artLIVE – The ‘Autumn Melodies’ Arts Festival 2025 returns this August, celebrating 20 years of connecting artists and audiences. For 10 days, the Saigon Opera House will be filled with symphonies, chamber music, and classic ballet. A complete autumn for those who love academic arts.
Since its first edition two decades ago, the arts festival has become a symbol of Vietnam’s classical music and performing arts scene. In 2025, the festival marks its 14th edition and 20 years of growth and international integration, bringing audiences an exceptional feast of art at the Saigon Opera House.
Founded in 2005, the celebration quickly became a prestigious cultural and artistic event, where the finest musicians from Vietnam and abroad gather. Each season offers audiences a chance to enjoy classical masterpieces while creating space for Vietnamese artists to explore and innovate.
In 2025, the festival not only celebrates its 20th anniversary but also brings together large-scale musical projects from symphonies, chamber works, choral pieces to ballet with seven well-prepared concerts and workshops.
Scale and talented artists
The 2025 festival promises remarkable highlights. For the first time, Mahler’s Symphony No.1 ‘Titan’ will be performed in Ho Chi Minh City, while Beethoven’s Symphony No.9 will close the festival with a grand choral finale. Audiences will also enjoy excerpts from the ballet ‘Swan Lake’, choreographed by Johanne Jakhelln Constant (Norway), take part in a workshop on classical ballet, and immerse themselves in timeless works such as Brandenburg Concerto No.3 (Bach), Egmont Overture (Beethoven), and Prelude to ‘Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg’ (Wagner).
The festival brings together outstanding artists with not only exceptional skills but also rich international experience. Among them are Kerstin Behnke (Germany) – a renowned choir and orchestra conductor who has worked with major European ensembles; Johanne Jakhelln Constant (Norway) – a famous ballet choreographer known for many sold-out productions at HBSO; Arseniy Kostenko (Russia) – an excellent French horn player and Nguyen Hoang Tung (Taiwan) – a talented oboist.
In addition, leading Vietnamese artists will perform, including Meritorious Artist Ta Minh Tam, Meritorious Artist Hoang Ngoc Long, Meritorious Artist Pham Khanh Ngoc, Pham Trang and Dao Mac. Pianists such as Le Ho Hai, Nguyen Nhat , Nguyen Thuy Yen, Pham Nguyen Anh Vu and Ju Sun Young, together with the musicians of HBSO’s Symphony, Opera and Ballet, will create an unforgettable season.
Artistic journey through each concert
The festival opens on the evening of August 15 with the program ‘Fly High Vietnam’, honoring iconic Vietnamese compositions rich in pride and emotion. Audiences will hear familiar songs such as ‘Ho Chi Minh – The most beautiful name’, ‘Aspiration’ and ‘My homeland has never been so beautiful’, arranged delicately by composer Tran Manh Hung. The second half features symphonic works like Spring of the Century Overture (Hoang Cuong), Mi Chau – Trong Thuy (Ca Le Thuan), The Nameless Monument (Duc Trinh), and Vietnam Rhapsody (Do Hong Quan), evoking national pride.
On August 16, the Chamber Music Night takes the audience on a refined journey with works by Hummel, Messager, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Mahler, Fauré, and Bach. From the dramatic dialogue in Shostakovich’s Concertino for Two Pianos to the bright energy of Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No.3, each piece brings a different color.
The evening of August 17 marks the first performance of Mahler’s Symphony No.1 ‘Titan’ in Ho Chi Minh City, paired with Wagner’s Prelude to ‘Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg’. A concert that combines grandeur with deep reflection.
On August 20, audiences will enjoy a vocal and choral concert spanning centuries, featuring famous Arias such as La Spagnola, Musica Proibita, Villanelle, I Love You… The second part presents an a cappella choir conducted by Kerstin Behnke, offering pure and emotional musical experiences.
On August 22, the Swan Lake Workshop will open the world of classical ballet to the public. Choreographer Johanne Jakhelln Constant will share insights about different ballet schools, including French, Russian and Nordic traditions, along with fascinating behind-the-scenes stories.
On August 23, HBSO artists will perform excerpts from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, a performance both mysterious and romantic. Under Johanne Jakhelln Constant’s direction, the production breathes fresh life into the classic while keeping its original spirit, continuing the success of The Nutcracker, Cinderella and Coppélia.
Finally, on August 24, the festival closes with ‘Beethoven Symphony No.9’, featuring Egmont Overture and the iconic Ninth Symphony. Conveying the dream of a world united in brotherhood, the concert — conducted by Kerstin Behnke and Tran Nhat Minh will be the grand finale of Autumn Melodies 2025.
Images: Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera
