HÀ NỘI — Opera director Nguyễn Phi Phi Anh will soon launch his opera project titled Hope with 35 shows at the L’Espace on 24 Tràng Tiền Street.

The shows will take place in October, November and January.

Three opera plays will be performed with 35 actors and 17 musicians participating in each show.

According to the 25-year-old director, most of the actors are amateur artists and in their early twenties, except few who have participated in reality television contests.

“Việt Nam’s art shows will have a different look with such young artists,” noted drama actress Lê Khanh said about the project.

Last Night after Summer will kick off the project on October 4, followed by Corner of Fame in November.

These operas were first performed in 2012 and 2013 and received positive feedback from the 4,300-strong audience during the 15 shows.

The third opera, titled Mộng Ước Không Xa Vời (Dreams are not Far) is a new act, in which Phi Anh dons the hats of director, playwright and producer.

Although Phi Anh did not reveal the total budget for the three operas, he said the budget just for the music had reached some VNĐ1 billion (US$44,400).

Tickets for the shows are priced between VNĐ200,000 and VNĐ300,000.

Prof Nguyễn Thị Minh Thái highly appreciated the operas directed by Phi Anh, which were in the style of the Vietnamese western operas.

“There are traditional operas in Việt Nam,’ she said, “Western opera is, however, another theatrical form. Musical plays by Vietnamese directors have won the hearts of the western audience. Ea Sola Thủy’s dance play Hạn Hán và Cơn Mưa (drought and Rain) is a perfect example showcasing Việt Nam’s cultural identity.”

“Dance plays by Ea Sola Thủy or water puppetry shows are Vietnamese theatrical forms that are expected to be successful in foreign countries and should bear strong Vietnamese characteristics,” she said. “That’s why the most important thing in Phi Anh’s operas is that he should direct the foreign operas against the backdrop of Vietnamese culture.”

Graduating from Hampshire College’s Theatre and Film Faculty, Phi Anh has been among the pioneers to restage western operas in Việt Nam.

Before coming to the United States to study, Phi Anh staged the Geek Show (2009) at the Anglo Chinese School in Singapore, which was considered “the best game show in the history of ACS”. The show was on for two seasons in 2010 and 2011.

Phi Anh also worked as theatrical director for the play Making Nice, which won the bronze medal at the Singapore Youth Festival 2010. — VNS