‘Ballet Kieu’ debuts

After choreographing the contemporary dance ‘Con tao xoay’ (inexorable fate) in 2014 and which was widely acclaimed by the public, choreographer Tuyet Minh decided to interpret The Tale of Kieu in ballet language. The show was staged by the Vietnam Association of Dancers.

Choreographer of the ‘Ballet Kieu’ gave special attention to the vocabulary of movement of the dancers, striving to bring a different sense to The Tale of Kieu through the body language of dancers. 

The Tale of Kieu recounts the life, ordeal and tribulations of Kieu, a beautiful and talented young woman who volunteered to marry a middle-aged man for a bride token to save her family from being incarcerated.

Later on, the husband forced her into prostitution, marking the start of a series of tragic events in her life.

To create a successful modern ballet, the artists thoroughly blended the techniques of the European ballet with Vietnamese dance, along with musical effects, costumes, props and modern visual arts.

Musicians Viet Anh and Chinh Ba are in charge of music for the show. The music of the ballet Kieu is a combination between classical symphonic music and Vietnamese folk melodies such as ca tru ((ceremonial singing), xam (blind busker singing) singing, and cheo singing (Vietnamese traditional operetta).

Ballerina Tran Hoang Yen starred as Thuy Kieu- the main character in The Tale of Kieu- has a beautiful body and excellent dancing techniques. Dancer Dam Duc Nhuan played the role of Kim Trong (Kieu’s fiance) and  Ho Phi Diep of Tu Hai (Kieu’s lover). 

According to choreographer Tuyet Minh, when The Tale of Kieu was adapted to choreography, it was important to combine an expression of the Vietnamese spirit with European ballet techniques.

The ‘ballet Kieu’ had been performed on big stages in Hanoi and HCMC.