Opening of the 2025 National Cheo Festival

Chú thích ảnh

Leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and leaders of the Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee presented flowers to the Arts Council. Photo: Dong Thuy/VNA

Attending the opening ceremony were comrades: Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism , Head of the Festival Steering Committee; Vuong Quoc Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province; Nguyen Viet Oanh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Bac Ninh province and a large number of people.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong said that the Party and State have always been consistent in their viewpoint of preserving and promoting the value of traditional cultural heritage, including Cheo stage art, which is both a responsibility and a sacred mission in the process of building an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity. The Party's resolutions on cultural development, specifically Resolution No. 23-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of literature and art in the new period, have clearly affirmed this.

The Politburo and the Government are assigning the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to preside over and advise on the development of a specialized Resolution on the revival and development of Vietnamese culture in the new era. This is a milestone of strategic significance, demonstrating the deep and consistent interest of the Party and State in the cause of cultural development - considering culture as the spiritual foundation of society, an important endogenous driving force for the country's sustainable development.

The development of this thematic Resolution not only aims to reposition the role of culture in overall national development but also opens up specific mechanisms and policies to support, preserve and promote traditional cultural values, including Cheo art and other forms of national theatrical art so that culture can truly become a soft power, spreading in social life and the souls of Vietnamese people.

The National Cheo Festival is a regular professional art activity organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to evaluate artistic creation, performance, preservation and promotion of the value of Cheo art in the current period. This is also an opportunity for art units to meet, exchange experiences, learn from each other, thereby improving professional quality and bringing Cheo art closer to the public.

Chú thích ảnh — A scene from the play “Thien Menh” performed by Bac Ninh Province Cheo Theatre. Photo: Dong Thuy/VNA

In particular, this Festival is the first professional cultural and performing arts event held after the country implemented the 2-level local government model, marking a turning point in the organization, management and development of cultural and artistic activities in the new context. This further enhances the significance of the Festival, demonstrating the industry's determination to innovate, adapt and integrate in the country's development process.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Bac Ninh Province Le Xuan Loi emphasized that Bac Ninh is proud to be the homeland of "Northern Cheo Mat", one of the four famous "Four Mats" of ancient Cheo art in Vietnam. On this land rich in cultural traditions, Cheo art soon took root, spread widely in the spiritual life of the people, and became an indispensable part of community cultural activities. Up to now, many ancient Cheo villages continue to be maintained and strongly developed in contemporary life, as vivid proof of the enduring vitality of traditional art.

Bac Ninh province hosts the National Cheo Festival, which is an opportunity for artists, actors, and Cheo artisans in the province to meet, exchange, and learn from the experiences of Central art troupes and other provinces and cities in preserving, maintaining, and promoting the quintessence of traditional Cheo art, contributing to promoting the development of Bac Ninh province's Cheo art in the new era. This is also an opportunity for people in the province to enjoy the excellent performances of professional art troupes across the country, contributing to improving the people's lives and cultural enjoyment needs.

This year's festival brings together 12 professional Cheo art troupes with the participation of more than 900 artists, actors, and musicians from many provinces and cities across the country.

The troupes brought to the Festival 21 outstanding plays, elaborately invested in ideological content and staging art, vividly reflecting social life, praising the homeland, country, and people of Vietnam; honoring moral and humanistic values and aspirations for goodness. Each play lasted from 90 to 120 minutes, promoting beauty, humanistic values and the spirit of building a well-rounded person, arousing the aspiration to develop a prosperous and happy country, contributing to building an advanced Vietnamese culture with a strong national identity.

The festival runs until November 2. At the end of the festival, the Organizing Committee will award Gold and Silver Medals to outstanding plays and individuals; and at the same time, award excellence prizes to authors, directors, musicians, artists, and choreographers who have made significant contributions to the entries.

Right after the opening ceremony, the audience enjoyed the play "Thien Menh" performed by Bac Ninh Province Cheo Theater.

According to VNA

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/khai-mac-lien-hoan-cheo-toan-quoc-2025-a464609.html