French pianist eagerly awaits first tour in Vietnam

Within the framework of activities celebrating 50 years of France-Vietnam diplomatic relations, the French Institute in Vietnam and the Vietnam Connection Music Festival present the Piano and Violin Duet tour: Maxime Zecchini & Chuong Vu in Vietnam.

The concerts on the tour promise to bring the audience a unique experience through works performed for the first time in the world and in Vietnam with emotional playing and masterful techniques by artists from two cultures: French and Vietnamese.

Nghệ sĩ dương cầm Pháp nóng lòng chờ đợi chuyến lưu diễn đầu tiên ở Việt Nam

Throughout the program, the audience will enjoy classic works by Saint-Saëns, Debussy, Ravel and other French and Vietnamese composers.

The opening of the evening will be Mon cœur s'ouvre à ta voix from the opera Samson and Delilah (1877), the most famous of Camille Saint-Saëns' 13 operas.

As one of the important composers of French music in the Romantic period and someone with a special relationship with Vietnam, Camille Saint-Saëns's compositions will certainly bring the audience a meaningful and emotional experience.

Continuing the program, a trio of classic solo piano works by French composer Claude Debussy: Clair de lune (1905), La fille aux cheveux de lin and La sérénade interrompue from the first Preludes (1910) will create a contrasting effect between Saint-Saëns' romantic atmosphere and Debussy's characteristic modernity.

When mentioning the characteristic modernity of the Impressionist music school, besides Debussy, we cannot help but mention another typical representative, the famous French composer, Maurice Ravel.

During this concert, Maurice Ravel's Concerto for Left Hand in D Major (1930) will be performed for the first time in Vietnam with the masterful technique of French pianist Maxime Zecchini.

The final performance in the first part of the music night was a trilogy of works by the legendary French singer - Édith Piaf: L'Hymne à l'amour (1950), Je ne regrette rien (1956) and La vie en rose (1947) arranged by Maxime Zecchini for solo piano and performed for the first time in Vietnam.

The second part of the music night will begin with the Spring Prayer Fantasia (2023) by Vietnamese musician, Vu Viet Anh.

At the end of the performance, Maxime Zecchini and Chuong Vu will bring to the capital audience the dramatic and poignant melodies of Fantaisie sur Carmen, Op.25 (Carmen Fantasy) by Pablo de Sarasate written for violin and piano inspired by Bizet's classic opera Carmen, thereby showing off the skillful playing and delicate emotions of the two talented French-Vietnamese artists.

The program is held within the framework of a tour in 5 cities of Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat, Da Nang, Hue and Hanoi from September 14-22.

French pianist Maxime Zecchini. (Source: BTC)

Sharing his feelings about the tour in Vietnam, the famous French pianist said: "I am extremely happy and eagerly waiting for this tour.

Actually, I could have come to Vietnam in 2020 but due to Covid the tour was postponed. I would have loved to come and explore Vietnamese culture, music and cuisine. I know it is a very rich, diverse and interesting culture.

It will be my first trip and I also hope to take advantage of the performances to visit the natural and architectural wonders of this beautiful S-shaped country."

Winner of numerous national and international awards, pianist Maxime Zecchini not only fascinates listeners with his virtuoso technique but also with his bold choices.

He has toured in more than forty countries around the world and his album - a collection of works for the left hand (the first in the history of record publishing to include only recordings for the left hand) is released worldwide by the prestigious publisher Ad Vitam Records & Harmonia Mundi.

Artist Chuong Vu holds a doctorate in music with a major in violin performance from the University of North Texas, USA. Praised by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Yehudi Wyner as a violinist with a “refined and poetic” playing style, Chuong Vu regularly performs as a soloist, chamber musician, concertmaster/orchestrator throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia with a repertoire ranging from pre-baroque to contemporary.

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