Entertainment

Maxime Zecchini & Chuong Vu to Bring Their French-Vietnamese Duet to Hanoi

Audiences will be able to experience a unique evening of classical music at the upcoming music nights.

9 September, 2023

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The cultural event is a celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and France in 2023.

French pianist Maxime Zecchini. Photo: Institut Français de Hanoi

The musical evening in Hanoi will begin at 8 pm on September 22 at the Alexandre Yersin French International School in Long Bien District.

For the first time in Vietnam, French and Vietnamese artists will come together to perform a variety of orchestral music pieces with emotional and masterful techniques.

The musical program will commence with the iconic piece “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” from the opera “Samson and Delilah” (1877), which is considered the most renowned work among Camille Saint-Saëns’ 13 operas.

This will be followed by a trio of classic solo piano works by renowned French composer Claude Debussy, including “Clair de lune” (1905), “La fille aux cheveux de lin” and “La sérénade interrompue” from the 5th Symphony (1910).

These musical compositions are expected to evoke strong emotions in the audience, contrasting the romantic music of Saint-Saëns with the distinct modernity of Debussy’s style.

Notably, Vietnam will witness the first performance of Maurice Ravel’s “Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major” (1930).

To conclude the evening, the trilogy of works by legendary French singer Édith Piaf: “L’Hymne à l’amour” (1950), “Je ne regrette rien” (1956), and “La vie en rose” (1947), transcribed for solo piano by Maxime Zecchini himself, will be presented for the first time in Vietnam.

Vietnamese violinist Chuong Vu. Photo: Institut Français de Hanoi

The second part of the classical music evening will commence with the “Spring Prayer Fantasia” (2023) composed by Vietnamese musician Chuong Vu.

Celebrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Yehudi Wyner for his “exquisite playing,” violinist Chuong Vu has captivated audiences with his impeccable solo performances, recitals, and collaborations in North and South America, Europe, and Asia, encompassing a repertoire ranging from early Baroque to contemporary music.

According to local press reviews, Chuong Vu is an instrumentalist of exceptional value. Alongside an exquisite tone and superb technical virtuosity, he demonstrates an evident love for music, which shines through his performances.

Chuong, a frequently featured soloist with major Vietnamese orchestras, has also appeared as a guest soloist with orchestras in the U.S., Mexico, Brazil, Slovakia, and Taiwan, delivering a wide array of concerto repertoire and popular violin-and-orchestra works.

The classical music evening will culminate in a piano and violin concerto performed by Maxime Zecchini and Chuong Vu. Together, they will enchant the audience with the dramatic and poignant melodies of Fantaisie sur Carmen, op. 25 (Carmen Fantasy) by Pablo de Sarasate, inspired by Bizet’s renowned opera Carmen.