Ballet "Kieu" honored

The ballet "Kieu," staged by the Ho Chi Minh City Symphony Orchestra and Opera House, has just been honored with the A Prize at the 2023 City Innovation Awards. The Innovation Awards are presented by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to organizations and individuals with creative projects, solutions, works, and topics that contribute to the city's development.

A representative from the Ho Chi Minh City Creative Awards Council 2023 commented: "The ballet 'Kieu' not only ensures the artistic quality and content of the work 'Truyen Kieu' but also achieves high economic efficiency and promotional value. Every performance at the City Theater sells out. Many audience members, including a significant number of foreign tourists, have to book tickets months in advance to see it. 'Kieu' is also a creative combination of contemporary dance and traditional Vietnamese dance, creating a beautiful picture for a poetic and cultural work of the Vietnamese people."

Nguyen Du's "The Tale of Kieu" is a monumental masterpiece of language (with 3,254 verses in the lục bát meter). According to those involved, this was the first time "The Tale of Kieu" was performed in ballet, but choreographer Tuyet Minh did not disappoint the audience. She created a poetic, lyrical space full of imagery of the characters: Thuy Kieu, Dam Tien, Kim Trong, So Khanh, Thuc Sinh, Hoan Thu, Tu Hai, and the monk Giac Duyen… The audience was pleased and delighted to experience the "joy, anger, love, and sorrow" through the language of dance in the ballet "Kieu".

A scene from the ballet "Kieu". Photo: HO CHI MINH CITY SYMPHONY AND BALLET THEATRE.

"When choosing ballet to tell the story of Kieu, it is mandatory for female dancers to perform in pointe shoes, and male dancers to demonstrate the fundamental techniques of European classical dance. On the other hand, to express the Vietnamese soul and portray typical character traits, the dancers must be deeply imbued with Eastern culture, the essence, spirit, and cultural identity of the Vietnamese people," choreographer Tuyet Minh emphasized.

Many experts have highly praised the ballet "Kieu". With 15 acts, "Kieu" impressively combines ballet with hologram (projection) effects. Many acts utilize live music , creating a powerful effect in portraying the depth of the characters' emotions.

From 2003-2004, when she began choreographing ballets like "Carmen" and "Don Quixote," choreographer Tuyet Minh harbored the dream of creating performances with a distinct Vietnamese identity. In 2014, after her contemporary dance piece "The Turning of the Wheel" was highly praised by experts and warmly received by the public, she decided to decipher "The Tale of Kieu" through the language of ballet.

Choreographer Tuyet Minh was moved, saying, "To date, the ballet 'Kieu' has premiered, been performed, and received by the audience. It's wonderful that 'Kieu' has received the Ho Chi Minh City Creative Award 2023. This is an honor, because the artistic work of the entire team has been recognized."

Choreographer Tuyet Minh said her next goal is to bring the ballet "Kieu" to perform throughout the country and abroad.

“Foreign audiences are already familiar with the grandeur and elegance of classical ballets. However, they are still captivated by ‘Kieu,’ a purely Vietnamese ballet, through its unique combination of contemporary dance and traditional folk dance,” said Mr. Le Nguyen Hieu, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Dance Artists Association, enthusiastically.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/van-nghe/vo-ballet-kieu-duoc-vinh-danh-20230910200358286.htm