A: First on our show today, we’d like to welcome Liu Wei, a new listener in Guangdong China, who listened to our broadcast on May 27 from 10:00 to 10:30 UTC on the frequency of 12020 khz. He wrote: “I really like listening to your music and travel programs. I hope to have an opportunity to visit Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city in Vietnam.”

Hanoi Opera House

B: Thank you, Liu Wei, for tuning in to our broadcast. We’ll send you our frequency list, and program schedule, and a verification card confirming your report. Our program is also available online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Check out our VOV Media App available on both IOS and Android platforms to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to more feedback from you.

A: Listening to our broadcast on May 23^rd from 16:00 to 16:30 UTC on the frequency of 7220 khz, Muhammad Shamims of India said he liked the story about electric vehicles in Vietnam which was informative.

B: In his email to VOV this week, Richard Nowak expressed his pleasure in listening to ur Sunday show on May 28 about film photography. He wrote: “The Sunday Show had a great segment on film photography. I love film photography and have different cameras and a variety of film of different formats. I especially love medium format slide film in black and white. Pinhole photography is one of my favourites. The photographer interviewed loves the grain in film. Analogue cameras were discussed. If the film is under- or over-exposed it can create more emotion. Film photography is the most traditional method of photography and analogue cameras are the purest types of cameras. Young people are becoming interested in film photography. I enjoyed tonight’s show. Thanks for the show and your support of shortwave.”

A: Thank you, Mr. Nowak, for your comments on our show. Writing to VOV this week, Shivendu Paul of India asked about the Ramadan celebration in Vietnam and traditional food and fruits associated with the festival.

B: Vietnam has more than 80,000 Muslims. 85% of them are Cham people who live in Vietnam’s southern provinces. They began their holy month of Ramadan two weeks ago. This is an important annual festival for all Muslims.

A: The holy month of Ramadan is a time to review the rights and wrongs of the past year, purify oneself, and perform charitable acts. For the entire month, one is not allowed to perform slaughter, cause disunity, or quarrel. No entertainment is permitted during this period.

A prayer service of the women of Chau Phong Cham village. (Photo: Ha Ni Pha/VOV)

B: Muslims stock sugar, rice, mushrooms, and salt to prepare for the month of fasting. Fruits like mango, apple, and bananas are served, their prices stabilized during the holy month.

A: Shyamal Kumar Banerjee of India listened to our broadcast on May 23^rd at 16:00 UTC on the frequency of 7220. This week, he asked about theater in Vietnam and whether Vietnamese people like to attend.

B: Well, there are myriads of theaters in Vietnam but due to time constraint, we can only brief you about the iconic Opera House in Hanoi. The 2,600sq.m theatre was designed by two French architects named Harlay and Broyer and constructed between 1901 and 1911. It was renovated in the late 1990s. This is an incredible building exhibiting French neo-classical architecture with Gothic features. Its colonial French façade of pillars and balconies overlooks the city center. The 900-seat opera house hosts visiting performers as well as Vietnam’s symphony orchestra. 

A: The Hanoi Opera House is a vestige of Vietnamese cultural development under French rule in the 19th and early 20th century. The theatre has witnessed many historic events associated with the 1945 August Revolution and the early years of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The Hanoi Opera House can accommodate 900 seats

A: For a long time, the Hanoi Opera House has been a rendezvous for lovers of theater, traditional music, classical music and opera. It is also a popular tourist attraction.

A: The Hanoi Opera House is open for tours of its facilities as well as for live performances. 

B: The lobby welcomes visitors with beautiful Italian marble. The performance hall has a large stage and many small viewing boxes on the mezzanine. At the back of the Opera House are 18 dressing rooms, 2 warm-up rooms, a library, and a meeting room. 

B:  Before we go, we’d like to acknowledge emails and letters from Sonali Yadav, Siddartha Bhattacharjee, Deekay Dimple, and Tapan Basak of India, Claudio Galaz of Chile, Abdul Mannan and Shahinur Alam of Bangladesh, Craig Jordan of the US, Fumito Hokamura of Japan, Andrew Kuznetsov of Ukraine, and Eddy Setiawan of Indonesia. We’ll confirm your reports with QSL cards soon.

A: We welcome your feedback at: English Section, VOVWorld, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Check out our VOV Media App available on both IOS and Android platforms to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Good bye until next time.