Thai princess composes and performs musical work about Vietnam

On March 26, as part of the annual concert celebrating the 107th anniversary of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand's most prestigious university in Bangkok, Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and several famous Thai orchestras performed the musical piece "Vietnam at peace", with lyrics written by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Attending the performance, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn performed with the Thai erhu in Vietnamese ao dai. The event was attended by more than 1,500 audiences including Thai intellectuals, officials and diplomats in Bangkok (Thailand). The delegation of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand led by Charge d'Affaires of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand Bui Thi Hue attended the event. "Vietnam at peace" is a 68-verse poem composed by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, telling about her good impressions and feelings about the landscape, country and people of Vietnam. The poem was adapted into 9 songs based on Thai and Vietnamese music, with a total duration of 50 minutes. The musical work “Vietnam at peace” combines many forms of music such as orchestra, choir and dance, performed by nearly 150 musicians, singers and actors of the Sai Yai Chamchuri Band, the Western Orchestra of Chulalongkorn University wearing Vietnamese ao dai and two lecturers of the Hanoi Conservatory of Music performing monochord and zither. Many familiar melodies such as: Trong com, Ly ngua o, Beo dat may troi, Co la... were introduced to the audience with the accompaniment of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. The poem begins with the content praising the diverse and rich Vietnamese cuisine, with the characteristics of the three regions of the North, Central and South: “We have heard the ancients tell us/ The great Vietnamese kitchen has delicious dishes/ Since ancient times, they have eaten pho/ Vietnamese food is not difficult to make/ People say that Vietnamese food has three styles/ North, Central and South, we feel they are all delicious”.

Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn participates in the performance in Ao Dai (pink dress in the middle). (Photo: Embassy of Vietnam in Thailand)

Next, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn summarized the heroic history of Vietnam, overcoming hardships and difficulties to achieve today's economic success: "Coming to Vietnam, I learned about history/ Many stories of the nation in each period/ The French colonized the country, what a pity/ But independence was won as desired/ Vietnam's economy developed from there/ Agriculture was cultivated in many places/ Growing rice, coffee, and rubber/ Fruits, vegetables, all kinds.../ People worked enthusiastically/ Diligence helped the country grow strong". The performance also praised Vietnamese traditional lacquer handicrafts, silk, embroidery, painting and music. Throughout the program, beautiful images of the country, people, and cuisine were shown on the stage screen. Folk games and traditional dances are also recreated through carefully prepared, lively scenes with actors in ao dai, conical hats riding bicycles, dancing with lanterns... Through the Princess's delicate perspective, the image of the bamboo dance is expressed humorously: "I once saw them dance bamboo/ I can dance but I can't do it like that/ Don't be careless or you'll hurt your feet/ If you're not careful, don't blame each other for not reminding". The last part of the poem is an invitation to visit and explore Vietnam, repeated many times: "There are countless stories that are too numerous to tell/ But difficult to write about because there are too many/ Whenever there is a chance, I will invite you/ Let's go on a trip to have fun and have fun".

A performance imbued with Vietnamese culture at the event. (Photo: Chulalongkorn University).

The performance ended with enthusiastic applause from the entire audience. After the performance, the delegates also visited the booth displaying a number of gifts that Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn received during her previous visits to Vietnam, such as Vietnamese musical instruments, some items of ethnic minorities in Vietnam, handicrafts, photos or a version of Vietnamese bronze drums. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has visited Vietnam many times and implemented a number of charity and educational projects in Vietnam. Every year, the "Thai Princess Award for Teachers with Many Contributions to Education and the Community" is awarded to an outstanding teacher from each member country of the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization (SEAMEO), including Vietnam. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is extremely loved by the Thai people and is also known as the "Angel Princess". Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, born in 1955, is the third child of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the younger sister of the King of Thailand, Maha Vajiralongkorn. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn is very sympathetic to Vietnam and has visited many provinces and cities in Vietnam.

Representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand presented Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (left) with a Vietnamese embroidered silk scarf at the event. (Photo: Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand)

The Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand once compiled a photo book called “Vietnam through the lens of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn”, which includes 100 beautiful photos of Vietnam. The book includes 60 photos taken by Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn during her visits to Vietnam from 1993 to 2015. Other photos are precious archive photos of the Thai Princess’s meetings with Vietnamese leaders, her contacts with the Vietnamese people and her visits to many scenic spots, historical and cultural sites in Vietnam.

XUAN SON - DINH TRUONG

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