New prospects of Khanh Hoa’s performing arts

Khanh Hoa Province’s Traditional Arts Theater was established by merger of Khanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theater, Hai Dang Song and Dance Troupe and Ethnic Song and Dance Troupe (under former Ninh Thuan Provincial Cultural and Arts Center). A wide range of performing arts, from traditional to contemporary, and a large number of artists are expected to open up new prospects for development of the newly-formed theater.

Artists of Khanh Hoa Province’s Traditional Arts Theater performing in the arts program at special national monument Po Nagar Temple

The special arts program at the recent ceremony honoring Po Nagar Temple as special national monument and folk knowledge of exploiting and processing Khanh Hoa aloeswood as national intangible cultural heritage was the first program of the newly-formed Traditional Arts Theater. The cultural features represented in the program captured the interest of the audience. The success of the program was contributed by effective cooperation among the artists of the 3 former units. After the merger, the artists have supported each other to adapt to new working environment and produce repertoire with good quality.

The Traditional Arts Theater has 147 staff with nearly 100 singers, actors, actresses, musicians, dancers, etc. Currently, the theater produces repertoire of Tuong (traditional classical drama), Bai Choi, light music, and traditional ethnic music. With such a number of staff and art forms, the theater will be able to solve the shortage of staff in staging new programs and performances. The diversity of art forms will also be a great advantage for the theater to proactively balance the number and harmonize traditional and contemporary performances.

According to Nguyen Ai Quoc, director of the Traditional Arts Theater, through its performing activities, the theater also contributes to dissemination of the Party's guidelines and policies, the State's policies and laws to the people. Besides, the theater also has the task of researching, preserving and promoting the traditional artistic value of ethnic groups in the province.

The new geographical area of the province after the merger creates more conditions for the Traditional Arts Theater to organize performing activities and more opportunities to introduce many art forms to people in different regions of the province. For example, the theater will perform Tuong and Bai Choi in communes and wards in the southern region; Cham and Raglai programs in the northern region. From now on, the theater wills incorporate all art forms into its new programs, from street shows to big programs. Touring activities will be extended with a rotation of arts forms to serve the public with new and captivating performances and programs, according to Nguyen Ai Quoc.

GIANG DINH 
Translated by H.N