The owner of this space is a repatriate couple from Switzerland, Truong Dinh Ngo and Camille Huyen. They have held many art performances and music nights in this space to satisfy the passion of music of theirs and of friends.

The couple have recently had many activities not only for art sake, but also for the sake of neighborhood and the house near the beautiful river, with all the hearts of the responsible citizens.

Artists performing in a music night to raise fund for a public swimming strand by the Huong river

“I need to do something helpful so that everyone can have an opportunity to enjoy art and, at the same time, make Hue and its Huong river green and clean as ever,” said Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo. It was him who initiated a charity group “Thank-you to the Huong river.”

The couple decided to hold music nights that they name “art for environment sake” to raise the fund for purifying Huong river and building a public swimming strand by the river.

Many of their friends who are artists from Russia, Italy, etc., are willing to go back to Hue for performances on hearing about their project. Artists of Hue origin who have strong tie to their hometown also participate, of course.

In such a beautiful space, the semicircle stage annexed to the traditional pillared house facing the Huong river has become a stage for everyone to perform as well as enjoy the music. The traditional music interlaced with Western music has brought the audience deep into the ecstasy.

Nguyen Khac Hoe, a singer from Quang Binh, who is now studying in Russia, said that he had ever performed in many places, but the performance at the river-facing stage Ben Xuan to raise fund for the public swimming strand is the most significant. For the born-in-1993 singer, it is an honor to sing in Hue in a program of “art for environment.”

There have been two such music nights that Truong Dinh Ngo and Camille Huyen host since the beginning of the year. It is not only for artists and art-lovers, but also for researchers, tourist and travel activists and students who are nature- and environment-concerned.

The August music night was full of successive hand-clapping cheers when Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo shared his idea behind the program. “We would like everyone, through programs like this, to give a hand to the protection of Hue environment and the construction of a public swimming strand by the river. The place is owned by all Hue residents, by tourists and by everyone,” said Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo.

Artists performing in the music night to raise fund for the Huong river public swimming strand

In response to the request to give a speech, Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh – chairman of Hue city people’s committee – expressed his own personal viewpoint that none of other rivers flowing through the city he has been to in the world is greener and better than the Huong river.

The river bears its own spiritual and material values; and thus, he was more than supportive when he was invited to the music night and listened to the ideas of making Hue green and clean, and constructing a public strand.

It was those music nights that brought people with strong love and wishes for Hue closer. Everyone contributes more or less to the public work that they in return benefit when it is completed.

The swimming strand is expected to locate in the park opposite the house 20 Nguyen Phuc Nguyen street (Kim Long Ward) with an area of 3,000 square meters of the river bank and 500 square meters in the river. There is a parking lot, a flower garden, plus trees and grass, to allow people enjoying swimming as well as relaxation and reading. “Immersing oneself in the river is a way of learning to love the river and raising awareness of the environment,” Mr. Truong Dinh Ngo said with hope.

Story and photos: NHAT MINH

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