HCM CITY — Skimpy costumes and lip syncing by singers were heavily criticised at a seminar on "Improving aesthetics in performing art" organised in HCM City on Tuesday.

Many young artists with no vocal talent and singing abilities were choosing to wear very short and very thin dresses to attract audiences at concerts. They become well known after their photos appear in tabloids, officials said.

"It's a disaster of the country's music scene and a mistake of the State agencies that licensed these concerts," said playwright Chu Thom, former deputy director of the Performing Arts Administration.

"Officials of various agencies, including the Performing Arts Administration and the Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, should examine the content of concerts or fashion shows before public performances," said Tran Thanh Long, director of the PL Fashion Company.

"Scanty and unaesthetic dresses worn by artists and models that culture officials have asked organisers to take out of their shows still appear on stages," Long said.

"Culture officials are usually not present at concerts and fashion shows and violations by organisers are continuing and increasing," he added.

Lip-syncing by singers was also a phenomenon of the local music scene that has angered audiences, delegates said at the seminar.

In early May, singer Quynh Nga was discovered to be lip syncing when she dropped her microphone but the singing continued, the VietnamNet news service reported.

Each year, about 400 music and fashion shows are organised in HCM City, according to Tran Minh Phuong, head of the Arts Management Office under the city's Culture, Sports and Tourism Department.

Last year, only two companies, the Venus Company and the Bach Kim Entertainment Company, were fined for having made changes to contents of their licensed shows.

Organised by several agencies including the Performing Art Administration, the Viet Nam Musicians Association and HCM City's Culture, Sports and Tourism Department, the seminar was attended by a large number of culture officials of provinces and cities and representatives of 122 art troupes around the country.

Nearly 20 presentations at the seminar pointed out the negative aspects of art and fashion shows held these days, but none mentioned specific solutions.

"We cannot solve all problems at a one-day seminar," said composer Tran Vuong Thach, director of HCM City's Ballet and Symphony Orchestra.

Music critic Nguyen Thi Minh Chau said young Vietnamese artists copied a lot from foreign countries, including costumes and performing styles.

"It was fine to learn from foreign countries. However, local artists should choose costumes suited to the country and ones that preserve national characteristics," Chau said.

Vuong Duy Bien, Performing Art Administration director, said his office was working on a draft decree on performing arts.

"The decree will be submitted to the Government for approval in the near future," he said. — VNS