The world-class pianist, Mukaiyama Tomoko, will perform ‘A Night of Beethoven’ at the Hanoi Opera House on February 11-12, with a programme featuring the Piano Concerto No1 in C Major and Symphony No.1.

The 67th Tokyo International Gift Show at Japan’s state-of-the-art Tokyo International Exhibition Centre closed on February 6. The event featured 1,500 stands from countries around the world, including Japan, China, Taiwan and Vietnam.

A Vietnamese dancer has been honoured at the Critics’ Circle ‘National Dance Awards’, the UK’s professional award dedicated exclusively to dance.

Vietnamese tourism authorities and travel agencies will head for Melbourne, Australia to promote a national programme that seeks to have more foreigners choose the country as a travel destination.

Almost 2,000 works by more than 1,000 poets, represented in calligraphic form for the first time, are being exhibited in Ho Chi Minh City from February 4-10 to mark Vietnam’s Poetry Day.

Vietnam’s young musicians Quoc Trung and Vu Nhat Tan will join two artists from Denmark in the Asia-Scandinavia Concert to be held in Hanoi on February 15.

Despite cold weather, thousands of pilgrims and tourists have flocked to Yen Tu mountain on the first day of the Yen Tu festival, which began on January 4 or the 10th day of the Lunar New Year.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has directed the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to oversee the organisation of the Mrs World Pageant 2009 in Vietnam, after considering a proposal from the Ministry and the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provincial People’s Committee.

The band FABBA, which plays the classic pop rock music of the well-known ABBA, will tour around Vietnam, starting at the Giang Vo Exhibition Centre in Hanoi on February 13.

Vietnamese books are being showcased for the first time at the 33rd International Book Fair that opened in Kolkata, India, on January 28.

Japanese TV Fuzi has shown a special entitled “The Ambassador’s Dinning Table”, featuring Vietnam’s food and drink culture.

Central Highland Gia Lai province will organise an international Gong festival in Pleiku city in the third quarter of this year, the provincial People’s Committee said on February 2.

A royal music exchange programme between Vietnam and Japan will be held at the latter’s Okinawa National Theatre from February 12-15, announced the Hue Relic Preservation Centre on February 1.

Some recorded history books say Ca Tru music was first introduced into Vietnam in the early 16th century. But some others say it was introduced into the country three centuries later.

The Huong (Perfume) Pagoda Festival officially opened in My Duc district, Hanoi on January 30, the sixth day of the first month of the lunar Year of the Buffalo.

Many cultural festivals have been held in the capital city of Hanoi and provinces nationwide to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

The Thang Long Royal Citadel Spring Festival 2009 officially began in Hanoi on January 29, the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, with a performance of Bai Bong, an ancient royal dance, followed by rituals performed by delegations from the city’s various districts.

Many ethnic minority groups, such as Mong, Dao, Tay Nung and San Diu, do not sweep the house or empty out rubbish during the lunar New Year (Tet) festival. Cao Lan people do the same as they are afraid of disturbing the Fortune God’s slumber and that their luck may also be swept away.

Anh Tuyet is a famous cook in Hanoi. She is trying to preserve Hanoi’s unique traditional gastronomy.

Many local residents and international visitors gathered in front of the Yasaka-SaiGon-Nha Trang Hotel on January 24 to see a 34m sticky rice roll.

Dien Phuong Copper Aluminium Company on January 24 successfully cast the largest bronze Gong in the country which 2.5 metre diameter and weigh 700kg in Phuoc Kieu village, Dien Phuong commune, Dien Ban district, central Quang Nam province.

With her sultry looks and innocent smile, Duong Truong Thien Ly, who won the “People’s Choice Award” at Miss World 2008, is now considered a symbol of dynamic and modern beauty for Vietnamese women.

Fans of romantic Vietnamese tunes will get a chance to immerse themselves in sweet melodies when veteran singer Anh Tuyet and her ATB band perform in the capital on January 29.

Visiting the Coi Nguon (Roots) Phu Quoc Museum, visitors will cost a general over view of Phu Quoc Island with a centuries-old history and unique identity.

A delegation of 40 circus performers from Ho Chi Minh City left for Taiwan on January 22 to participate in an international circus festival in Taipei.

Classic vehicle lovers are in for a treat on February 22 when rare vintage motorbikes and automobiles are scheduled to parade in Hanoi for charity.

A new resort relying on solar and wind power, natural gas and collected rainwater, will open during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holidays on Hon Tam (Silkworm) Island in Nha Trang City.

The ‘Charming Vietnam’ photo exhibition opened at the Vietnam Cultural Centre in France on January 19 on the occasion of the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.

Many overseas Vietnamese singers have returned to perform in HCM City during Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).

The Thang Long Royal Citadel Spring Festival will kick off on January 29, and is expected to be one of a series of cultural festivities hosted by Hanoi to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival (Tet).