Get ready for an artistic feast at the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival.

Grand musical by the Saigon River

At the press conference introducing the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival held on the afternoon of May 8th, the Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism , Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, stated that the art program "The River Tells Stories" (scheduled to take place on the evening of May 31st) will continue to be a highlight of this year's festival.

With the theme "Legendary Train Journey," the program, directed by Le Hai Yen, will recreate the glorious historical story of the nation through a grand outdoor musical performance on the Saigon River.

The second season of the "The River Tells Stories" live stage show, themed "The Legendary Train Journey," continues to be a highlight of the festival (Photo: Ty Huynh).

Director Le Hai Yen said that the first season of the show "The River Tells Stories" is a nostalgic portrayal of a comprehensive cultural and historical picture of the exploration, formation, and development of Ho Chi Minh City, closely associated with the Saigon River. From the time of Gia Dinh - Saigon - Cholon - Ho Chi Minh City, one of the largest economic and cultural centers in the country, the story is summarized through chapters: "The Beginnings," "Land Reclamation," "Building the Citadel," "On the Wharf, Under the Boats," "The Thriving Port," and "The Glorious City by the River."

"The River Tells Stories" Season 2 will tell the story of modern and contemporary history, through the legendary ships that have traveled on the Saigon River, connected to special milestones in the nation's history.

The Ho Chi Minh City River Festival is envisioned to become a brand, contributing to positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a riverside city rich in cultural identity. (Photo: Ty Huynh)

From the traditional boats of the Nguyen Dynasty (18th century) that crossed the East Sea to plant markers asserting the nation's sovereignty over its maritime territories; to the cradle of Vietnam's shipbuilding industry - the Ba Son shipyard; the story of the strike of over 1,000 Ba Son workers linked to the revolutionary activities of President Ton Duc Thang; President Ho Chi Minh's journey to find a way to save the country on the ship Amiral Latouche Tréville, which changed the destiny of the entire Vietnamese nation; or the first ship after liberation connecting the sea routes between the North and South... all will be recreated in a very special way using modern art and entertainment technology.

Director Le Hai Yen added that the performance will have climactic and heroic highlights, with grand scenes and details that emphasize emotional depth, delving deep into the characters' inner thoughts: “This is the first outdoor musical ever to take place right on the Saigon River. We will combine cinematic special effects, music, dance, and modern entertainment technologies such as 3D mapping and drone shows to recreate a massive historical story of the nation. With nearly 1,000 actors, the performance space will resemble a large but not fixed film set. All the settings of the entire show will have floating and moving stages that change with each act and scene to continuously surprise the audience.”

Representatives from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the Department of Information and Communications, and director Le Hai Yen provided information about the festival to the press. (Photo: Ty Huynh)

Put the audience at the center.

Commenting on the second season of the live-action stage program "The River Tells Stories," Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Historical Science Association and Secretary General of the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Society, noted that those involved in the program, especially those responsible for the script, need to obtain the most authentic and reliable historical sources. This is because when exploiting historical elements, the public will be more critical and judgmental.

At the same time, the program's script needs to include truly valuable and impressive details to create an emotional connection with viewers, ensuring that they remember those historical stories after watching.

Dr. Nguyen Thi Hau said: “I also hope that this year's program will meet the expectations of the city's residents and tourists. We must strive to maintain it, including the art program "The River Tells Stories," and make it a brand.”

Numerous water sports and interactive activities for locals and tourists will be featured at the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival in 2024. (Photo: Ty Huynh)

As a business closely associated with the Saigon River, with a chain of floating restaurants on the river, Mr. Nguyen Hai Linh, Chairman of Elisa Group, believes that the Organizing Committee needs to do a better job of communication so that all residents and tourists are aware of the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, especially the live performance show "The River Tells Stories".

Mr. Nguyen Hai Linh expressed his desire for a world-class live-action stage performance: "It's difficult to tell historical stories that can awaken in viewers a sense of reflection and inspire them to strive for better things. I think this program is achieving that."

Compared to the first edition, the 2nd Ho Chi Minh City River Festival has not only expanded in scale and duration but also increased tourism connection activities between Ho Chi Minh City and localities in the Southeast and Mekong Delta regions.

With a diverse range of activities encompassing tourism, culture, entertainment, art, sports, cuisine, and shopping, this event is envisioned to become a brand, contributing to positioning Ho Chi Minh City as a riverside metropolis rich in cultural identity.

This year's second Ho Chi Minh City River Festival will extend in duration, expand in scale, and diversify activities with multiple venues such as the Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi area, Bach Dang Park, the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal area, Lan Anh Marina (Thu Duc City), Viet Star Wharf (District 7), Binh Dong Wharf (District 8), Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area, and other tourist areas and destinations in Ho Chi Minh City.

For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City is incorporating into the festival activities such as artistic fireworks displays; a recreation of the floating market of the Mekong Delta; an open river swimming competition and a stand-up paddleboarding championship; demonstrations of jet skis, sailboats, sailing boats, paragliding… and other interactive activities for locals and tourists.

Source: https://vov.vn/du-lich/san-tour/don-doi-bua-tiec-nghe-thuat-trong-le-hoi-song-nuoc-tphcm-lan-2-post1094056.vov