Connecting cultures, experiencing differences.

Việt Nam•10/12/2023

For the first time, the first International Performing Arts Festival in 2023 attracted locals and tourists alike. The spectacular and vibrant artistic performances, meticulously staged by art troupes from both Vietnam and abroad, left a lasting impression on the hearts of Vietnamese people…

Different from water puppetry

Each program offers something different, each performance by the artists contributing the best of their respective cultures to the public. In Vietnam, for example, water puppetry leaves a lasting positive impression on the people. While this traditional art form is very familiar in the North, it is something interesting, captivating, and novel for people in the South – something they may never have seen in real life from childhood to adulthood. Mr. Nguyen Trung Truc, an audience member, said: "From childhood to adulthood, this is the first time I've seen Vietnamese water puppetry so authentic and vibrant. It evoked many emotions in me, bringing joy, excitement, and surprise. I think only Vietnam has this unique art form. With the setting up of two water pavilions at the two corners of the stage, although modest, the artists of the Vietnam Puppet Theatre vividly recreated the entire culture with performances such as: Agricultural Games; Duck Catching; The Eight Immortals; Traditional Singing; Spiritual Dances; Dragon Dance; Ca Tru Singing; Fishing; Children Playing in the Water…

Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hong shared: “I’ve only ever seen it on TV before, never in person. Now, at over 50 years old, I’ve finally seen water puppetry in person. My feeling is that it’s very joyful and lively. The artists have recreated aspects of Vietnamese labor and production, but it’s touching to see the young people immersed in the water to entertain the audience.” Water puppet artist Nguyen Lan shared: “Although I’ve performed all over the world, this is my first time in Binh Thuan , so we’ve brought our best performances to serve, with the message of conveying Vietnamese traditional culture to domestic and international tourists.”

Besides the outstanding performances brought by international troupes, the water puppet show by the artists of the Vietnam Water Puppet Theatre deserves special mention. Audience member Nguyen Thi Linh also commented: "Many performances were good, but I was still impressed by the water puppet show because it was unique and interesting. I hope there will be more programs like this to serve the public."

Connecting cultures, promoting tourism.

With the theme "Connecting Creativity," the International Performing Arts Festival, held in Phan Thiet city, serves as a starting point for building a distinctive cultural and tourism brand for Binh Thuan province, creating long-term and sustainable investment attraction in Binh Thuan.

Mr. Bui The Nhan, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated: The first International Performing Arts Festival in 2023 - Binh Thuan, Vietnam, is organized to enhance the spiritual life of the people and contribute to promoting cultural and tourism development in the process of integration and sustainable development of Binh Thuan province. At the same time, the festival helps introduce to domestic and international friends and tourists the unique cultural identity and performing arts essence of Binh Thuan province in particular, and Vietnam in general. This creates opportunities for a large number of people, artists, intellectuals, and scholars in Binh Thuan province in particular, and Vietnam in general, to exchange and absorb international culture and art, especially performing arts.

International artists interact with Vietnamese audiences.

With the convergence of over 300 artists and performers from 7 international and Vietnamese art troupes, the festival also attracted more than 10 independent young artist groups participating in grand music shows and street festivals such as puppetry, circus, variety shows, and traditional Vietnamese folk music... all directed and written by Le Quy Duong, bringing a fresh and different feel compared to many previous programs.

Despite the sunny weather, the audience still came to watch and enthusiastically cheer on the performing artists.

The main venue is the stage on Nguyen Tat Thanh Street. Over the past three days, the International Performing Arts Festival has also featured community stages continuously hosting many unique artistic performances such as: street performances; international performances, outdoor world peace concerts and parades; symphony performances; grand music festivals… In addition, the festival also includes other activities such as an international seminar on the theme “Building Phan Thiet into an international center for training and performing arts”; and training in specialized skills for performing arts.

According to Tobias Biancone, Director General of the World Performing Arts Association, the International Performing Arts Festival is opening its doors and bringing performances from other countries to Vietnam. This also helps Vietnamese works have the opportunity to reach an international audience, bringing Vietnamese artistic creativity to people all over the world, and creating wonder for communities and individuals globally. Furthermore, this festival is a stepping stone to making Phan Thiet a unique destination for performing arts, both artistically and educationally.