by Le Huong Traditional theatre is becoming less and less attractive to the domestic audience. However, Ha Noi Cai Luong [reformed opera] and Viet Nam Tuong [classical drama] troupes are successfully running traditional shows especially designed for foreign tourists at the Golden Bell Theatre and Hong Ha Theatre right in the heart of the capital's Old Quarter. It's a cool Saturday evening. Multicoloured twinkling lights in shops are switched on in the old streets, adding to the mystery of the old architecture. There is bustle in the air with more and more local residents and tourists going out in search of entertainment. In the warm, small and almost-a-century-old Golden Bell Theatre right in the heart of the busy streets, dozens of foreign tourists enjoy a regular show featuring the musical and dancing cultures of different regions in Viet Nam. The show takes tourists on a trip from the north to the south, displaying the musical heritage of the regions like quan ho (love … [Read more...]

Travellers Notes (22-07-2006) Full moon royal dancing in Hue Hue Monuments Conservation Centre has unveiled a plan to organise monthly Dem Hoang Cung (Royal Night) shows to introduce romantic nights to tourists. The evening shows will be performed during a full moon at the Can Chanh Palace located within the imperial walls of Hue. They will feature the colourful Hue Royal Palace at night with mandarins, eunuchs and maidservants, as well as royal dances, court music, Hue classical drama, and Hue folk music. The Royal Night proved successful during the recent Festival Hue 2006. Old shipwreck yields antiques The provincial authority of Binh Dinh says a ship loaded with antique pottery has been discovered off the central coast. Binh Dinh Museum said the shipwreck was located off the seawaters of My Duc Commune of Phu My District. The ship, which is lying on the seabed at a depth of 30m, contains 20 kinds of antiques, including enamell Chinese bowls and plates. Initial inspection showed the … [Read more...]

Trung tâm Bảo tồn di tích Cố Đô Huế dự định sẽ tổ chức Đêm Hoàng Cung (Đại Nội-Huế) định kỳ vào các ngày 14, 15, 16 hàng tháng nhằm tạo thêm các điểm tham quan cho khách du lịch vào ban đêm, điều mà từ trước đến nay vẫn còn bỏ ngỏ đối với Huế. Kết quả việc tổ chức Đêm Hoàng Cung vào dịp cuối tháng 3/2007 vừa qua là cơ sở để Trung tâm Bảo tồn di tích Cố Đô Huế hoàn thành việc xây dựng nội dung, chương trình cho đêm hội này. Đêm Hoàng Cung sẽ tái hiện lại vẻ đẹp lung linh huyền ảo của Đại Nội Huế về đêm với các sinh hoạt văn hoá trong cung điện xưa. Ở đây, du khách được thưởng thức tinh hoa văn hoá triều Nguyễn với các chương trình biểu diễn những vũ khúc cung đình, những trích đoạn tuồng, bài bản Nhã nhạc... làm nổi bật những giá trị văn hoá phi vật thể của cung đình Huế; những trò chơi dân gian như đố thơ, thả thơ, xăm hường, đầu hồ, bài vụ, biểu diễn nghệ thuật uống trà Huế, triển lãm cổ vật trong đời sống cung đình triều Nguyễn, dịch vụ kiệu vua, chụp ảnh lưu niệm... Cùng với các … [Read more...]

Tran Thi Vui's mother named her "joy" in the hopes that she would have a happy life. Tran Thi Vui, the sole remaining palace maid from the court of Emperor Bao Dai, Vietnam's last monarch. … [Read more...]

The biennial Festival Hue to be held next month will focus on reviving royal and folk festivals that evoke the glorious past of the former imperial capital. The colorful closing ceremony of the last Festival Hue in 2006 was a big hit with tourists … [Read more...]

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More than 3 million visitors, including 28,596 foreigners from 92 countries and territories around the world, flocked to the 2010 Hue Festival, which was held from June 5-13, said a local official. Vice Chairman of the Thua Thien-Hue People’s Committee Ngo Hoa said one of the most important successes of the 2010 Hue Festival was that it has brought festivities closer to the public and made them subjects of these festivities. Hoa, who is also Head of the Organising Board, said major events such as the Huyen Thoai Song Huong (Legend of the Perfume river), Cuoc Thao Dien Thuy Binh Thoi Chua Nguyen (Naval manoeuvres under the reign of Lord Nguyen), Le Te Nam Giao (Nam Giao offering ritual), Dem Hoang Cung (Royal night) and Hanh Trinh Mo Coi (Reclamation journey) each attracted tens of thousands of viewers. The Vietnam Record Book Centre recognised eight records set during the festival, including the one by “naval manoeuvres under the reign of Lord Nguyen” which drew … [Read more...]

Switzerland casts plaques of Ha Long Bay in bronze In preparation for the Official New7Wonders of Nature inauguration ceremonies, Switzerland is being casting two plaques of Ha Long Bay in bronze. The plaques, 1.2m high and 1m wide, weighing around 100kg each will be sent to Vietnam before the holding of ceremonies in Hanoi on April 27 and in Ha Long City on May 1 with special art performances. They will be placed in Hanoi and at the Bai Chay tourism site in Ha Long. The NewOpenWorld Organisation has sent a sample of the plaque to Vietnam for consideration, hoping that Vietnam will invite representatives from 6 other countries which have wonders of nature to attend the ceremonies to share experience in protecting and preserving wonders of nature. Ha Long Bay was officially recorgnised as one of five new world wonders of nature but two wonders of Indonesia and South Africa have remained to be crosschecked. Ponagar Festival 2012 sparkles in Khanh Hoa The 2012 Goddess Ponagar … [Read more...]

A recent plan to enlarge two ancient bridges in Hue to ease traffic congestion has been met with opposition from local experts who believe the solution could destroy the heritage. A bridge too far: The Kho Bridge which crosses the Ngu Ha River might be expanded to ease the traffic jams in Hue City. — File Photo Under the plan, the 200-year-old Vinh Loi and Kho bridges crossing the Ngu Ha River in the Hue Citadel will be expanded to more than 10 meters wide, said Nguyen Dang Truong, deputy director of the Thua Thien Hue province's Traffic Investment and Construction board. "The current stone bridge banister will be destroyed and more beton and brick will be added to expand the bridges," he adds. The project has been submitted to 12 experts and researchers in Hue for approval. "The best solution is to expand two sides of the old bridges while preserving their architecture to the best of our ability. If we built new bridges, there would be too many bridges crossing the Ngu … [Read more...]

Mong Mi comes to life through her art ‘Bat Kha Phuc Hoi’ (Unrecoverable) by Mong Mi has opened at HCMC Museum of Fine Arts at 97A Pho Duc Chinh Street in District 1. The exhibition features 20 paintings made of silk which are the result of two years of hard graft and marks an important turning point in the artist’s life. Graduating from HCMC University of Fine Art in 2003, Mi worked as a copywriter for six years before she quit to focus on her painting. “I realized that painting is my passion and I cannot wait for it any more,” said the artist. Mi’s works make visitors feel relaxed as her soft and elegant lines together with white spaces give visitors time to think and ponder. “When you see my works, you are seeing a part of my life experiences, feelings and private affairs,” said Mi. The exhibition will run until February 29. Painting exhibition on Tran Dang Khoa poems held in France 37 paintings by French painter Dominique De … [Read more...]