Magic act: Conductor Graham Sutcliffe will lead the concert at Ha Noi Opera House this weekend. — File Photo

HA NOI — Conductor Graham Sutcliffe will lead artists from the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra and Viet Nam National Opera and Ballet in two nights of concerts at Ha Noi Opera House this weekend, featuring performances of Handel's Water Music and extracts from oratorio Messiah.

The concerts will feature soprano Ha Pham Thang Long, alto Ngo Huong Diep, tenor Trinh Thanh Binh and bass Vu Manh Dung, along with the Ha Noi International Choir, the National Symphony Orchestra Choir, the Ha Noi Freude Choir, and the Choir of the College of Art Education.

Long holds a Master of Arts in vocal performance from the National Academy of Music and won the second prize in the 3rd National Chamber Music Opera Competition. She has performed the main roles in La Boheme, Cosi Fan Tutte, and The Magic Flute. Dung lectures at the National Academy of Music and has also performed in The Magic Flute, Cosi Fan Tutte and La Boheme.

Sutcliffe was resident conductor of the Viet Nam National Symphony Orchestra for six years and during that time led the orchestra in more than 120 concerts. He has conducted both opera and ballet and has an extensive repertoire of symphonic music. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for his work in cultural relations between Viet Nam and the UK.

Tickets for this weekend's concerts cost VND200,000, 350,000 and 500,000. They are available at the Opera House box office or can be reserved at www.vnso.org.vn. — VNS