(BNP) - On the evening of October 20, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province jointly organized the opening ceremony of the 2025 National Cheo Festival at the Bac Ninh Provincial Culture - Exhibition Center with the participation of 12 professional Cheo art troupes from many provinces and cities across the country.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong (right photo), Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan (5th from left) present flowers to the Arts Council.
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, member of the Steering Committee, Head of the Organizing Committee of the 2025 National Cheo Festival; Mr. Le Trong Nghinh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture - Arts, Central Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; People's Artist Trinh Thuy Mui, President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association; People's Artist Giang Manh Ha, Vice President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, member of the Festival Steering Committee; Mr. Dang Tran Cuong, Director of the Department of Cinema, Culture, Sports and Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).
Front row: Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vuong Quoc Tuan (second from left), Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ta Quang Dong (left), People's Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac (right) and delegates attend the 2025 National Cheo Festival.
Bac Ninh provincial leaders attending the Festival were Mr. Vuong Quoc Tuan, alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Nguyen Viet Oanh, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Nguyen Van Linh, former Deputy Secretary of the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Bac Giang Provincial People's Committee; Mrs. Tran Thi Hang, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council; Lam Thi Huong Thanh, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council; Mr. Nguyen Dinh Loi, Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission; Mr. Le Xuan Loi, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Mr. Ta Dang Doan, Secretary of the Kinh Bac Ward Party Committee.
From right to left: Chairman of the Provincial People's Council Nguyen Viet Oanh; Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Tran Thi Hang; Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Lam Thi Huong Thanh; Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi; Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission Nguyen Dinh Loi and delegates attend the 2025 National Cheo Festival.
The festival had the participation of leaders of the Departments and Divisions under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; leaders of the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of provinces and cities; artists and actors of 12 professional Cheo art troupes across the country; and a large audience of Cheo art lovers.
In addition to being rerun by newspaper and radio and television agencies in 18 provinces and cities throughout the nation, the program was broadcast live on Bac Ninh Newspaper and Radio and Television. This helped to disseminate the festival's mood to a sizable audience of Cheo art enthusiasts.
Deputy Minister Ta Quang Dong delivers the opening speech at the Festival.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Ta Quang Dong confirmed in his introductory remarks that the National Cheo Festival is a significant professional art event that helps to preserve and promote the appreciation of Cheo art, a distinctive traditional theatrical style of the country. He also praised the People's Committee of Bac Ninh province, the host area, for its active and efficient coordination as well as the meticulous preparation of the art units.
The Party and State consistently view the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values, especially Cheo art, as a duty and mission in creating a modern Vietnamese culture infused with national identity, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism underlined.
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi delivers a welcome speech at the Festival.
Speaking at the Festival, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Xuan Loi expressed his honor and pride when Bac Ninh was chosen to host this national event. He underlined that the 2025 National Cheo Festival is a fantastic celebration of the Cheo stage across the country, providing a platform for artists to interact, share knowledge, and gain experience, as well as allowing viewers to appreciate one-of-a-kind pieces and helping to preserve and raise awareness of the importance of traditional Cheo art.
He affirmed that the organization of the Festival in Bac Ninh demonstrates the attention of the Party, State and Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to the preservation of traditional arts. At the same time, it is a great source of encouragement for artists and the public who love Cheo, Loi added.
People's Artist Nguyen Xuan Bac, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province Bui Thi Thu Thuy present flowers to art troupes.
At the opening ceremony, the Organizing Committee presented flowers to the art troupes and the Art Council participating in the Festival. The art troupes also donated VND 210 million to support people affected by storms and floods in Bac Ninh.
The National Cheo Festival is a national-scale art activity, held every three years to evaluate and summarize the creative quality, staging and performance of Cheo art units nationwide. This is also an opportunity to honor collectives and individuals who have made many contributions to the work of preserving and promoting the artistic value of Cheo - a unique national theatrical form, imbued with Vietnamese cultural identity.
Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Bac Ninh province Bui Thi Thu Thuy receives the support from art troupes participating in the Festival.
This year's festival brings together nearly 900 artists, actors and musicians, with 21 elaborately invested plays, deeply reflecting social life, praising the homeland, country and people of Vietnam. The judging is carried out according to the regulations of the Department of Performing Arts, with categories of Gold Medal, Silver Medal and Excellence Award for groups and individuals with high achievements.
The 2025 National Cheo Festival takes place from October 20 to November 2, 2025 in Bac Ninh province - a land rich in cultural traditions and folk arts, contributing to promoting the local image, promoting cultural exchange, tourism and spreading the artistic value of Cheo to the public.
Right after the opening ceremony, the audience enjoyed the play "Thien Menh" performed by Bac Ninh Cheo Theater.
