HCMC - Two concerts celebrating the spirit of Christmas are to be staged by HBSO on December 20 and 21 in the Saigon Opera House, beginning at 8 p.m.

The music will be sung by a variety of HBSO's most celebrated soloists, accompanied by the HBSO symphony orchestra. The music will include Celebrate the Season by Matt Conaway, Amazing Grace, O Holy Night, Jingle Bells and Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer. The two concerts will be conducted by Tran Nhat Minh, head of Opera at HBSO. He was trained in Russia, graduating with distinction in 2004. He obtained a Master of Arts in the Moscow State Conservatory in 2007. Among the soloists will be Pham Trang, Duyen Nguyet, Dao Mac and Vo Nguyen Thanh Tam. Ticket prices are from VND750,000 to VND1,200,000, with a special concession of VND250,000 for students. Soprano Duyen Nguyet was Pamina in The Magic Flute and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus ('The Bat'). Pham Trang is deputy head of HBSO Opera. He was heard as Alfredo in La Traviata, Don Jose in Carmen, Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana and Aeneas in Dido and Aeneas. These two concerts form part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of HBSO as a whole.