A survey of ballet dancers at the prestigious Paris Opera has revealed widespread complaints of bullying and sexual harassment, as well as separate management concerns over the leadership of dance director Aurelie Dupont. Director of Paris Opera and former star dancer Aurelie Dupont was backed by Paris Opera chief Stephane Lissner, who said she was "excellent". (Photo: AFP/Francois Guillot) In the anonymous survey seen by AFP, 90 per cent said they did not believe the company was being well managed and 77 per cent said they had suffered bullying or witnessed a colleague being bullied. Some 26 per cent of the 132 dancers questioned said they had been sexually harassed at work or witnessed a colleague suffering sexual harassment. Paris Opera chief Stephane Lissner expressed surprise that the unprecedented survey, carried out by an internal body that represents the dancers, had been leaked to the press. He said there was "zero tolerance" for sexual harassment and urged dancers … [Read more...]
Notre Dame de Paris opera hits city stage next month
VietNamNet Bridge – Notre Dame de Paris (Thang gu nha tho Duc Ba) opera, which has taken its composer Huy Tien almost 30 years to perfect, will be unveiled to audiences on January 13-14 at the HCMC Conservatory of Music in District 1. The 90-minute opera is adapted from the masterpiece of French writer Victor Hugo. City-based musician Tien started to write the opera in the 1980s and has adjusted it several times but now he is happy with the finished article. Spectators will witness a stifling setting in the context of 18th century France when people suffered under the control of a theocratic state. The opera focuses on beautiful gipsy Esmeralda who is loved by the hunchback Quasimodo, priest Frollo and captain Phoebus. Esmeralda is accused unjustly to be hanged by those who cannot win her love and even from her own mother. Only Quasimodo is in Esmeralda’s corner despite her rejections. The opera production team consists of popular stage director Phan Dien, flautist Nguyen … [Read more...]
“A Night of Ballet” opens at HCM City Opera House
Dancers Nguyen Thu Trang and Ho Phi Diep perform in the ballet Carmen Suite. (Photo courtesy of HBSO) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The show "A Night of Ballet", which include works by Vietnamese and French choreographers, will begin at the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House tonight. The performance will open with the contemporary ballet Duo, a new work by choreographer Nguyen Phuc Hung. “In Duo, I combine ballet, music and visuals to surprise the audience and evoke emotions,” said Hung, who has choreographed contemporary dances Cham tay vao qua khu (Touching the Past) and Di qua tinh yeu (Gone through Love). Dancers Do Hoang Khang Ninh and Sung A Lung, who won the Gold Medal at the 2016 National Young Choreographer Talent Competition, will be featured. The night will also … [Read more...]
Ballet with Tchaikovsky and Ravel to be restaged at Opera House
VietNamNet Bridge – The HCM City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) will restage the Ballet with Tchaikovsky and Raven this weekend (March 25 and 26). The performance will open with the classical ballet Serenade choreographed by George Balanchine to Tchaikovsky’s music. It will be staged at the Opera House by French dancer Chloé Glemot, who was trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School between 1996 and 2003. Glemot worked as a professional dancer for the American Ballet Theater in New York, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal and English National Ballet in London. In 2006, she completed teacher training at the National Dance Centre in Paris, and has taught ballet for children and adults at conservatories and schools in Paris. French choreographer Julien Guerin’s contemporary ballet Dépaysement will continue the night. The work, which Guerin created for HBSO’s artists, is based on the music of Chopin, Satie, Faure, Beethoven, Albioni and … [Read more...]
Balanchine ballets in HCM City Opera House
The classical ballets Serenade and Bolero created by late Russian-American choreographer George Balanchine will be performed at the Ho Chi Minh city Opera House on August 19 and October 19. Balanchine, one of the 20th century’s most prominent choreographers, was the co-founder of the School of American Ballet and New York city Ballet. He choreographed a total of 400 works. The “Ballet with Tchaikovsky and Ravel” program will feature both foreign and Vietnamese dancers. (Photo: HBSO) In 1934, he choreographed Serenade to the music of Tchaikovsky in New York, with a performance by the School of American Ballet, and in 1975, he introduced Bolero, with music by Ravel, featuring the New York City Ballet. The "Ballet with Tchaikovsky and Ravel" program will feature French dancer Chloé Glemot, a teacher at the Ho Chi … [Read more...]
Balanchine’s Serenade, Bolero ballets to be performed at Opera House
VietNamNet Bridge – The classical ballets Serenade and Bolero created by the late Russian-American choreographer George Balanchine will be performed at the HCM City Opera House on August 19 and October 19. Balanchine, one of the 20th century’s most prominent choreographers, was the co-founder of the School of American Ballet and New York City Ballet. He choreographed a total of 400 works. In 1934, he choreographed Serenade to the music of Tchaikovsky in New York, with a performance by the School of American Ballet, and in 1975, he introduced Bolero, with music by Ravel, featuring the New York City Ballet. The "Ballet with Tchaikovsky and Ravel" programme will feature French dancer Chloé Glemot, a teacher at the HCM City-based Dancenter Studio since 2013. Glemot was trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School between 1996 and 2003. She worked as a professional dancer for the American Ballet Theater in New York, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal and English National … [Read more...]
French ballerina leaps from Paris to California
VietNamNet Bridge – French star ballet dancer Mathilde Froustey will perform in Ha Noi on Saturday with other artists from different countries at the first ever Paris-Ballet concert in Viet Nam. For three years, the 31-year-old artist has been the principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet in the US, a position she landed after leaving the Paris Opéra Ballet, where she first entered in 2002 at the age of 17. Froustey was honoured with a Paris Ballet Donation Foundation dance prize and a gold medal at the Varna International Competition, both in 2004; the Ballet2000 dance prize in 2007; and Danza & Danza’s best foreign dancer award in 2013. In particular, she has a strong attachment to her grandmother, who is Vietnamese and was adopted in France at a young age. She shares her thoughts on her life and career with Vuong Bach Lien. Is this the first time you came to Viet Nam? No, it’s my second time. I first arrived in Viet Nam in 2008 and travelled … [Read more...]
“A Night of Ballet” opens at Opera House
The show "A Night of Ballet", which include works by Vietnamese and French choreographers, will begin at the HCM City Opera House tonight. Graceful: Dancers Nguyễn Thu Trang and Hồ Phi Điệp perform in the ballet Carmen Suite. — Photo courtesy of HBSO. The performance will open with the contemporary ballet Duo, a new work by choreographer Nguyễn Phúc Hùng.“In Duo, I combine ballet, music and visuals to surprise the audience and evoke emotions,” said Hùng, who has choreographed contemporary dances Chạm tay vào quá khứ (Touching the Past) and Đi qua tình yêu (Gone through Love).Dancers Đỗ Hoàng Khang Ninh and Sùng A Lùng, who won the Gold Medal at the 2016 National Young Choreographer Talent Competition, will be featured.The night will also include the ballet Carmen Suite created in 1967 by Cuban choreographer Alberto Alonso to music by Russian composer Rodion … [Read more...]
Vietnamese restaurant gives a taste of home in Paris
by Nguyen My Ha You never truly appreciate your hometown's food until you travel abroad. In Ha Noi, I don't limit myself to eating pho and rice. But after navigating through France's notorious railway strikes for days, exhausted from walking, all I wanted was a hot bowl of noodle soup. We began our European travels with sandwiches, churros and paella, followed by quiche and salad, crepes and galletes. When we got to Paris, however, we started to crave Vietnamese food. At the Opera Metro station in the heart of Paris, we spotted a white chalkboard advertising a Vietnamese restaurant. It was a strange location, as most Vietnamese dining places are located in the 13th arrondisement. Inside, the dimly lit eatery was unremarkable. There was a small altar and signs in Chinese characters. As in Viet Nam, where green plastic pine leaf decorations and ABBA's "Happy New Year" song pop up all year round, Christmas decorations adorned the ceiling. The server spoke only French and English but … [Read more...]
French opera storms stages
VietNamNet Bridge – Artists from the Paris National Opera Theatre will be making their Viet Nam debut by staging L'Enfant et les Sortileges (The Child and the Spells) tonight, April 18, in Ha Noi and tomorrow in HCM City. Fantasia: Singers Alix Le Saux and Armelle Khourdoian will be accompanied by the Maitrise des Hauts-de-Sein choir under the baton of Gael Darchen. — Photo courtesy L'espace Soloists Alix Le Saux and Armelle Khourdoian will be accompanied by the Maitrise des Hauts-de-Sein choir under the baton of Gael Darchen. The choir of 100 performers includes 12 leading singers and eight musicians. They will be performing the The Child and the Spells during their tour of Southeast Asia. The opera, composed by Maurice Ravel, was based on the text for a ballet by French novelist and performer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. Vietnamese overseas composer Nguyen Thien Dao said the opera was … [Read more...]