General Director Pham Hoang Giang: "I want to tell heritage stories through modern theater"

A performance at the art night. (Photo: Organizer)

Taking place in the sacred space of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the 1st Thang Long - Hanoi Festival with the theme "Heritage - Connection - Era" (taking place from November 1 to November 16) left a deep impression in the public's mind about a different and creative art program, harmoniously combining artistic values and entertainment, with elaborate, magnificent and eye-catching performances.

The opening ceremony was staged on a large-scale stage, stretching in front of Doan Mon Gate - Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, with two symmetrical stages and a four-sided stage in the center, creating a multi-layered, lively performance space. Each performance gathered hundreds of artists, actors, artisans, dancers... bringing the audience an overwhelming, large-scale and emotional artistic picture.

The stage is large.

The art program is divided into three chapters corresponding to the theme of the Festival. “Heritage” explores the historical depth and the birth of the Thang Long - Hanoi heritage through performances rich in traditional materials such as Xam and Trong Quan melodies.

“Heritage Connection” demonstrates the spread of cultural quintessence, connecting Hanoi’s heritage with domestic and international localities through Cheo, Xam, Ca Tru performed in contemporary folk style, along with special performances from many regions such as Hat Van Hue - Mua Chen. “The Era” affirms today’s creative spirit, shaping the future by continuing and promoting traditional values, so that Vietnamese culture will continue to shine.

Many folk plays are performed on stage.

The program brings together many leading artists such as People's Artist Thu Huyen, Meritorious Artist Van Ty, Trong Tan, Tung Duong, Anh Tu, Meritorious Artist Dieu Hang, Meritorious Artist Nhu Huynh, singer Kieu Anh, Xam Ha Thanh Group, Ca Tru Thai Ha Guild...

On stage, the audience seemed to relive an ancient cultural space with the "specialties" of Hanoi's heritage: from pho street vendors in the early 20th century to festivals and folk performances.

The festival atmosphere is filled with traditional objects, “The prostitute playing the bong” (Thanh Liet), “The boat rowing” (O Dien), “The card game” (Phu Xuyen), “Giao Long” (Viet Hung), “Ai Lao” (Phuc Loi), sitting tug of war (Long Bien)… All blend together, recreating the brilliant colors of Thang Long, bringing the heritage alive in today’s life.

Director Pham Hoang Giang (5th from left) and crew.

Director Pham Hoang Giang shared that he and his crew had been preparing for 5-6 consecutive months, facing countless difficult and challenging "problems".

He confided: “With the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025, the biggest challenge is how to exploit heritage and traditional elements, but still breathe in the breath of the times so that the program can reach many audiences. My team and I have put all the experience and knowledge accumulated throughout our career to bring truly new and different experiences to the audience.”

According to his proposal, the opening program was held right at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long - where the entire heritage space was fully utilized, especially the Doan Mon Gate which was turned into the main stage. Thanks to that, many audiences were surprised when they walked through the performance space at the Imperial Citadel and stood at the foot of the Hanoi Flag Tower.

He shared: “I wanted to make the most of the existing space of Thang Long Imperial Citadel, so I designed a multi-point stage - a 360-degree stage, where performances can take place simultaneously in many different locations. We applied modern technology such as LED systems, lighting, stage effects... but the most important thing is to still preserve the soul and original beauty of Thang Long Imperial Citadel.”

For him, implementing the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival is one of the biggest challenges in his career as a festival director. Although he has been called the "director of festivals" and has conducted many major festivals across the country, the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival still forces him and his team to solve many "difficult problems" to balance creativity and preservation.

“Luckily, I have a young, enthusiastic team, who are willing to commit and constantly innovate. It is this spirit that has helped us overcome difficulties, creating a multi-sensory space - where stage, music and technology blend together, bringing truly different artistic experiences” - said director Pham Hoang Giang

Pham Hoang Giang confided that throughout the process of nurturing the idea, what he wanted most was to bring the audience a different experience, where the audience could not predict what would happen on stage.

“We aim to bring heritage values through modern stage effects, so that the audience can immerse themselves in a multi-sensory space, both authentic and emotional, constantly surprising. My biggest goal is that the program must be truly attractive, so that not only domestic people but also international tourists are attracted. I want them to be immersed in an original heritage, but at the same time feel the breath of development and creative spirit of the times. To see Hanoi, a UNESCO Creative City, is changing strongly. I hope the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival will become an important milestone in the journey of developing the capital's cultural industry" - General Director Pham Hoang Giang emphasized.

After more than half a year of preparation with a huge amount of work, requiring meticulousness and high responsibility, he said the success of the program was thanks to the support of the Organizing Committee, Thang Long Puppetry Theatre and dedicated colleagues. For many months, he spent time researching heritage, collecting documents, meeting researchers and experts, and attending a record number of meetings... to complete the program.

Pham Hoang Giang's top criteria for the Thang Long Hanoi Festival is that every detail brought to the stage must ensure accuracy and the highest spirit of preservation.

“I am very fortunate to work with people who have a deep understanding of heritage such as Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly, music researcher and critic Nguyen Quang Long… They are the ones who help me better understand the value of intangible cultural heritage and traditional arts. Thanks to that, the team can distill the quintessence of heritage, bringing it to the stage of Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025 in a spirit of both standards and creativity.”

Not only in content, the opening program also set a "record" in the number of tons of equipment installed in Pham Hoang Giang's directing career. Despite the continuous rain in Hanoi during the preparation days, nearly 500 crew members still worked non-stop day and night for 5 consecutive days to meet the schedule for the giant stage in the middle of the Imperial Citadel.

“It was a big challenge, but also a source of pride when we overcame it together. On the opening night, despite the light rain, I found it to be an emotional cinematic moment - both challenging and poetic. We had prepared every plan: how to handle heavy rain, how to deal with continued light rain” - director Pham Hoang Giang recalled.

On the opening night, in the rainy weather, the Organizing Committee prepared raincoats for more than 3,000 spectators. The thoughtfulness of the Organizing Committee contributed to creating a perfect opening night in both experience and emotion.

“When the program ended, I was truly touched and proud. That achievement was not only my personal effort but also the dedication of the entire crew. We brought an opening night that was true to the spirit of the script - an event that I believe will be remembered forever by the capital's audience. The compliments and positive reviews from the audience and visitors are a great joy for me, the crew and the Organizing Committee of the Thang Long - Hanoi Festival 2025.” - General Director Pham Hoang Giang emotionally shared.

DUY THUAN

Source: https://nhandan.vn/tong-dao-dien-pham-hoang-giang-toi-muon-ke-chuyen-di-san-bang-san-khau-hien-dai-post921997.html