Singer Dao To Loan (left) and Bui Thi Trang sing at the press conference to introduce the main artists. (Photo: VNA) The project celebrates the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationsbetween Japan and Vietnam.
The main actors and actresses who will take part in the project are singers DaoTo Loan and Bui Thi Trang (female soprano) for the role of princess Anio, whiletwo male tenors, Kobori Yusuke and Yamamito Kohei will take the role ofJapanese businessman Araki Sotaro.
According to Yamada Takio, Japanese ambassador to Vietnam, the opera is basedon a real story of the love of Japanese merchant Araki Sotaro and Princess NgocHoa [called Princess Anio by Japanese] in Hoi An, Vietnam, during the tradingera of the Shuinsen in the early 17th century.
During the Nguyen Dynasty, Princess Ngoc Hoa was the daughter of LordNguyen Phuc Nguyen, who reigned from 1613 to 1635.
Since ancient times, Japan and Vietnam have had a strong relationship asreliable and equal partners. By making an opera based on this, the project aimsto create a work that will become a symbol of the deepening relationshipbetween the two countries.
In the story, Araki goes to Hoi An to trade and meets the princess. Theyfall in love and get married. In 1620, he takes her toNagasaki, where locals like her due to her beautiful appearance andgentle character.
She calls him "anh oi, anh oi" in Vietnamese, so localsnickname her Princess Anio.
Today, locals still stage a palanquin procession ceremony to welcome PrincessAnio at Nagasaki Kunchi Festival in Nagasaki.
Conductor Honna Tetsuji is the general director for the project,while Tran Manh Hung is the composer.
Oyama Daisuke was the playwright for the Japanese, while Ha QuangMinh wrote the Vietnamese.
Artist Ando Saeko is the image director, artist Oyama Daisuke,the director, and there will also be artists from the VietnamNational Symphony Orchestra, Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatreand Art Creation JDC.
Researcher Phan Hai Linh serves as historical consultant.
The ambassador hopes the opera will become a cultural work signalling theimportance of the 50th anniversary and help people understand the age-oldclose ties between the two countries.
"Four hundred years ago, there existed a good relationship of the twoequal partners with mutual trust," he said. "Through this opera basedon a real story, we want to create an artwork, which is like a bridge toenhance two countries' relations in 50, 100 and many more years."
Playwright Oyama Daisuke said the opera had four parts. The first twoparts are in Vietnamese, while the remaining two parts are 70 percentin Japanese and 30 percent in Vietnamese. The opera will have subtitles inVietnamese, Japanese and English.
The production team will continue to cast artists for other roles.
The opera will be performed officially in September 2023 and then will be performedin Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang and Hoi An.
Singer Dao To Loan graduated from Vietnam National Academy ofMusic in 2014. She got a master's degree in performing in 2016. She singsopera, traditional semi-classical, folk and pop. She has received variousdomestic and international prizes.
Bui Thi Trang (Trang Bui) works as a singer at the Vietnam Opera & BalletTheatre. In 2018, she took a master's degree in vocal performing at the VietnamNational Academy of Music. She has acted in the main roles in various operaprojects such as The Magic Flute (Mozart), Carmen (Bizet), Nguoi Tac Tuong(Statue Carver) (Do Nhuan) and Les Miserable (Victor Hugo).
Artist Kobori Yusuke graduated with the highest scores in the vocal field andopera vocal training course at the Japan National Academy of Music. He hasjoined various training programmes in Italy and Canada.
Artist Yamamoto Kohei graduated with an MA and the highest scores from theTokyo Arts University. He has won various national and international prizes./.
VNA
