Performance of 300 artists to celebrate 100th anniversary of musician Van Cao

A special art program to celebrate the 100th birthday of late musician Van Cao (1923-1995) will take place at the Hanoi Opera House on August 20.

Genera director Pham Hoang Nam affirmed that the show takes place both inside and outside the Hanoi Opera House at the same time with the participation of artists and audiences.

Children's choir performed the national anthem, composed by Van Cao, at the press briefing to introduce the music night. Photo: Ngo Minh/The Hanoi Times

Nam expects the August Revolution Square (in front of the Hanoi Opera House) to be filled with tens of thousands of people for the program. It will recreate the historic scene when the red flag with a yellow star was hoisted in the triumph of the August Revolution in 1945, leading to Independence Day on September 2.

On August 17, 1945, Van Cao's song Tien Quan Ca (The Marching Song - the National Anthem) was performed for the first time.

"The most important element of the program is the August Revolution Square. To recreate the moment when the flag was raised, people will come to the square as many as possible," Pham Hoang Nam said.

Inside the Hanoi Opera House, the concert will bring together Van Cao's typical works in all three genres: love songs, marches, and epics.

"More than an ordinary art show, this event will commemorate Van Cao as a talented artist in many fields of literature and art. Van Cao's composing talent and artistic achievements, especially the song Tien Quan Ca - Vietnam's national anthem, have enriched the national art treasure," said musician Nguyen Duc Trinh, Chairman of the Vietnam Musicians Association:

More than 300 artists, including many famous singers, will participate in the show, including People's Artist Quang Tho, People's Artist Quoc Hung, Elite Artist Thanh Lam, Outstanding Artist Dang Duong, singers Anh Tuyet, My Linh, Tran Thu Ha among others.

Van Cao is a great name in Vietnamese music who authored the national anthem. Photo: VNA

At the press conference, conductor Olivier Ochanine of the Sun Symphony Orchestra (SSO) expressed his excitement and honor to participate in the program.

"We often play classical music by Tchaikovsky or Rossini. However, whenever we have the opportunity to perform Vietnamese music, we are very excited. Participating in the music night dedicated to Van Cao - a great name in Vietnamese music - makes us both proud and nervous," the conductor said.

The program team consists of famous names: musician Do Hong Quan as content director; musician Nguyen Duc Trinh as art director; lawyer Nguyen Thi Quynh Anh as project director; general director Pham Hoang Nam; music director Do Bao, among others.

The program will be broadcast live on VTV1 channel at 8 pm and on the website of the Vietnam Musicians Association.

Musician Van Cao was born in the Northern city of Haiphong on November 15, 1923. He was awarded the First Class Order of Resistance, the First Class Medal of Independence, the Ho Chi Minh Order, and the First Ho Chi Minh Prize for Art and Literature (1996).