A “blog opera” entitled Giai Dieu Cuoc Doi (Life Melody) will be performed at the Hanoi Opera House on May 24-25. The opera was arranged by Swedish director Helena Rohr of the Norrland Opera Theatre and performed by 150 artists of the Vietnam Music – Dance – Drama Theatre, supported by electronic, Vietnamese traditional music, dancing and visual arts.
It is often said that opera is academic music, not for the masses. To rub out that opinion and bring opera closer to the people, particularly youth, Vietnamese and Swedish artists have joined hands to arrange an experimental opera named “Life Melody”. It is called a “blog opera” because “Life Melody” is based on a blogging contest on VietNamNet online newspaper, “Dream and Reality”. Nguyen Thi Thu Hue and Phan Trieu Hai wrote the script of “Life Melody” based on entries in this contest. Through music, the opinions, thoughts and aspirations of four youngsters are solved during their journeys to discover meaning. On this road, they have to pay for their mistakes but they don’t give up.
“People often think that opera is academic music which is difficult to understand. We want to change that thought. We arranged two experimental operas like this one in Sweden and they were warmly welcomed by young people. This time in Vietnam we want to share our experience with you to help audiences understand that there are no fixed standards for opera,” said director Helena Rohr.
Writer Nguyen Thi Thu Hue said that she acted like a blogger wandering in the cyber world to find out what youth think. Based on the ideas of the “100 words covering your dreams” blogging competition on VietNamNet, she wrote a stage script, which was then transformed into a libretto.
Director Rohr said that through her Vietnamese friends, she learnt about Vietnamese culture and people to create beautiful images for the stage.
As a slice of the life of modern young people in Vietnam, “Life Melody” aims to urge youth to live better and learn of the values of happiness.
