Huế International Music Week 2026 promises to offer a “global feast of sound and light” along the romantic Hương (Perfume) River, featuring eight leading traditional and contemporary art troupes of Việt Nam and foreign countries. — Illustration photo huengaynay.vn/

HUẾ — As the Perfume River prepares to become a floating stage of sound and light, Huế is tuning up for a week of world-class performances. The Huế International Music Week 2026 will return next month, bringing together renowned performers and troupes from Việt Nam and around the world.

Organisers have announced that the event will run from June 13 to 18 as part of the Huế Festival. 

It promises a vibrant music space along the romantic Hương (Perfume) River, featuring eight leading traditional and contemporary art troupes from Việt Nam and overseas, including those from France, Spain, Australia, Japan and South Korea.

Audiences will have a chance to enjoy a global feast of sound and light, a vibrant, diverse artistic celebration and culture, with the highlight of the event set on a floating stage on the river in front of Huế National High School.

Vice Chairman of the Huế municipal People’s Committee Trần Hữu Thùy Giang speaks at a press conference this week to announce the festival. — Photo huengaynay.vn

They will experience a captivating fusion of dance, pop, flamenco, choreography and fashion.

Representatives from the organising board announced at a press conference this week that the artists had confirmed their participation.

For the audience area, organisers have arranged approximately 400 seats for guests, international delegations and sponsors.

Spectators can also enjoy the shows from standing areas around the stage, which has an estimated capacity of between 6,000 and 10,000 people.

Designed as a community-oriented programme, the event will be staged at an open-air venue along the Hương River. It will be free to the public, offering both residents and visitors access to a dynamic and inclusive cultural space, organisers said.

The festival is expected to become a new musical hub in Huế, connecting contemporary art with the cultural heritage space along the Hương River.

Speaking at the press conference, Vice Chairman of the Huế municipal People’s Committee Trần Hữu Thùy Giang said the festival aims to create a contemporary, creative and people-centred music environment.

Vietnamese performers include artists from the Huế Royal Traditional Arts Theatre alongside renowned singers such as Cẩm Vân, Đức Tuấn, Võ Hạ Trâm, Quốc Thiên, Bùi Lan Hương and saxophonist Trần Mạnh Tuấn.

Younger audiences can look forward to lively performances by MONO and Nguyễn Đình Tuấn Dũng, adding youthful, energetic flair.

International highlights include the physical theatre of the Hervé Koubi dance company and the alternative pop sounds of OJOS from France, along with the passionate rhythms of flamenco band Las Migas from Spain.

Vietnamese artist Mỹ Anh and Australian singer Matthew Ifield will collaborate in a fresh blend of R&B and pop.

Meanwhile, Korean groups including the Park Sang-Yong Yung dance company, K-Culture Friends and Pungnyu Bongi will showcase distinctive elements of Korean culture.

Hoàng Việt Trung, Director of the Huế Monuments Conservation Centre, noted that the Huế International Music Week 2026 is more than a cultural exchange; it is a strategic step towards positioning Huế as Việt Nam’s signature Festival City.

The event aims to promote the image of Huế’s people and its rich cultural identity while boosting tourism and supporting sustainable socio-economic development based on local heritage strengths, the official said.

Under the theme Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development, the Huế Festival 2026 kicked off on January 1.

It runs throughout the year and will conclude with a new year countdown on December 31. — VNS