Colorful lights, sweet treats and depictions of Santa and snowmen all contribute to the Christmas season’s festive feeling. But nothing exemplifies the holiday more than music. Whether sung in churches, played on shopping mall sound systems or performed by choirs stopped in front of homes, iconic Christmas songs make the final weeks of December a special time of year.

The Ho Chi Minh City Ballet Symphony Orchestra and Opera (HBSO) is honoring this tradition with a special Christmas Concert on December 20 and 21 at the Saigon Opera House.The evening will feature 14 memorable Christmas tunes spanning styles, eras and nations performed by an array of talented local performers.

“Celebrate the Season” is a fitting beginning to the evening. Matt Conaway’s piece celebrates the season’s universal appeal via its inclusion of the melody from “Joy to the World” as joined by jubilant holiday flourishes.

Given its origins in Christian traditions, the HBSO show includes several hymns and classic religious songs such as “Amazing Grace” and “Mary Did You Know.” Some of the most cherished Christmas songs were written long ago and remain as timeless odes of the season, such as Adolphe Adam’s “O Holy Night.” Meanwhile, newer favorites continue to emerge such as “Halleluja” which Leonard Cohen wrote in the 1980s to enduring appreciation.

Christmas is a cultural occasion independent of religion as well, as seen in many of the songs associated with the holiday. Audiences will immediately recognize hits such as “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” and “Jingle Bells.” The HBSO’s performance also pays attention to the holiday’s international prominence with songs such as “Pietà, Signore!” by Alessandro Stradella. Movies of course are an integral part of Christmas as well, as alluded to in the night’s inclusion of a portion of the soundtrack from “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” and “Christmas at the Movies.”

To bring this stellar sampling of Christmas songs to life, the HBSO has united standout Vietnamese performers. The Deputy Head and a soloist of HBSO Opera, Phạm Trang, will take the lead tenor role for several songs. Duyên Nguyệt, a world-traveling soprano who has performed in Germany, France and South Korea will also be featured. Graduate of Hanoi’s Vietnam National Academy of Music, Đào Mác brings his rich baritone voice trained for classical music to the evening while Phan Hồng Dịu, who graduated with a Master’s Degree in vocal performance before joining the HBSO, will contribute to several Christmas songs. Meanwhile, Võ Nguyễn Thành Tâm, the winner of numerous accolades throughout Vietnam will join the full choir for the opening song.

Trần Nhật Minh, the Head and Chorusmaster of the HBSO Opera will conduct the evening. After earning his Master's degree from Moscow’s Tchaikovsky Conservatory, he performed with the Moscow Conservatory’s Chamber Chorus in Russia, France, Italy and elsewhere and won Best Conductor in the National Competition of Voice-Dance and Music for his work with the HSBO in 2009.

Whether looking for a way to embrace the holiday or simply in search of beautiful music performed in the iconic building, the Christmas Concert promises to be a jubilant night to remember.