The chorus rehearses under the direction of conductor Đồng Quang Vinh. Photo coutersy of VNOB

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam National Opera & Ballet (VNOB) will perform with a large chorus on November 12 and 13 at Hà Nội Opera House. 

The chorus features more than 200 artists from VNOB and international choirs. They will perform The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace for the first time in Việt Nam. It has racked up nearly 3000 performances in the world to date.

The piece paints a picture of the grief and loss of characters in the disaster. The tragic melody is sometimes interspersed with moments of reflection and ends with an intense feeling of longing, according to Phan Mạnh Đức, VNOB's newly-appointed director. 

"The world has been suffering from the pandemic, disasters, etc. That makes the word "peace" even more meaningful," Đức said. 

"In order to contribute a voice to the desire for a better future, peace and happiness of people all over the world, we decide to perform the piece on the stage."

It was written by Karl Jenkins, a Welsh composer in 1999 to mark the relocation of the British Armoury Museum from London to Leeds. 

Jenkins also intended it to be in memory of those who died in Kosovo conflict. Written before the new millennium, it was meant as a message of hope - that the world of the future would have more peace and fewer wars.

Jenkins started out his career as a composer of music for TV advertisements. His Adiemus series made his name popular in the 1990s. But The Armed Man is the first big-scale work he composes. 

The 13 movements are very diverse from martial pomp to poignant reflection and will be performed by VNOB's soloists Nguyễn Huy Đức, Đào Tố Loan and Ngô Hương Diệp. 

The chorus is made up of singers from Hà Nội International Voices, Hà Nội Concordia International School, Junior-V Choir and Hà Nội Erato Choir. 

The shows will begin at 8pm.Tickets are available at https://nhahatnhacvukichvietnam.com/ve-ban or calling 0977377456; 0366569228. — VNS