HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam Chèo Theatre will perform at a concert to mark World Reconciliation Day in Hà Nội on September 9, said director Meritorious Artist Thanh Ngoan.

The theatre will perform chèo (popular opera) Quan Âm Thị Kính (Goddess of Mercy) at the annual concert held  by UNESCO, the University of California Los Angeles Chair on Global Learning and Global Citizenship Education. 

This year, the concerts will be held in Tokyo and Hà Nội themed Music for Global Citizens performing classical music as part of World Reconciliation Day festivities.

In Tokyo, cellist Tamas Varga and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra will perform with Japanese pianist Rika Miyatani and Waseda University’s Chorus on September 6. 

The first World Reconciliation Concert was held at Hà Nội Opera House in 2010. 

Quan Âm Thị Kính will be performed by the theatre’s four generations of chèo artists. Veteran artists Bảo Quỳnh, Hà Thảo, Tuấn Tài and Bá Dũng will play the main roles of the play. 

"It is the most famous repertoire of classical chèo plays in Vietnamese traditional art," Ngoan said. "Chèo is authentically Vietnamese which is popular to international friends".

Set in the 10th century as a statement about the beauty of love, compassion and selflessness, Quan Âm Thị Kính is a story about the transcendental journey of a young, fair lady to her Buddhahood.  

Chèo originated in the 10th century from folk music and dance, especially trò nhại - simple mimetic skits. These skits showed the lives of ordinary people as well as royalty. 

Over time, writers consolidated chèo short stories based on these skits into longer and united plays. 

The Hà Nội show will be presented by Professor Carlos Torres Chair, UNESCO Chair, Global Learning and Global Citizenship Education and Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, chair of the International Advisory Committee of UNESCO - UCLA Chair on Global Citizenship Education.

Chèo theatre will also perform Quan Âm Thị Kính at the 2018 reconciliation concert at Symphony Hall, Boston, in September.  — VNS