Traditional theater takes to the streets.

VHO - Every Sunday evening along the Han River, the streets of Da Nang seem to slow down their modern pace to welcome the traditional sounds emanating from the "Traditional Opera on the Streets" program.

The "Traditional Opera on the Streets" art program attracts locals and tourists.

This unique folk stage is increasingly attracting locals and tourists thanks to systematic investment and professional performances by artists from the Nguyen Hien Dinh Traditional Opera Theatre, contributing to bringing traditional opera closer to contemporary life and igniting love for the national cultural heritage.

Breathing the spirit of ancient art into the heart of the city.

Following the directives of the Da Nang City People's Committee and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Nguyen Hien Dinh Traditional Opera Theatre has developed two unique artistic performance programs: "Traditional Opera on the Streets" and "Traditional Vietnamese Arts ," contributing to enriching the cultural life of local people as well as domestic and international tourists.

The performances were held at central locations such as the east bank of Tran Thi Ly Bridge, the west bank of Dragon Bridge, and the east bank of Han River Bridge – vibrant spaces that embody the essence of Da Nang at night.

The Tuong stage is set up outdoors with a modern sound and lighting system, seating for the audience, and an area for displaying Tuong masks and demonstrating classical mask painting.

This place is like a living museum, with music , props, and costumes authentically blended to provide an authentic artistic experience for audiences of all ages.

The street performance of Tuong (Vietnamese traditional opera) consists of two main parts: The first part features excerpts from traditional Tuong plays of high artistic value, interspersed with lighthearted humor, creating a friendly and accessible atmosphere for the audience.

Before each performance, the theater's orchestra performs traditional folk music to captivate the audience and draw them into the artistic space. The rest consists of deeply moving melodies from the homeland, interwoven with folk dances, Cham musical instruments, and folk songs from the Central region – creating a program rich in cultural diversity and deeply rooted in Central Vietnam.

In the midst of a vibrant and dynamic city, the street performance of Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) brings a poignant and powerful breath of the past, from the eager eyes of young children witnessing the unique art of costume design for the first time, to the emotion of older people as they rediscover a part of their childhood memories in each melody and graceful movement of the Tuong artists...

Nguyen Ngoc Mai Anh, a student at Da Nang University, shared: “I accidentally fell in love with Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) while strolling along Tran Hung Dao Street. In the vibrant, modern atmosphere, the sound of Tuong singing was truly special and impressive. I spent the whole evening watching it and saw many other young people stopping to listen as well.”

For Ms. Ngo Thi Hoa Cuc (Son Tra), watching the traditional opera was a deeply moving homecoming: "My parents used to watch traditional opera together. Now that my father has passed away, I take my mother to see it, as a way to reconnect with her memories."

Programs like "Traditional Opera on the Streets" are both artistic performances and creative efforts in the journey of preserving and reviving traditional cultural values, where ancient art is not confined to museums, but lives vibrantly every day in the heart of the city.

Unleashing a new lifeline

Distilled from the essence of the nation's culture, Tuong (classical Vietnamese opera) is the culmination of creative thinking and exemplary performance techniques from experienced artists. Tuong is distinguished by its dignified, structured, and highly academic style of performance.

However, in the flow of modern culture, accessing and fully appreciating the depth of this art form is not easy for the general public. Therefore, the emergence of "Tuong on the Streets" is not only for the purpose of performance, but also as a strategy to cultivate a new audience, especially young people, for Tuong art.

The Nguyen Hien Dinh Traditional Opera Theatre has flexibly selected short, easy-to-understand excerpts that are close to modern life, while still ensuring that the spirit and core values ​​of the art form are preserved. Vibrant costumes, masks, and traditional props, combined with a modern open stage, have created a lively and accessible performance space for a wide audience.

Since the beginning of 2025, the theater has organized more than 10 street performances of traditional Vietnamese opera, each attracting 300-400 viewers at the main stage, contributing to a positive impact in both cultural and media aspects.

The program received high praise from audiences and local authorities, becoming a model for bringing traditional art closer to the community.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoi An, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, commented: “The program has made a practical contribution to popularizing art among the public. This is a way for people to access culture without incurring costs, while also creating an impressive space that attracts tourists to Da Nang.”

The timing and location are also key factors in its success. Each performance starts at 7:30 PM, the time when locals and tourists begin exploring the city at night, and ends at 8:30 PM, just in time for audiences to move to the Dragon Bridge to enjoy Da Nang's signature fire and water show. Thanks to this, "Traditional Opera on the Streets" has become a unique highlight of the city on the Han River.

Not stopping there, the Nguyen Hien Dinh Traditional Opera Theatre is continuing its efforts to innovate its program content to suit audience tastes. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Deputy Director of the Theatre, said: The unit will increase investment in new performances for its two main programs: Traditional Opera on the Streets and Traditional Vietnamese Arts.

Besides improving the quality of exemplary excerpts, the theater also focuses on solo and ensemble performances of folk songs and traditional instruments.

In particular, a series of activities spanning from April to September is being proposed along both banks of the Han River, including: a display of Tuong (traditional Vietnamese opera) masks, an exhibition of Tuong art photographs through different periods, on-site mask painting demonstrations, and parades of traditional costumes and props on the main streets...

This creates opportunities for locals and tourists to experience it firsthand, contributing to spreading the unique beauty of Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) to a wider community.

With innovative and decisive steps, Da Nang is pioneering the revival of traditional art with a contemporary feel. Street-based traditional theater is not just a performance, but has become a symbol of the effective connection between the past and the present, between art and the public.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/tuong-xuong-pho-155240.html