On the evening of August 30, at the Youth Theater, a performance introducing the musical “Zorba – Detective Cat” to the media took place. The work is a joint creative and collaborative project between the Youth Theater and SangsangMaru Theater (Korea) with the aim of promoting international cultural and artistic exchange for children and families through unique works of high artistic quality, and at the same time a special gift for young audiences on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival and the new school year.
The audience attentively followed the play.
The show brings together more than 50 performing artists, creators, and stage technical experts from the Youth Theatre and SangsangMaru Theatre, working together for 2 years to create a truly unique and large-scale work. With the motto "Art without borders", the Youth Theatre wishes to bring professional musical art closer to the audience, demonstrating the enthusiasm and passion, dedication to the profession and the dream of contributing of artists from Vietnam and Korea.
Images in the play
“Zorba – Detective Cat” tells the adventure story of detective Zorba in the cat kingdom of Ypres – the land ruled by Queen Freya, while Prime Minister Pitha, with his dark ambitions, always seeks to divide the peace in the kingdom to seize power. The focus of the story occurs when Prince Ode – the son of Queen Freya falls in love with Mimi – a cat in the human world. The incident was exploited and intervened by Pitha, causing the cat kingdom to face storms and dangers. Detective cat Zorba, with his courage and intelligence, together with his friends overcomes challenges, defeats all the plots of Prime Minister Pitha, and restores peace between the cat and human worlds. With an engaging plot, “Zorba – Detective Cat” will certainly be a perfect play in both content and form of expression, leaving an unforgettable impression on parents and children.
Images in the play
As one of the most important factors determining the success of a musical, the music of “Zorba – Detective Cat” was composed, recorded and post-produced in Korea. The songs were translated and put into Vietnamese with meticulousness and high standards, ensuring that both the melody and lyrics retain the spirit and meaning of the original, are suitable in language, and are harmonious in musicality, helping to reach Vietnamese audiences in a close and emotional way. The musical experience plays an important role in conveying messages about love, courage and the connection between worlds in “Zorba – Detective Cat”.
Images in the play
10 years ago, the idea of a smart and humorous detective cat was born in the mind of Mr. Um Dongyoul - director of SangsangMaru Theater, and also the writer of the literary script of "Zorba - Detective Cat". He and his colleagues have constantly created and perfected to create a musical "Zorba - Detective Cat" that has been warmly received by Korean audiences.
Images in the play
SangSangMaru's relationship with musicals in Vietnam began with a collaboration with the Youth Theater in co-producing the musical "Troll's Child" for two years (2022-2023), on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Vietnam. Through this cooperation process, both sides not only realized an increasingly deep understanding of each other, but also discovered many new potentials for cooperation in the field of musicals.
In October 2022, SangSangMaru Theater and Vietnam Youth Theater officially signed a cooperation agreement on Vietnamese-Korean musicals for children and families, and “Zorba – Detective Cat” was selected as the second musical collaboration between the two sides. This work was developed as part of the ongoing cooperation between Vietnam and Korea, which has been formalized through a medium- and long-term cooperation agreement, focusing on musical production, education and cultural exchange. He expressed optimism that this cooperation will make an important contribution to the development and success of Vietnamese musical art, helping this genre reach new heights.
Images in the play
Meritorious Artist Si Tien - Director of the Youth Theater also shared about the staging process of the musical "Zorba - Detective Cat": "This is a musical staged and performed according to the methods that you (Korea) have accumulated experience and perfected over many decades. The artists participating with the Youth Theater are all people with seniority and deep passion for the musical genre. Korean experts, who directly undertake most of the production stages of the musical Zorba - Detective Cat, bring fresh and creative contemporary materials and languages. We expect that the premiere night of this musical will become an important highlight, marking a turning point in the theatrical activities of the Youth Theater, targeting young audiences."
The audience attentively followed the play.
The show is especially attractive because of the smooth combination of Singing, Dancing, Music, and Drama, requiring the full effort and dedication of the artists, promising to bring a memorable stage experience and affirm the great potential of musicals in Vietnam. Within the framework of the cooperation of the International Arts Exchange Support Program 2023 implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam, recognizing the development potential of the musical art form in general and the appeal of this unique musical in particular, the Youth Theater and SangsangMaru Theater have agreed to cooperate in staging the show for 2 years (2023 - 2024).
A large audience came to see the play's introduction.
In 2023, the work was introduced to audiences in Vietnam in the form of a reading showcase, with artists from the Youth Theater performing music and dialogue (excluding choreography) combined with emotional performances of the characters. Reading showcase may be new and unfamiliar to the public in Vietnam, but it is an important step in the process of making a professional musical according to international standards, demonstrating the seriousness in artistic creation as well as the desire to bring an attractive and close-to-the-audience play, especially children, which is the premise for "Zorba - Detective Cat" to officially debut this year with the most careful and elaborate preparation.
The play will officially premiere to the audience on September 14-15, 2024.
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