Opening of the 2025 National Cheo Festival in Bac Ninh: A festival honoring the quintessence of traditional art

BAC NINH - On the evening of October 20, at the Bac Ninh Provincial Culture - Exhibition Center (Bac Giang Ward), the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Cheo Festival took place. The event was organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism - Bac Ninh Provincial People's Committee under the direction of the Department of Performing Arts in coordination with the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh Province.

The program was broadcast live on Bac Ninh Newspaper, Radio and Television. At the same time, Newspapers, Radio and Television agencies in 18 provinces and cities across the country rebroadcast it.

Leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Bac Ninh province and people attended the opening ceremony of the festival.

Attending the opening ceremony were Mr. Ta Quang Dong, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism , Head of the Festival Steering Committee; People's Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac, Director of the Department of Performing Arts, Head of the Festival Organizing Committee; People's Artist Trinh Thuy Mui, President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association; representatives of leaders of departments, offices and units under the Ministry; Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and domestic art troupes.

Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong delivered the opening speech.

Representing Bac Ninh province were comrades: Vuong Quoc Tuan, Alternate Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Viet Oanh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Nguyen Van Linh, former Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee: Tran Thi Hang, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Lam Thi Huong Thanh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Le Xuan Loi, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Nguyen Dinh Loi, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; Ta Dang Doan, Secretary of the Kinh Bac Ward Party Committee; leaders of departments, branches, organizations, localities in the province and a large number of people.

Comrades: Ta Quang Dong and Vuong Quoc Tuan presented flowers to the Art Council.

At the opening ceremony, delegates and people enjoyed a special welcome art program performed by Bac Ninh Quan Ho Folk Song Theater and Bac Ninh Cheo Theater with the items "Celebrating the opening of the Cheo village festival", "Happy four seasons", "Inviting betel" and the medley "Red lines of Kinh Bac". The art performances evoked the festive atmosphere, folk colors, highlighting the image of the land and people of Bac Ninh - "a land of talented people", a place that preserves the soul of national art.

Representatives of the Organizing Committee presented flowers to the delegations participating in the Festival.

In his opening speech, Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong emphasized: Cheo is a traditional folk art form with a history of thousands of years, deeply attached to the spiritual life of the people in the Northern Delta. Through many historical ups and downs, Cheo art still retains its unique features, deeply reflecting the soul, character and aspiration for truth - goodness - beauty of the Vietnamese people. The National Cheo Festival is a periodic professional art activity organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to evaluate artistic creation, performance, preservation and promotion of the value of Cheo art in the current period. This is also an opportunity for art units to meet, exchange experiences, learn from each other to improve professional quality and bring Cheo art closer to the public.

Comrade Le Xuan Loi delivered a welcome speech.

This year's festival in the homeland of Bac Ninh - a land of outstanding people, rich in cultural and revolutionary traditions, known as the cradle of many unique traditional art forms - is a special art event to honor, preserve and promote the value of a unique national theatrical form - Cheo art.

This festival is the first professional cultural and performing arts event held after the country implemented the 2-level local government model, marking a turning point in the organization, management and development of cultural and artistic activities in the new context, contributing to further igniting the flame of passion for Cheo art in the hearts of the public and generations of artists today and tomorrow.

Art performance to welcome the opening.

In his welcome speech, comrade Le Xuan Loi expressed his honor when the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism chose Bac Ninh as the host of the event. He emphasized: Bac Ninh is an ancient land rich in historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions; always holding an important strategic position in the history of building and defending the country of the nation. Throughout history, generations of Bac Ninh people have successively fostered, built and created a rich, diverse and unique cultural space; becoming the spiritual foundation, important resource and driving force for the socio-economic development of the province.

Not only is it the cradle of the smooth and soulful Quan Ho folk songs, Bac Ninh is also proud to be the homeland of “Chieu cheo xu Bac”, one of the famous “Tu chieng” of ancient Vietnamese cheo art. In order to preserve and develop the art of cheo, Bac Ninh province has organized many seminars, competitions, performances, and cheo festivals; opened courses to train Cheo core members for the grassroots; brought Cheo art into schools, established clubs, restored ancient Cheo villages, etc. Up to now, many ancient Cheo villages continue to be maintained and strongly developed in contemporary life, as vivid proof of the enduring vitality of traditional art.

The 2025 National Cheo Festival in Bac Ninh is an opportunity for artists and actors to meet, exchange, learn from each other, and join hands to preserve and promote the quintessence of traditional Cheo art in the new era. This is also an opportunity for the Bac Ninh public to enjoy excellent performances by professional Cheo art troupes across the country, thereby improving the cultural and spiritual life of the people.

A scene from the play "Thien Menh" of Bac Ninh Cheo Theatre.

This year's Cheo Festival brings together 12 professional art units from across the country. During the Festival (from October 20 to November 2), the audience will enjoy 21 unique plays, elaborately staged, demonstrating the talent, passion and creative aspirations of the artists. The works have rich content, praising the homeland, country and people of Vietnam, arousing the desire to develop a prosperous and happy country. Of which, Ninh Binh Traditional Art Theater participates with 4 plays; Hung Yen Cheo Theater with 3 plays; many other units such as Hanoi Cheo Theater, Army, Bac Ninh... all bring 2 typical plays.

The Organizing Committee will award Gold and Silver Medals to plays with high quality content and art and to artists with excellent performances.

Immediately after the opening ceremony, the audience enjoyed the play “Thien Menh” by Bac Ninh Cheo Theater. The play “Thien Menh” was adapted from a script by author Hoang Thanh Du, directed by People’s Artist Ta Quang Lam. Set in the early days of the Tran Dynasty, the work depicts the image of Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do - a founding hero famous for his military strategy, foresight, respect for talent and willingness to sacrifice himself for a greater cause. At the same time, the play also highlights the wisdom of the Grand Tutor in trusting and respecting Tran Quoc Tuan, who once had a grudge against the court but later became a famous general with three great victories over the Yuan-Mongol army, and was awarded the title of Hung Dao Dai Vuong.

Through its fascinating details, “Thien Menh” evokes the heroic spirit of Dong A and the spirit of national unity – the source of strength that helps the Vietnamese people defeat all invaders. The work also conveys a timely message: The discipline of the country must be preserved and cannot be broken for any reason, including family and blood ties.

The emotional Cheo play, a harmonious combination of stage language, music, dance and lighting effects, with the participation of nearly 40 artists, actors and musicians from Bac Ninh Cheo Theatre, including prominent faces such as Meritorious Artist Quynh Mai; artists Ba Chung, Thu Quyen, Tuan Anh... left a deep impression in the hearts of the audience.

Le Thanh - Thuan Thao

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/khai-mac-lien-hoan-cheo-toan-quoc-2025-tai-bac-ninh-ngay-hoi-ton-vinh-tinh-hoa-nghe-thuat-truyen-thong-postid429221.bbg