From Hanoi, artist Quoc Hung flew to Ho Chi Minh City a few days ago to participate in the rehearsal of the ceremony, parade, and march to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, taking place tomorrow morning (April 30) in Ho Chi Minh City.

At this time, Ho Chi Minh City is the heart of the whole country.

"Usually we say Hanoi is the heart of the whole country, but these days, Ho Chi Minh City is the heart of the whole country," Quoc Hung quickly reported the atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City to Tuoi Tre Online .

The area near the Reunification Hall (also known as the Independence Palace), where the grand ceremony was being prepared, was extremely bustling. Quoc Hung jokingly said he "had the feeling that people from all over the country were pouring in here."

Before that, at the rehearsal on April 27, he woke up at 3am and saw a Ho Chi Minh City that seemed to have no night.

"People lined the streets, carrying raincoats and mats to wait to watch the rehearsal. There were old men and women, veterans from all over the country gathered here. Witnessing that passionate patriotism, I couldn't hold back my tears," the artist said.

Having attended and sung in many important events, for artist Quoc Hung, singing in this grand ceremony is the "most special". And artist Ta Minh Tam said "this is probably only once in a lifetime".

The day he left the rehearsal to go home, people lined up on both sides of the road for several kilometers, cheering and encouraging him enthusiastically, something Ta Minh Tam will never forget.

North and South stand on the same stage

Artist Quoc Hung revealed that he and Ta Minh Tam will sing the opening song for this grand ceremony.

The two will join forces in a special mashup performance of The Country Full of Joy (composer Hoang Ha) - The Color of Red Flowers (Thuan Yen). If nothing changes in the script, the two artists will perform on a beautifully decorated car to celebrate the 50th anniversary of national peace and unification.

The two songs "Dat Nuoc Tron Nguoc" and "Mau Hoa Do" have the same theme but different nuances. The two artists are also different, one is a tenor and the other is a bass. How will the two artists combine?

According to artist Quoc Hung, the program was skillfully edited and arranged. The combination of a Southern artist and a Northern artist in the opening act was not a random choice but carefully calculated.

"When Tam sings high notes, I sing harmony in the lower register and vice versa, when I sing low notes, Tam sings harmony in the higher register. The two of us sing harmony for each other so the song sounds full and thick," said Quoc Hung.

At the same time, two voices, representing two regions, standing together on stage to celebrate the 50th anniversary of reunification, also contributed to expressing the message of peace and reunion.

He added that in addition to songs that have been around for years, there are also newer songs that are more colorful but closely related to the lives of the people and soldiers.

The entire performance only lasted about 10 minutes but was carefully prepared and meaningful.

In the singing, there is individual - collective, tears mixed with joy and pride.

For artist Quoc Hung, attending the ceremony has a sacred meaning because of his ancestors. was a revolutionary soldier. He fought for more than 10 years at the Khe Sanh front, Quang Tri, then returned with many wounds and died early at the age of 43 when Quoc Hung was only 13 years old.

"I sing for my father, for those who fell for the peace, independence, and freedom of the country; but I also sing for myself, a person who lives in peacetime and enjoys the sweet fruits that the previous generation had to struggle hard for, with many losses, to cherish more the achievements they left behind," he shared, "when we sing, there is both individuality and commonality in it."

As for Ta Minh Tam, what is special to him is related to the song " The Country is Full of Joy" .

He admitted that he was "a happy singer because he was able to sing a piece expressing the joy of national unification over the past 50 years".

The song was composed by musician Hoang Ha on April 26, 1975, and was performed by many artists, but it was not until Ta Minh Tam recorded and performed it in the 1990s that this piece began to shine. This is also the song associated with his voice.

"When he was alive, the musician once said that this song seemed to have to wait until Ta Minh Tam to shine like that. That's what moved me so much," he recalled old memories.

He shared with Tuoi Tre Online, "being able to sing the song "The Country Full of Joy" again on the great day celebrating the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification is a very fulfilling and fulfilling event for my career."