Fireworks to light up Han River skies

With an international cast of competitors featuring some of the world's most skilled pyrotechnicians, organisers are hopeful the 6th Da Nang fireworks competition will go off with a bang. Cong Thanh reports.

The sixth Da Nang International Fireworks Competition will light up the Han River on April 29, starting with a performance from Russian fireworks centre Khan.

The Russian team will perform pyro-musical Kalinka, which won them the Open Championship of Fireworks in Poland.

The five-member Russian team, the first to land in Da Nang on Monday, are revved up for the performance.

"We'll light up the Han River with exciting and cheerful rhythms from Russia. The team have prepared for the event since last December and we are ready for the fireworks party," said the team's captain Alexandra Khan.

"We will also play famous international ballads and folk music from Russia to show Da Nang the soul of our country."

The Russian team has 20 years of experience in the Russian pyrotechnics market, with victories at many international fireworks competitions in Russia, Poland, Croatia and Germany.

The host will perform second on the opening night. Captain Nguyen Truong Ky and his teammates are excited for the 21-minute performance.

"It's the sixth time we have done this, but we still feel nervous. All our preparations have been made perfectly. Fireworks are ready to be installed on the launching pad at the Han River Port for the opening night," Ky said.

"Our performance will feature Vietnamese traditional musical instruments like the monochord and the 16-chord zither, which is quite slow and smooth. It's a challenge for us to balance this slow music with our exciting fireworks performance."

The performance will be divided into four parts, of which two feature songs composed by composers Do Bao and An Thuyen: Vu Dieu Trong Nang (Dance in the Sunshine) and Da Nang Duoi Mat Troi (Da Nang under the Sun).

The performance will depict the beautiful sights of the central city: sandy beaches, bridges, the Marble Mountains and the Son Tra Peninsula.

Team member Bui Chi Duc said that over 4,000 individual fireworks had been selected in preparation for the tough challenge from rivals from Italy, Russia, the US and Japan.

Ky predicted that the defending champions (Italy's Parente team) would win the competition, while he could not foretell the performance of Melrose Pyrotechnics from the US or Russia's Khan.

Gunpowder greatness: Fireworks illuminate the sky above the Han River.

River emotion

With over 100 years of experience, the Parente Fireworks Company is well-known for the quality of its fireworks, as well as its outstanding firing system and choreography.

The team participated in the Da Nang fireworks competition in the last two years and won both times.

The team's show, designed by Antonio Parente, depicts a river winding through mountains, cities, forests and swamps.

Love ballad

The Melrose Pyrotechnics team will present a love ballad to the beauty of the Han River during the final night of the competition.

The team started performing in the 1960s at Melrose Park Village in the US State of Illinois.

In the early 1980s, the team become one of the world's first companies to use electronic fireworks displays. It has won numerous awards at international competitions in Japan, Canada and China.

Sky garden

Tamaya Kitahara Fireworks was started in the 17th century.

The company began entering fireworks shows in 1982. Its performances combine traditional motifs with the latest technologies. Tamaya has won dozens of contests in many countries, including South Korea, China, France and Spain.

"We want to create a party of fireworks for all attendees. You will feel lost in a sky garden decorated by fireworks and lights," the Japanese team representative said.

The team placed third at the Da Nang International Fireworks competition in 2010. - VNS

Source: vietnamnews.vn