The musical “Red Aspiration” is a special artistic work that has just been introduced to the public by the Military University of Culture and Arts in collaboration with the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theater, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army, the 35th anniversary of the National Defense Day, and the 80th anniversary of the Traditional Day of the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army.

Scene from the musical “Red Desire”. (Photo: TÈNG).

"Red Desire" is directed by Meritorious Artist Le Anh Tuyet, based on the literary script by Doctor, Playwright Nguyen Dang Chuong; Adaptation of the musical script: Lieutenant Colonel, Writer Pham Thi Van Anh; Music composition: Colonel, Musician Nguyen Xuan Thuy and Major, Musician Do Bao; Art design: People's Artist Dat Tang.

The musical tells the story of the family members of Major General, Professor, Doctor Hoang An - former Deputy Director of the Military Medical Academy. In the vortex of a modern, volatile and pragmatic society, the eldest son follows his father's footsteps to become a military doctor and is trying his best to treat and save people, serving the people in the highland border areas. Meanwhile, at home, the second son decides to choose a different path for himself, while the eldest daughter-in-law is caught up in the illusion of the halo of love and money.

Against that backdrop, “Red Aspiration” takes viewers on a journey of searching for and shaping the ideals of life for generations in a military family, where the characters struggle with conflicts between tradition and modernity, between accepting sacrifice and pursuing benefits. From here, the play highlights pressing issues facing intellectuals working in the military, such as ideals of life, concepts of dedication, enjoyment, emotional needs, marital bonding, and the awareness and responsibility of soldiers in today’s “flat” world.

The skillfully handled dramatic layers pushed the dramatic situations to a climax with many emotions and drama, then gradually untied the knots of disagreement in ideology between generations as well as between individuals and families and society. That was also the time when the play conveyed positive inspiration, rich in emotion, reminding everyone to appreciate and preserve traditional values, live with ideals, ambitions and aspirations to contribute.

The interesting thing about “Red Aspiration” is that the image of soldiers does not appear too densely, but through the stories about their families and comrades reflected in the play, it has contributed to lighting up the spirit of dedication of the “Uncle Ho’s soldiers” in peacetime for the peace of the Fatherland, the prosperity and happiness of the people. That is the responsibility and also the aspiration of today’s soldiers, which has been nurtured and passed down from previous generations.

Notably, along with the brave exploitation of modern themes, “Red Desire” is also breathed with the fresh breath of contemporary Broadway musicals with diverse musical styles from ballads, pop to rock, smoothly combined with the drama to bring modern perspectives, helping to attract many young audiences. Major, musician Do Bao said, one of the marks of “Red Desire” is that 100% of the artists and musicians participating in the performance performed live, to help the audience feel the most subtle and authentic sounds, from the sound of the guitar, the flute to the powerful natural voice of the artist.

Under the command of conductor Dong Quang Vinh, the orchestra with 60 musicians (combined from two orchestras of the Military University of Culture and Arts and the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet Theatre) was brought to the stage, appearing throughout the play, bringing more specific images to the audience about the investment in music of “Red Aspiration”. In addition, the choreography and interwoven dance layers were also exploited quite reasonably, contributing to deepening the inner developments of the characters as well as increasing the lyricism and humanity of the play.

The musical brings together a cast of famous military actors such as Trinh Phuong, Le Xuan Hao, Tran Bich Ngoc, Ngo Duc, Nguyen Huong, Hoang Son, Huu Thang; along with the participation of Vietnam's leading opera singers such as Dao To Loan, Meritorious Artist Huy Duc, Ngo Huong Diep, Truong Lam. Not only a work of art, "Red Aspiration" is also a profound tribute to generations of soldiers who have silently sacrificed and contributed for a peaceful and developed Vietnam.

According to nhandan.vn