Vu Quang Trung, the music director, was summoned by the People's Court Region 2, Hanoi, as a party with related rights and obligations in the customer deception case concerning the cancellation of the "Ve day bon canh chim troi" show in late 2025.

The defendant on trial is Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Director of Ngoc Viet Company, the show's organizer. Ha previously testified that the primary reason for the show's cancellation was a failure to reach an agreement with Trung, who had signed a 926 million VND contract with the company. Trung, however, denied this claim.

Vu Quang Trung presents his views in court. Photo: Thanh Lam

Artists rehearsed diligently despite receiving no payment.

Trung expressed his deep sadness for himself and the artists when the show was canceled, especially due to the misunderstanding that they "abandoned the show for money". He highlighted that many artists, despite not receiving one dong from Ha, rehearsed diligently until the performance day. He cited the example of artist Tran Manh Tuan, who, despite being ill with leg pain, traveled to Hanoi for full rehearsals, driven by the desire to deliver the best performance for the audience. According to Trung, Ha's approach to work was disproportionate.

Trung stated that in his role as music director and arranger for 31 pieces with an orchestra of over 40 musicians, his primary duty was solely artistic. He had no authority or responsibility to decide on the cancellation or postponement of the show. He and the artists had completed most of their work, even before receiving any payment.

From 22/12 to 27/12/2025, all 31 songs were fully arranged and rehearsed, awaiting only the final dress rehearsal on the actual stage on 28/12/2025. Given the show's large scale, involving over 100 performers, sound setup required a minimum of 6-8 hours, or even a full day. Therefore, if issues remained unresolved past noon on the performance day, the show could not proceed.

Regarding payment disputes, the agreed payment schedule involved three installments, but Ha's company delayed payments by 10 days. Meanwhile, all artists had declined other shows and permitted the company to use their images for ticket sales. Trung repeatedly reminded Ha, but she failed to pay. Furthermore, on the morning of the show, Ha unexpectedly announced a change in payment method "via Zalo message". According to Trung, this last-minute change was unacceptable as it affected the collective interests of the artists and lacked their consent.

However, Trung stated that the decisive reason was Ha's company's lack of professionalism in organizing and securing copyrights for the songs. Since these works had already been arranged by him, rehearsed, and singers were ready to perform, the copyright center's prohibition created a serious legal risk. Trung stated he had no authority to resolve this legal issue but could not ignore it and allow the performance to proceed, especially after the copyright entity had sent direct requests to the singers.

Previously, Ha testified that she had visited the graves, offered incense, and sought permission from the families of late musicians Trinh Cong Son, Pham Duy, and Van Cao. She claimed payments to the copyright center were "ongoing" and that she had never owed money to the artists.

Audience members express outrage.

In court, a victim representative stated that losing ticket money was only a minor issue compared to the effort of those who traveled from Ho Chi Minh City and abroad to Hanoi, hoping to attend a quality music show. They argued that Ha's justifications were blame-shifting, while the primary fault lay with her. "You blame others, but as a director, you must anticipate revenue, costs, and at least copyright conditions", the victim stated. According to this individual, even if Ha had fully paid Trung and the singers, the show could not have proceeded if copyrights were not secured by the performance day.

The show only received a license from the Department of Culture on 22/12/2025, yet Ha's company had been selling tickets since October 2025. "When you sold us tickets, at the very least, the show should have been licensed, and the planned songs approved. You took our money without having anything in hand; that is fraud, not merely deception", the victim expressed outrage.

Announcing the verdict this afternoon, the Judicial Council, considering the nature of the actions and mitigating personal circumstances, sentenced Ha to two years in prison. She was also ordered to refund money to individuals who purchased tickets and pay agents.

Thanh Lam