Ca trù Hanoi Club
Hanoi, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, Vietnam
Cuisines: Vietnamese
About
Ca trù Hanoi Club (42-44 Hang Bac street, ten-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake). A visit to Ca trù Hanoi Club should be the first priority for ones who love Asian traditional arts and aristocratic court music. Ca trù is an unique and fascinating genre of chamber music in Vietnam which traces it roots back to the 10th century. It is performed by a female vocalist who sings a repertoire of poetic melodies using her vibrato and unique breathing techniques. Rhythm is kept using aphach, which the singer manipulates by striking three wooden sticks against a bamboo bar; an accompanying instrumentalist plays the three-stringed lute dan day; a drummer using a small drum completes the trio. The songs are all fascinatingly restrained and expressive, at times hauntingly beautiful. Today, ca trù is promoted by the government of Vietnam as the country's national asset, and it was officially recognized by UNESCO as one of the Intangible Cultural Heritages of humankind in 2009. Attending a "ca tru" show in Ca tru Hanoi club is highly recommended for those who enjoy traditional performing arts. The atmospheric combination of sitting in a temple courtyard, imbued in soft lighting and sipping Vietnamese tea while ca tru is sung leaves a pleasant impression. The shows are performed at 20:00 every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday, translation is provided by volunteers. The price of a single ticket is 200,000 Vietnamese Dong (~US$10, but only Vietnamese Dong are accepted).
