The second International Puppetry Festival opened last Saturday night at the Hanoi Opera House.
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| The Thang Long\'s Spirit performance. |
Three shows introduced on the opening night were "Hào khí Thăng Long- Thang Long’s spirit", "Vịt con xấu xí- Ugly duck" by Vietnam Puppetry Theatre and a stick puppet show performed by China’s Quang Xi Puppetry Troupe.
The “Thang Long’s spirit” show depicted the rich history, culture, and habits of the old Thang Long capital.
Besides five troupes from the host country of Vietnam, 12 other countries are participating including China, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, and more. The five troupes from Vietnam include the Vietnam Puppetry Theatre, the Thang Long Puppetry Theatre from Hanoi and three troupes from Hai Phong City, Dak Lak Province and Ho Chi Minh City.
The International Puppetry Festival, which is organized by the Department of Performing Arts under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, provides an opportunity for Vietnamese artists to share and exchange experiences with their colleagues from other countries and to promote Vietnam’s traditional puppetry.
According to Vuong Duy Bien, Deputy Head of the Performing Arts Department, the jury includes three international members and two Vietnamese. They will select the best puppetry performances for gold, silver and bronze prizes as well as the best director and the best artists. The winning troupe will be awarded a gold cup worth US$1,000.
The six-day festival is one of many coming activities to mark the 1,000 year anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.