Bitter loss: A performance of Tuồng (Classic Drama) in Đà Nẵng’s Nguyễn Hiển Dỉnh Theatre. Đà Nẵng city has cancelled the 36th International Theatre Institute World Congress in 2018 due to a lack of funds. — Photo courtesy Nguyễn Hiển Dĩnh Theatre |
ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city will not host the 36th International Theatre Institute (ITI) World Congress in 2018 after failing to secure funds from sponsors and donors, director of Đà Nẵng’s sports and culture department Huỳnh Văn Hùng told Việt Nam News.
Hùng said the biennial event, which was scheduled for August in the city with the participation of 1,000 artists from 90 countries, could not be held with only funding of VNĐ15.3 billion (US$675,000) from the state budget.
He said the funds could only cover 50 per cent of cost for hosting the event, while fundraising had failed for the budget shortfall.
Hùng said the city’s leadership had sent a letter to the ITI’s President Mohammed Al-Afkham to explain the problem.
Đà Nẵng was the first city in Việt Nam to hold performances of Tuồng (Classic Drama), and Nguyễn Hiển Dĩnh Theatre is as a popular destination among foreign tourists.
The city preserves a collection of 204 classical Tuồng plays written in Hán Chinese script and Vietnamese ideographic characters (Nôm), and published between 1802 and 1845. — VNS