Two plays were awarded Gold Medals at the 2025 National Tuong and Folk Opera Festival

An art performance at the Festival's closing ceremony. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

On the evening of November 26, the 2025 National Tuong and Folk Opera Festival officially closed in Hanoi. The festival was chaired by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Department of Performing Arts, in coordination with the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, and related units.

In his closing speech at the Festival, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong affirmed: Each play and each role not only demonstrates the artist's professional capacity but is also the crystallization of love for the profession, the desire to continue tradition, and innovate methods of expression to suit the increasingly high enjoyment needs of the public in the new context.

“The festival also recognizes the persistent and silent contributions of the creative team: directors, musicians, choreographers, artists, musicians, technicians… - those who have created an aesthetically rich stage space, delicate artistic effects, contributing to increasing the depth of the message of each work” - Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong emphasized.

Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong delivered the closing speech of the Festival. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

According to Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong, in addition to its artistic value, the Festival also creates an environment for professional exchange, expands creative space and contributes to nurturing the next generation - those who will continue to shoulder the mission of preserving and promoting the art of Tuong and folk opera in the future. This is also an opportunity to better recognize the responsibility in preserving and promoting national cultural heritage.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that the Ministry will continue to synchronously deploy solutions to promote the value of traditional art forms, including tuong and folk opera; at the same time, encourage art units to boldly innovate their approaches, increase the application of science and technology, expand the audience and improve the lives of artists.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also continue to direct the development of appropriate mechanisms and policies, creating conditions for the creative environment to develop; focusing on improving the quality of works, consolidating human resources for performing and enhancing communication and promotion to bring Tuong and folk opera closer to the modern public. This is not only the task of theaters and artists but also the common responsibility of the entire industry in preserving and promoting the core values of Vietnamese culture.

People's Artist Le Tien Tho gives a final assessment of the artistic quality of the Festival. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

Assessing the professional quality of the Festival, People's Artist Le Tien Tho, Chairman of the Art Council, commented: Historical themes are the main theme (8/14 plays), mainly composed and staged by Tuong art units with highly conventional and general artistic characteristics, bringing to today's audience historical lessons through new approaches in script structure and problem-posing. In addition, there are 4 plays about the period of resistance against France and America; 1 play about folk themes mixed with mythological colors; 1 play about modern anti-corruption.

“The art of Tuong and folk songs belongs to the genre of opera. This genre approaches and reflects historical, historical, and folk themes, which will promote artistic strengths. But in this Festival, there are plays composed on modern themes, the anti-American period. As for folk songs and dramas, with their strength in genre, they have addressed the current hot issues of anti-corruption” - People's Artist Le Tien Tho said.

Awarding Gold Medal for the play. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

In general, all 14 plays in the Festival, whether in the art of Tuong or folk songs, are based on the basic principles of the art form to promote and express the character image well, maintaining the artistic identity. However, considering each element that makes up the play, along with the advantages, there are still limitations.

For example, in terms of scripts, the authors participating in the Festival are experienced in composing, so they can handle diverse melodies in situations and circumstances, in resolving conflicts, and building plays. However, there are still authors who speak for the characters, raise issues but do not resolve them thoroughly, and there are no truly impressive plays that the audience will remember for a long time.

Or, in terms of staging, some directors have not fully grasped the rules of conventionality, so the stage is decorated with many platforms, using scenery to cover up the performing arts; the stage decorations and LED screens are not compatible; many plays include songs, which destroy the melody of the opera and folk songs; there are redundant roles in the structure...

Awarding Silver Medal for the play. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

The Arts Council recommends that the Department of Performing Arts should make a specific plan for the regular Festival, notify the units in advance to prepare the script, director, creative team, avoid the case of an author, director, creative team having many works in the Festival, reducing the artistic quality. The Department should also coordinate with the competent agencies to organize a workshop to evaluate the artistic quality, give suggestions to edit the Organizing Regulations, Award Regulations to limit the shortcomings, improve the artistic quality of the Festival.

At the Closing Ceremony, the Organizing Committee awarded two gold medals to: the play “Fire of Phien Nung” (Vietnam National Traditional Theater) and the folk song play “Sinking in the Whirlpool” (Nghe An Traditional Arts Center).

3 silver medals were awarded to the play “Looking back at a dynasty” (Gia Lai Traditional Arts Theater); the opera “Hero” (Ho Chi Minh City Opera Theatre); the Hue opera “Palace Princess Diem Bich” (Hue Opera Theatre).

Awarding prizes to outstanding creative components. (Photo: Organizing Committee)

In addition, the Organizing Committee also awarded 18 gold medals and 34 silver medals to outstanding actors. Along with that, there were 4 Outstanding Awards for creative elements, including: Outstanding Scriptwriter (Hoang Cong Khanh, play "Cung Phi Diem Bich"); Outstanding Director (People's Artist Hoang Quynh Mai, play "Fire of Phien Nung"); Outstanding Music (Tran Quoc Chung, Thanh Hai, play "Sinking in the Whirlpool"); Outstanding Stage Decorator (Tran Hong Van, play "Hero").

TRANG ANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hai-vo-dien-duoc-trao-huy-chuong-vang-tai-lien-hoan-tuong-va-dan-ca-kich-toan-quoc-2025-post926101.html