Introducing traditional Vietnamese art and culture to German and European friends

According to a VNA correspondent in Germany, on the evening of September 30, Vietnamese artists living in Germany introduced to international friends many unique performances imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity, combined with modern world cultures within the framework of the Berlin Asian Arts Festival 2023.

The Lotus Quartet performed at the festival.

The program was attended by many friends from Germany and other countries, as well as Vietnamese people living in Germany. The program also had the presence of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Germany Vu Quang Minh and his wife.

The program opened with a recitation of the Tale of Kieu by the great poet Nguyen Du performed by German artist Christiane Voigt in German, with the guitar piece "Kieu Suite" by Professor of Music Dang Ngoc Long, Principal of the Berlin-Gesundbrunnen School of Music. This unique performance brought many surprises to the audience.

The warm, emotional voice of artist Christiane Voigt, combined with the melodious, profound and rich musical melodies of "Kieu Suite" brought listeners to a different world of Eastern culture. The story of Kieu's life and profound philosophies about social relationships, life and human destiny were told vividly and expressively, making listeners very emotional.

To date, The Tale of Kieu has been translated into 20 different languages. The German translation by Franz and Irene Faber is the first translation of The Tale of Kieu in German-speaking countries. This translation has been widely welcomed by German and other friends. Professor, composer, and classical guitarist Dang Ngoc Long composed the classical guitar piece "The Suite of Kieu" to bring The Tale of Kieu to European audiences in a more diverse and novel way.

After the Tale of Kieu, the audience enjoyed many traditional musical instruments performances imbued with the Vietnamese folk culture identity performed by the Lotus Quartet. With skillful hands and skillful techniques, the artists introduced many folk melodies from the three regions of North, Central and South Vietnam such as Luu Thuy, Tinh Que Huong, Hoa Thom Buom Luon, Ly Ngua O, Beo Dat May Troi, Luu Con, Trong Com... These performances were enthusiastically received and cheered by the audience.

At the end of each performance, the artists also took time to interact with the audience and introduce traditional Vietnamese musical instruments such as the monochord, the two-stringed fiddle, the zither, the bamboo flute, and the rice drum. The unique medleys along with the artists’ humorous words captivated the audience from beginning to end of the program.

The performances by Vietnamese artists living in Germany have contributed positively to promoting Vietnam’s traditional arts and culture to international friends. At the same time, these performances are also valuable spiritual food for Vietnamese people living far away from their homeland.

The Lotus Quartet performed Fragrant Flowers and Floating Butterflies at the festival.

This is the first time the Berlin Asian Arts Festival has been held. With the participation of many countries, this festival offers German and European audiences an interesting and in-depth look at the diverse and colorful art scene of Asia. The program includes many art performances, concerts, seminars, film screenings and a number of other forms of performance. The program runs from September 15 to October 8.

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