The event will include innovations in plays, directing, music, fine art design, costume and acting based on typical principles of classical drama and traditional opera. Photo cucnghethuatbieudien.gov.vn

THANH HÓA – As many as 16 classical dramas and seven folk operas will be performed between May 11 and 19 in central city of Thanh Hóa as part of the National Classical Drama and Folk Opera Festival 2019.

Eleven troupes are joining the annual event, which aims to highlight advancements in traditional opera and create a chance for professional artists to meet and collaborate.

According to the organisers, the troupes should perform theatrical works staged since 2016 which have not been performed at any contests or professional festivals hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Việt Nam Theatrical Artists Association, the Ministry of National Defence or the Ministry of Public Security. No foreign scripts will be accepted.

The jury will reward creativity and innovation in playwriting, directing, music, fine art design, costumes and acting based on the principles of classical drama and traditional opera.

The jury will give an Excellent Prize to the best author, director, musician and painter.

Gold medals will be awarded to a maximum of 35 per cent of the plays, while acting prizes will also be awarded to a maximum of 35 per cent of participating actors.

After the festival in downtown Thanh Hóa City, the art troupes will also perform five free shows for locals in various districts of Thanh Hóa Province.

“We host the festival to learn from colleagues all over the country,” said Meritorious Artist Trương Hải Thọ, deputy director of Thanh Hóa Traditional Arts Theatre.

“In the past few years, we have confronted various challenges, especially the lack of young talents and young artists to hand down the profession. The human force of classical drama art is very limited. We bring that worry to the festival.”

This has been a longstanding difficulty for professional traditional art troupes across the country.

Popular theatres like Thanh Hóa Traditional Arts Theatre, HCM City Classical Opera Theatre, Nguyễn Hiển Dĩnh Classical Drama Theatre (Đà Nẵng), Đào Tấn Classical Drama Theatre (Qui Nhơn City), Bình Định Bài Chòi Folk Theatre (Bình Định Province), Quảng Nam Opera Theatre (Quảng Nam Province) will each perform one play at the festival.

Việt Nam Classcial Drama Theatre (Hà Nội), Khánh Hòa Traditional Arts Theatre (Khánh Hòa Province), Huế Royal Art Troupe (Huế), Nghệ Region Folk Singing Preservation and Development Centre (Nghệ An Province), and Huế Opera Art Troupe (Huế) will each perform two plays.

The artists will also discuss how to preserve and develop the long history of theatrical art and how to update the art form to fit the tastes of modern audiences. – VNS