One winter evening in 2023, at the foot of Vietnam's tallest lighthouse on the shore of Ha Long Bay, Bai Chay ward, stage lights lit up amidst the vast space of waves.
When My Tam's voice rang out, thousands of spectators were silent in the moment the music blended into the sea and sky. Few people know that, to have that performance night, the person standing behind the stage, Mr. Ngo Thanh Tung (44 years old, residing in Bai Chay ward, Quang Ninh province) waited for more than a year to receive the female singer's consent.
And even fewer people imagine that an outsider like him has brought top Vietnamese music stars to sing on the stages on the shore of the world's natural wonder Ha Long Bay.
They are My Tam, Tung M-TP, Noo Phuoc Thinh, Bang Kieu, My Linh, Thu Minh, Jimmy Nguyen, Tuan Hung, Lam Truong, Dan Truong, Hoa Minzy, Duc Phuc, Van Mai Huong, Trung Quan Idol, Ha Nhi, Vu Cat Tuong, Hua Kim Tuyen, Quang Ha, Ung Hoang Phuc, Pham Quynh Anh...
From the first show in May 2022 to this point, "boss" Ngo Thanh Tung said that he and his teammates and partners have organized about 400 art programs, including about 200 music programs with ticket sales in the old Ha Long City.
Looking back over the past 4 years, from the first show until now, he has not imagined that he has done such a large amount of work, even not simple for even people in the profession, let alone a non-professional like him.
Born and raised in Bai Chay, he said that before, besides passion, he didn't understand anything about music, and had never been in showbiz or organized events.
His path to becoming a "show organizer" began with trips to Da Lat. He is fascinated by the atmosphere of music nights on pine hills - where audiences and singers are close to each other, where music is not confined to rigid spaces.
My hometown has plenty of natural conditions to organize such programs, there are also hills and mountains, pine trees, and more than that, there is beautiful Ha Long Bay ahead" - he confided.
In the early days, he and his wife invited singers and small bands to sing live on the porch, just for family and friends to enjoy. Gradually, through each singing session for each other, the idea of "Singing amidst wonders" gradually formed.
The first stage he set up was "Thong Zeo" with the music brand "Sound of Pines", because pine is his favorite tree, and the old Ha Long City had many beautiful pine hills. This stage is located on a pine hill on Hau Can street, Bai Chay ward, overlooking Ha Long Bay.
Successively, the leading music stars of the country came here to perform, some returned a few more times.
In the following years, new stages continued to open, larger in scale and with more beautiful sea views. That is the "Sun Hill" stage on Dang Ba Hat street, Hong Gai ward and Bai Chay lighthouse.
Depending on each singer and audience size, there are shows organized at Ha Long International Passenger Port and recently an additional stage in Hung Thang urban area located on the shore of Ha Long Bay.
Such music shows have been and are contributing to attracting tourists to the coastal city, especially in winter - a time when tourism is usually quiet.
Although the scale of each program is only a few thousand people, even a few hundred people, the spread is very large, because the singers are all stars and often have a large number of fans accompanying them.
The journey to open stages on the shore of Ha Long Bay in recent years has not only had lights and applause. Storm Yagi once swept through, blowing away many items, even the entire stage, causing Ngo Thanh Tung to almost lose everything and have to start over. But from the rubble, the stages are still being erected, continuing to welcome audiences.
Currently, "boss" Ngo Thanh Tung is preparing for the return of famous singer Jimmy Nguyen, expected right after the Lunar New Year at the "Sunny Hill" stage.
Sharing about future plans, Ngo Thanh Tung said that he will continue to elevate products with small-scale concerts. In addition to familiar stars, he wants to invite other names, such as: Den Vau, Ha Anh Tuan... and international bands, including a plan to invite Korean bands to perform.
From singing sessions for each other on the porch to mesmerizing stages on the shore of Ha Long Bay, Ngo Thanh Tung's story is not only an individual's startup journey, but also proof that when music meets nature and is led by a persistent dream, Ha Long can attract and retain tourists with very unique sounds.
