by Hồng Linh - Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — Hát bội (classical drama) is one of Việt Nam’s oldest traditional theatrical arts.

To preserve this unique art form as well as popularise it, the HCM City Hát Bội Theatre has been holding regular performances in various public spaces across the city.

Regular venues include Nguyễn Văn Bình Street, also known as Book Street, in the downtown area, the Hùng Kings Temple at the Sài Gòn Zoo and Botanical Gardens, and the Lê Văn Duyệt Tomb.

The theatre has organised around 20 shows so far this year.  

It also has an educational programme to promote traditional music and performing arts in schools.

Earlier this month, it partnered with Nguyễn Khuyến High School to host a programme titled 'Experiencing Hát Bội with Traditional Music'.

After the show, its artists engaged with students, answering questions and helping them better understand hát bội's history, development, and key features.

Students got the chance to try dance moves on stage, learn about makeup and performance techniques, and how to distinguish good, bad, and evil characters by their masks.

Through these programmes, the theatre wants to take hát bội to the public rather than wait for audiences to seek it out, offering people accessible opportunities to learn about and experience the art form first-hand, Nguyễn Thanh Bình, artist and head of the theatre’s performance organisation department, said.

The outreach efforts have yielded encouraging results, with audience engagement growing significantly.

Many viewers, including international tourists, actively follow the performance schedules on the Facebook pages of the theatre and Book Street.

With continued support from the Department of Culture and Sports, the HCM City Hát Bội Theatre plans to maintain the programmes to preserve the traditional performing arts. — VNS