HÀ NỘI — Musician Lê Minh Sơn, 41, will debut new musical pieces, including an extract from the Tấm Cám opera, at a live show here on Friday night.

Some 20 new pieces will be performed at the show, titled Tiếng Khóc Kêu Trong Hũ (Cries in the Clay Jar). These pieces are the fruits of five years of labour, including the two years Sơn spent travelling across Việt Nam.

"My new songs will paint a picture of modern-day Việt Nam, which is full of the sounds and colours of sadness, pain, happiness and endless love," said musician Sơn. 

The Tấm Cám opera is based on one of Việt Nam’s most popular fairytales. It is considered the Vietnamese version of the Cinderella story. Two half-sisters, Tấm and Cám, represent good and evil, according to a Vietnamese fairy. Cám dies a horrible death at the end of the fairytale in retribution for her crimes.

"I composed the musical piece because I love Cám," Sơn said. "I want to focus on love and humanity and people with the desire to be loved like Cám. Nobody has to die. The work will not be a tragedy as it is in the Vietnamese tales."

The Tấm Cám extract will be performed by singer Khánh Linh. 

A musical piece titled Tễu will be the highlight of the live show, played with traditional Vietnamese instruments, the đàn nhị (two-chord fiddle) and the drum. "I was obsessed by a dance choreographed by Trần Ly Ly, portraying an artist’s life," Sơn said. "Tễu is a character symbolising Vietnamese water puppets. We might call him the soul of the water puppets and the source of sympathy between the performance and the audience.

"I think he represents an artist who has devoted his life to art."

The 12-minute performance of Tễu will be done by dancer Hà Tứ Thiên. Sơn will play guitar music pieces with his band to close the show.

Sơn is a strong character of his generation. He achieved fame as a guitar soloist playing Flamenco melodies before he began writing songs. He consistently writes songs based on Vietnamese folklore.

His first songs, such as Chuồn Chuồn Ớt (Red Dragonfly), Ôi Quê Tôi (Oh, My Homeland!) and Đá Trông Chồng (Stone-Woman Waits for Husband), which many people felt were drastically different from other pop songs, made him popular.

Sơn has also co-operated with A-list singers, such as Thanh Lam and Tùng Dương.

"The show will give the audience, including foreigners living in Việt Nam, the chance to experience traditional and modern Vietnamese music," said Sơn.

The concert will begin at 8pm at Hà Nội Opera House. — VNS