The HCM City Arts Centre presents Mơ Show (Dreamscape Show), a new circus and puppetry art show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sài Gòn – Gia Định officially being named after President Hồ Chí Minh (1976 - 2026). — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Duyên

HCM CITY — The HCM City Arts Centre is presenting a new circus and puppetry art show, Mơ Show (Dreamscape Show), to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sài Gòn – Gia Định officially being named after President Hồ Chí Minh (1976 - 2026).

The 70-minute show describes an artistic journey where circus acts, puppetry, projection mapping, and cutting-edge stage technology come together to tell a story of growth, aspiration, and dreams that continually reach beyond the horizon.

The work portrays a child emerging from the darkness and his coming-of-age story from his first awareness of light, colour and life to an exploration of the spectrum of emotion and his inner world.

The performance features around 150 artists and performers from the city Arts Centre, the Việt Nam Intermediate School of Circus and Variety Arts, and other art troupes.

Tống Toàn Thắng, director of the Việt Nam Circus Federation (VCF), said Mơ Show is expected to create a quality cultural product and a destination for the public.

Thắng also said the Vietnamese circus industry has achieved major awards in Europe and Russia, and added that the federation is preparing to participate in the Monte-Carlo International Circus Festival in January 2027 with the Đu Nón (Conical Hat Swing) act, affirming its status on the international stage.

Chairman of the Việt Nam Union of Literature and Arts Associations Đỗ Hồng Quân highly appreciated the combination of circus, a form of performance showcasing talent, technique and complexity of the human body, with dry and water puppetry.

He said the show reflects the city artists’ proactive approach to the audience, promising to become an attractive “speciality” for both domestic and international tourists.

The show combines circus acts, puppetry, and modern projection mapping technology to tell a story of growth, aspiration, and dreams. — VNA/VNS Photo Hữu Duyên

The Mơ Show, invested by the Department of Culture and Sports under the direction of the municipal People’s Committee, premiered on June 12 at the Phú Thọ Circus and Multi-purpose Performance Theatre.

It is the first art show to debut at the venue, marking a significant milestone in the development of high-quality performing arts productions in the city.

The theatre, costing VNĐ1.4 trillion (US$53 million), was inaugurated last September and began welcoming audiences in April.

The centre has a total area of 10,000 square metres with 12 floors and two basements. Its main part is an auditorium with 2,000 seats, which is equipped with advanced lighting, sound and mechanical systems to support complicated acts in various performing arts such as circus, puppetry, musical, music concert, traditional arts performances such as cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng cổ (classical drama), and art experiment.

Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thúy, the department’s deputy director, said the Phú Thọ theatre is one of the world’s largest constructions for circus. Apart from the circus, the theatre also presents other contemporary arts performances, creating opportunities for artists to express their creative ideas in a modern space freely.

Tâm Chính, VCF’s former director, said the construction not only meets the recreational needs of the people across the country but also serves as a performance venue for different art troupes.

The Mơ Show will officially open to the public on June 20 at the Phú Thọ Centre, 3 Lữ Gia Street in Phú Thọ Ward. It will be scheduled on Saturdays and Sundays. — VNS