Artists from the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra and Vietnam National Opera and Ballet will perform Handel's Water Music and extracts from oratorio Messiah at Hanoi Opera House this weekend.

The concerts, to be led by conductor Graham Sutcliffe, will feature soprano Ha Pham Thang Long, alto Ngo Huong Diep, tenor Trinh Thanh Binh and bass Vu Manh Dung, along with the Hanoi International Choir, the National Symphony Orchestra Choir, the Hanoi Freude Choir, and the Choir of the College of Art Education .

Long holds a Master of Arts in vocal performance from the National Academy of Music and won the second prize in the 3rd National Chamber Music Opera Competition. She has performed the main roles in La Boheme, Cosi Fan Tutte, and The Magic Flute. Dung lectures at the National Academy of Music and has also performed in The Magic Flute, Cosi Fan Tutte and La Boheme.

Sutcliffe was resident conductor of the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra for six years and during that time led the orchestra in more than 120 concerts. He has conducted both opera and ballet and has an extensive repertoire of symphonic music. In 2005, he was awarded the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for his work in cultural relations between Vietnam and the UK.-VNA