert, with a VND150,000 concession for students. The concert will be conducted by Tran Nhat Minh.
July 25 sees a Night of Chamber Music with items by by Rossini, Brahms and others. A 20% reduction in ticket prices is once again on offer for this event.
August 8 sees the return of the contemporary dance show Café Saigon. This was created in cooperation with GOTRA Ballet in the Netherlands. Maite Guerin and Joost Vrauenraets came to Vietnam specially to create this production.
On August 22 there will be a Beethoven Night. The master’s Violin Concerto with Bui Cong Duy as soloist will be included, with further details still to be announced. The evening will be conducted by Le Phi Phi.
September 19 and 20 sees a welcome revival of the famous ballet Giselle featuring the HBSO ballet in this full-length and fully-staged work.
On September 26 another Night of Beethoven will be staged, with his Eroica Symphony (symphony number 3) conducted by Tran Nhat Minh. Further details of this program are still to be announced.
Also still to be confirmed are two evenings of American Film Music on October 31 and November 1.
A major event will take place on November 21 with the premier of the operetta The Merry Widow directed by Anna-Sophie Weber. Weber was in HCMC last year co-directing Yesterday’s Memory with David Hermann.
December 11, 12 and 13 see the return of Tchaikovsky’s Christmas ballet The Nutcracker, a highly popular annual event in HCMC.
On December 19 Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto will be presented with Do Phuong Nhi as soloist and conducted by Hanoi’s Honna Tetsuji.
December 26 and 27 see the welcome return of Diary of a Cricket directed by Tran Vi My and conducted by Tran Nhat Minh.
As for January 2021, January 9 will see the return of the popular triple-bill Suite Ballet Carmen, Falling Angels and Depaysement, while on January 16 and 17 the ever-popular annual Rock Symphony will take place, this time being billed as “Vol 3”. The conductor as always will be Le Phi Phi.
HBSO has come out of the coronavirus era with a strong team still intact. All events will take place in the Saigon Opera House, beginning at 8 p.m.
By Bradley Winterton
