A Brief Look Back at the History of Paris By Night
PARIS BY NIGHT 94
25 Năm Kỷ Niệm PARIS BY NIGHT
PARIS BY NIGHT 94
25 Năm Kỷ Niệm PARIS BY NIGHT
1983 - 2008
NHÂN BUỔI NHẠC HỘI GHI DẤU 25 NĂM PARIS BY NIGHT, TỔ CHỨC THU HÌNH TẠI THÀNH PHỐ LONG BEACH, TRUNG TÂM THÚY NGA XIN MƯỢN DỊP NÀY ĐỂ BÀY TỎ LÒNG TRI ÂN:
- ĐẾN QUÍ VỊ KHÁN GIẢ ĐÃ LIÊN TỤC ỦNG HỘ THÚY NGA
- ĐỐI VỚI ANH CHỊ EM NGHỆ SĨ ĐÃ THÂN TÌNH HỢP TÁC
- VÀ ĐỐI VỚI CÁC CHUYÊN VIÊN KỶ THUẬT ĐÃ ÂM THẦM HOẠT ĐỘNG ĐỂ MANG ĐẾN NHỮNG SẢN PHẨM PARIS BY NIGHT ĐẾN QUÍ VỊ TRONG 25 NĂM QUA
LOOKING BACK AT 1983
This year we proudly celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Paris By Night. As we celebrate the momentous anniversary, let’s go back 25 years and see how all this began. Rewind back to 1983. This was a very notable year for the music world. It was during this year that legendary performer Karen Carpenter lost her battle with anorexia. It was also during this eventful year that we saw the immense rise of Michael Jackson into fame. 1983 also marked the formation of such bands as Bon Jovi, The Dust Brothers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Testament. Hit singles of 1983 included Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean; Irene Cara’s Flashdance…What a Feeling; and David Bowie’s Let’s Dance.
IN THE BEGINNING
Amongst this worldly music scene, in the autumn of 1983, a little independent company, located in a modest office in Paris, would release a video that would forever change the face of Vietnamese music…Paris By Night #1. It’s very difficult to imagine that Paris By Night has been around for a quarter of a century already! However, the Paris By Night of 1983 is very different from the shows that we know today. At that time, it took only $19,000 to produce the program. I say ‘only’ very cautiously, because $19,000 was considered a very large financial burden at that time for this company. The first Paris By Night consisted of 11 songs, performed by 8 singers. The first few years were very unstable for the company and videos would be released inconsistently. But this was the general description and attitude of the Vietnamese community at large during this time. In the early 1980s, the Vietnamese community only consisted of the first generation of immigrants. The communities at the time were scattered and everyone’s financial status was still very capricious. However, due to love of music, and through determination and hard work, Thúy Nga slowly released additional Paris By Night programs, although the amount of sales was still considered to be very minimal and unimpressive.
Then came another major obstacle: the assurgency of the Chinese-translated movies phenomenon. This was the major trend and past-time of the era. Because of these movies, people were even less interested in the Vietnamese-produced music programs. Even the Thúy Nga produced Khi Hoa Anh Đào Nở, Thành Được’s first movie taped outside of Vietnam, yielded very disappointing sales. The spread of the Chinese movies was devastating for Thúy Nga and nearly caused the disbandment of the company.
(Thanks to Cang for helping with these captures)
Then came a miraculous turning point for the company…the release of Giã Biệt Sàigòn, a documentary / music video. At the time of this release, information and news coming in and out of Vietnam was very scarce. People were unaware of what the situation was like back at home. Communication and travel in and out of the country was extremely limited. The release of this video immediately brought back a flood of memories and tears for all who left after the fall of Saigon. This video was considered a tremendous success for Thúy Nga both artistically and financially and ultimately allowed the company to resume production.
MASTERS OF CEREMONY
The first six Paris By Night programs were produced utilizing an MTV format. At the encouragement of the President of Euro Media productions, an MC element was introduced beginning with Paris By Night 7. The very first MC was Jo Marcel. Over the years, Paris By Night has been guided by many MCs including Jo Marcel, Trần Văn Trạch, Hương Lan, Việt Thảo, La Thoại Tân, Ngọc Phu, Kim Anh, Trần Quốc Bảo, Đỗ Văn, Lê Văn, Huyền Châu, Mai Phương, Hồng Đào, Nguyễn Văn Thịnh, and Tô Chấn Phong.
But the two most identifiable and perhaps the two people who have added the most substance and character to the Paris By Night programs are Nguyễn Ngọc Ngạn and Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên. It is undeniable that these two have played a very large role in the success of Paris By Night throughout the years. There is a reason that this pair has been called “irreplaceable.” Their interactions with the audience and with each other have added an additional dimension of entertainment to each Paris By Night program.
LOCATIONS
For the first ten years in production, all Paris By Night programs were taped in Paris. As time has progressed, Paris By Night has spread its wings and has held numerous shows in several California cities including: Cerritos, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Buena Park, and San Jose. Paris By Night 32, which looked back at the 20 year journey after the fall of Saigon, was taped at the Shrine Auditorium where the Academy Awards were presented prior to the recent completion of the Kodak Theater. Paris By Night 29 and 37 were taped at the renowned Caesar’s Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1994 and 1996 respectively. Houston, Texas has been home to two Paris By Nights spanning 11 years in between: Paris By Night 36 taped in 1996 and Paris By Night 88 taped in 2007. In 2006, Atlanta was chosen as the taping location for Paris By Night 84. While in Atlanta, the Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center was chosen. The Atlanta Civic Center boasts the largest performance stage in the Southeast. Outside of the United States, Toronto has been chosen several times, with Paris By Night 38 marking the first edition taped in the Canadian city. While in Toronto, the CBC Television studio is most often used, however the John Bassett Theater at the Metro Convention Center has also been used.
2007 marked a very exciting endeavor as Paris By Night 89 was taped at the Olympic Fencing Stadium in Seoul, Korea. Because of the sheer size of the venue, two stages had to be constructed! Another very exciting aspect of the Korea show was that Thúy Nga collaborated with a touring company and allowed audiences from around the world to attend the Paris By Night 89 taping while also taking in the sites of Korea and another Asian country.
HONORING THE COMPOSERS
Throughout the course of the past 25 years, Paris By Night has held a very honorable tradition of allowing the audience to meet many of Vietnamese music’s most prolific composers. It has also been a desire to introduce these composers to the audience and to honor them for their contributions to Vietnamese music. In many aspects, this is seen as a tribute to those who have played a vital role in shaping Vietnamese music throughout history.
Some of the men who have been honored through special Paris By Night editions include: Phạm Duy (PBN 19, 30), Ngô Thụy Miên (PBN 21, 66), Lam Phương (PBN 22, 28, 88), Văn Phụng (PBN 27), Đức Huy (PBN 33), Hoàng Thi Thơ (PBN 41, 47), Tuấn Khanh (PBN 64), Vũ Thành An (PBN 64), Từ Công Phụng (PBN 64), Trần Trịnh (PBN 66), Nhật Ngân (PBN 66), Phạm Mạnh Cương (PBN 70), Lê Dinh (PBN 70), Trường Sa (PBN 70), Huỳnh Anh (PBN 74), Nguyễn Hiền (PBN 74), Sông Ngọc (PBN 74), Quốc Dũng (PBN 78), Châu Kỳ (PBN 78), Tùng Giang (PBN 78), Xuân Tiên (PBN 83), Thanh Sơn (PBN 83), Nguyễn Ánh 9 (PBN 83). Of this impressive list, we have sadly since their Paris By Night appearance lost Hoàng Thi Thơ, Văn Phụng and Châu Kỳ. It is often said that even though they are no longer with us…their music will forever remain in our hearts.
DANCING AND CHOREOGRAPHY
One of the many aspects which set Paris By Night apart from all other productions are the dancers and the accompanying choreography. Even though not always seen on screen, each and every one of the dancers puts in his or her entire soul into each performance. They not only dance, they also act. Their movements are precise, elaborate, and definite. In addition to their graceful movements, they all tell the story of the song with their facial expressions as well. Through the years, Paris By Night has assembled a very elite group of young dancers that are comparable with some of the world’s greatest dancing ensembles.
Several of the Paris By Night dancers have moved on to garner International acclaim. Addie Yungmee and Dominique Chaiduang is currently on tour with Celine Dion. Pam Chu is currently in Las Vegas for a Cirque de Soleil engagement. Vinh Bui and Scotty Nguyen have danced with the sensational Spice Girls.
Besides that, the recently taped Paris By Night 93 appropriately titled “Celebrity Dancing” features some of Hollywood’s most well-known and trained ballroom dancers. This includes Anya (Dancing with the Stars), Pasha Kovalev (So You Think You Can Dance), and Brian Fortuna (Dancing with the Stars, featured dancer in The Aviator).
A large reason for the greatness of the Paris By Night dancers is through the unrivaled dedication, direction, and talent of Shanda Sawyer. At a very young age, Shanda began her dancing and choreography career. What is truly amazing is that Shanda can feel and express the emotions of each song while not understanding the language and this is very evident in her countless choreographed routines on the Paris By Night stage. She can truly embrace the spirit of the song. Paris By Night 34, taped in 1995, marked Shanda’s first appearance as choreographer for Thúy Nga productions. She has been the primary choreographer for this production ever since. Her unique talent and imagination have elevated the performances on Paris By Night to new heights. Besides Paris By Night, her impressive list of credits includes: Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus, Dancing with the Stars ’07 Live Tour, Ghost Whisperer, Las Vegas, Disney Animal Kingdom, and Seigfried and Roy. That is just a small sample of Shanda’s incredible achievements!
Under her direction, the choreographed performances from Paris By Night 67 in San Jose were nominated for the very prestigious American Choreography Awards. The American Choreography Awards were founded in 1994 to recognize outstanding achievements in Film, Television, Commercial, and Music Video. This nomination can be considered as a ground-breaking event for Vietnamese music entertainment. Nominated in the same category with Paris By Night were Celine Dion in Las Vegas, The Wayne Brady Show, Cher – The Farewell Tour, and MadTV. While the award did not ultimately go to Shanda Sawyer and Paris By Night, it is still a very distinguished honor in knowing that Paris By Night is being watched and recognized by the international entertainment community. Furthermore, this nomination speaks to the continued strive for greatness from both Thúy Nga and from Shanda Sawyer.
LOOKING FORWARD
It is incredible to think that it has been 25 years since Paris By Night was first released. At the time of this posting, Thúy Nga has already taped up to Paris By Night 93 and has released up to Paris By Night 92. This coming September, in Long Beach, Thúy Nga will elaborately celebrate the official 25th Anniversary with the taping of Paris By Night 94 to be released at the end of the year. We have clearly seen an improvement in terms of artistry, concept, and technology with each new edition of Paris By Night. From the single VHS tapes first produced, we moved to double tapes, then triple tapes, and now we’re at the DVD. Technology and audience demand will dictate where we go on from here.
It is amazing to realize that for the past 25 years Thúy Nga continues to be the number one and the most watched Vietnamese music production. Nearly every aspiring singer will tell you that their ultimate dream is to one day have the opportunity to step onto the Paris By Night stage. There is just a halo of prestige that comes with being a Paris By Night singer that one cannot achieve elsewhere. We have seen many singers come and go in the past 25 years, and while fame may be a very subjective measurement, it can be said that each singer became more “famous” by performing on the Paris By Night stage. Throughout the years, Paris By Night has introduced many new singers to the audience while elevating and sustaining the fame of those singers who were already established. While natural vocal talent and performing skills are a must for any singer, those natural talents cannot equate to much if it cannot be carried out to the audience. Paris By Night, throughout the past 25 years, has become a medium for singers to flourish and blossom.
One of the continued efforts of Paris By Night is to always challenge themselves and they are constantly discovering new ways to be unique and different. In a business where music written 50 years ago continues to be extremely popular, and sometimes preferred, it may be very difficult to move away from that comfort zone of always recycling “old” songs and ideas. But without finding new ideas and new talents, programs can easily become static. The only way to move forward is through challenges and new approaches. This has continued to be the philosophy held by Paris By Night. In 2006, Thúy Nga took on a massive challenge by broadcasting the Talent Shows Live over the internet. While the entire process created some problems, it does again speak of Thúy Nga’s continued strive for something new, something different, and something excellent.
With 93 Paris By Nights already produced and while it cannot be boasted that every program is perfect, it can be said that the heart and soul of everyone involved in the production were poured into these programs. It can be said that they are very proud of all 93 editions of Paris By Night. And what is even more important and something that we can all be proud of is that for the past 25 years, Paris By Night has played a very large role in maintaining and sustaining the culture of Vietnamese music overseas.
I hate to end this article of reminiscence on a sad note, but unfortunately through all the challenges and frustrations Paris By Night has faced throughout the past 25 years, the occurrence of piracy is perhaps the most severe and it is slowly crippling, not only Thúy Nga, but other Vietnamese music productions as well. Piracy is slowly chipping away at all the hard work that has been put into establishing the Paris By Night name. And while piracy has always been an issue, due to the age of technology in which we live, it is now very simple and very accessible for anyone to commit these piracy crimes. This is a battle that Paris By Night cannot fight alone. If we are to expect Paris By Night to advance further in terms of artistry, technology, and quality we must unite together to stop this horrendous situation. Just put yourself in the shoes of everyone involved in making a grand production as Paris By Night and imagine what it must feel like to have all of your hard work stolen in front of your eyes. I know it sounds like a broken record when talking about piracy, but the reality of the situation is that things are getting worse and not better. We need to all take a stand and change the attitude of those who commit these crimes soon. We need to make a pact to not purchase and not let anyone we know purchase pirated copies and buy only original products. This truly is a very dire situation, but if we commit and start a chain of what we know to be true and right, we can make a difference. We are celebrating 25 years of Paris By Night achievement, how many more anniversaries can we expect if the situation does not change? Can you imagine a world without Paris By Night?
25 years. That is truly amazing. It is both such a long time, yet 25 years for some can go by within a blink of an eye. My parents left Vietnam in 1975 and they often say they cannot believe 33 years have already gone by. But for 25 years, through 93 programs, Paris By Night has entertained the Vietnamese community. They have made us laugh, and cry, and rejoice. Paris By Night has moved far from being just an entertainment program and it is in itself a culture all on its own. Besides being of entertainment value, it’s also a lesson in culture, language, politics, history, and fashion. But beyond that, Paris By Night has done the incredible job of uniting the Vietnamese communities of the world together by creating that bond of common interest no matter where you live. On a personal note, I am 26 years old this year, so it can pretty much be said that I have grown up with Paris By Night. It may sound very cliché, but Paris By Night has impacted me in so many ways. It is truly my source of joy and excitement, and where I turn to in times of sadness and frustration. In addition, Paris By Night has played a very large part in my understanding of the Vietnamese culture and language. And I’m sure many of you out there hold this same sentiment. Whether you’re a fan or not, you cannot deny that resiliency and the greatness that Paris By Night has brought to the Vietnamese community. We should all be very grateful and very proud of the accomplishments Paris By Night has garnered in the past 25 years. I will be there come September to celebrate in these 25th Anniversary celebrations, and I hope I will see many of you there as well. One last time, Happy 25th Anniversary Paris By Night and Thank you for everything!!!!
John Nguyen
July 2008
ABOUTME
My name is Myson Nguyen. Most of you that are visitng this page probably already know me from TN Forums as mysonnguyen1431. For those who don't know me, I am a major PBN junkie. I began watching at the age of 3, but I fell deeply in love with the program during my middle school years. Since then, I have collected PBN's 15 through now. I dedicated part of my middle school life iniating and maintaining this blog. After several years of vacancy, I decided to give this blog a major facelift. This site is still under construction, so I hope all of you can remain patient and bare with me. Since I am in college now, I'm devoting part of my time to revise this website and share with you some special posts so stay tuned, there's plenty more to come! Thank you for visiting xoxo
1 comments:
so amazing Anh john
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