Vietnamese accents are spreading in France.

The folk songs, revolutionary melodies, and dance performances by the Homeland Choir and the Thanh Xuan dance group stirred strong emotions in the audience.

At this year's festival, the dance performance "Three Worlds ," choreographed by Cathy Riand of the Arabesque troupe, touched the hearts of the audience with its graceful body language, blending modern flair with East Asian inspiration. Cathy shared: "We worked every night for five days to create the piece based on three natural elements – air, earth, and water. I wanted to express the rhythm of the monsoon, the movement of the rain, and the vitality of the earth through the human body."

Cathy shared that, despite never having been to Vietnam, she was captivated by the spiritual world and the mystical beauty of the S-shaped country's nature. The choreographer said, "I watched the film 'The Scent of Green Papaya' for inspiration, then chose the film's music along with the sounds of Vietnamese percussion instruments as background music. For me, that's a way to express the harmony between people and nature in Vietnam."

From the organizing committee's perspective, Camille Laucagne, coordinator of the Rabelais Center, emphasized that choosing Vietnam as the "cultural destination" for 2025 was the result of a year of meticulous preparation. She stated: "Each season, we choose a country for the audience to 'travel' through art. This year, the entire team unanimously focused on Vietnam – a land of smooth melodies, exquisite cuisine , and a rich cultural heritage."

According to Camille, the 34th Changé d'Air Festival includes dozens of diverse activities – from dance, film screenings, exhibitions, and workshops to Vietnamese cuisine and cultural experience classes. Nearly 30 volunteers, along with the Friends of Vietnam in Sarthe Association, contributed to bringing viewers an authentic image of Vietnam, from the decorations and costumes to the flavors of the food – all prepared with passion and deep respect.

The folk songs, revolutionary melodies, and dance performances by the Homeland Choir and the Thanh Xuan dance group stirred deep emotions in the audience. Amidst the continuous applause, many French audience members shared their profound feelings about the beauty and depth of Vietnamese culture.

Stéphane Priou, a middle-aged audience member, emotionally said: “The performance was beautiful and touched my heart. The dances, costumes, and music were all wonderful! I was deeply moved to feel the patriotism and sincerity that the Vietnamese artists conveyed.”

In addition, André Baude, another audience member, shared: “I was truly captivated by the music and the commentary by the female conductor of the Homeland Choir, who spoke about the sensitivity and subtlety of the Vietnamese soul, along with the suffering that the Vietnamese people have endured. I found the program truly rich in emotion, because even though I didn't fully understand the lyrics, the commentary helped us feel so much, bringing us many emotions. My husband and I have been to Vietnam four times, so this performance moved us even more.”

Not only adults, but also young audiences found joy in discovery. Thirteen-year-old Zoé Tremblay, who had just finished a heart-shaped painting in an eggshell lacquer painting workshop, excitedly shared: “I’m so happy to learn about different cultures. I love Vietnam. Vietnamese lacquer art is amazing and so colorful!”

From dance to music, from traditional lacquerware to cuisine, the Changé d'Air Festival 2025 offered the public of Sarthe a "journey" to Vietnam through all the senses – a warm, creative, and emotionally rich Vietnam. More than just a meeting of two cultures, it was a bridge connecting hearts – where the sounds of Vietnam resonated and lingered in the hearts of French friends.

According to VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/am-sac-viet-nam-lan-toa-o-phap-526206.html