The Military Chèo Theatre’s production General Võ Nguyên Giáp portrays the 56 arduous days and nights of courageous struggle by Vietnamese soldiers and civilians. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

BẮC NINH — The 2025 National Chèo Festival, one of the country’s most anticipated traditional theatre events, is back with a rich line-up of performances showcasing both artistic heritage and fresh creative energy.

This year’s festival, from October 20 to November 2, will bring together nearly 900 artists, actors and musicians from 11 professional chèo troupes representing provinces and cities across the country.

Audiences will enjoy 21 elaborately staged productions that reflect today’s social life, celebrate the homeland and honour the moral and humanistic values rooted in Vietnamese culture.

Participating units include the Việt Nam National Traditional Theatre, Hà Nội Chèo Theatre, Military Chèo Theatre, Ninh Bình Provincial Art Theatre, Hải Phòng Traditional Theatre, Hưng Yên Chèo Theatre, Lam Sơn Art Theatre of Thanh Hóa, Lạc Hồng Theatre of Phú Thọ, Bắc Ninh Chèo Theatre, Quảng Ninh Art Troupe and Thái Nguyên Ethnic Art Troupe.

Held every three years by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the festival serves as an important platform to review and assess the creativity, staging and performance quality of chèo across the country. It is also an opportunity to honour groups and individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving and revitalising this art form.

More than just a competition, the event creates space for directors, musicians, choreographers, stage designers and performers to exchange experiences, connect across generations and explore new expressions while staying grounded in tradition. The festival reaffirms the place of chèo within Việt Nam’s performing arts as the country continues to integrate and develop.

The Ministry has assigned the Department of Performing Arts to coordinate with the Việt Nam Stage Artists Association and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bắc Ninh Province to host the festival in Bắc Ninh City.

According to the organisers, choosing Bắc Ninh - a cradle of traditional arts and cultural identity - as the host is expected to promote tourism, cultural exchange and the province’s image to both domestic and international visitors.

From Bắc Ninh, where artistic heritage runs deep, the melodies of chèo continue to nurture Vietnamese identity, carry forward heritage and inspire contemporary creativity. — VNS