(VOVWORLD) - Hue Festival 2018 which concluded last week served as a rendezvous of culture and art from all over the world. In addition to colorful performances by foreign art troupes, the festival featured many shows about the unique culture of the former imperial city of Hue.
An art program entitled “Echoes of the Perfume River” was a highlight of this year’s Hue Festival. It tells the life story of people living on the Perfume River, from the time they fall in love, get married, and give birth until their children grow up and continue to work on the river.
"All 9 Hue Festivals in the past gave wide coverage to the Hue imperial palaces and cultural heritages but barely touched local people’s lives. I think those are the basic values that preserve and promote the unique culture of Hue. The show is a tribute to all the people of Hue", said writer Nguyen Quang Vinh, who is the show’s director.
The spectacle is like a watercolor painting which depicts Hue’s watery landscapes and its familiar rural images, like the corner of a small fishing village, a banyan-tree, a water well and the village yard.
“I think this is one of the most beautiful performances I have ever seen. It’s very nice. Every time I see, there’s something special. That’s why I come every time to see the festival. But this is one of the most beautiful performances. First of all, it concerns the tradition of Hue: the fishermen, the singing, also all the aspects of life in Hue. It’s very professional, well-organized, and very new. Every scene has its own appeal. I really enjoyed it”, said Sarti Massimo, a Belgian who has lived in Hue for several years.
Other highlights were performances featuring Vietnam’s triumphant history in the 19th century. Staged on the old platform of the Can Chanh palace in the Purple Forbidden City, the shows told the stories of national construction, the defense of sovereignty and national integrity, and peaceful life in the Nguyen dynasty. The audience learned about history through music, singing, dancing, costumes, and sound and visual effects.
The performances featured the 5 Hue cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO as world heritages of humanity: the Complex of Hue Monuments, Hue Royal Court Music, Wood Blocks of the Nguyen dynasty, Stone Blocks of the Nguyen dynasty, and Literature on Hue’s Royal Architecture.
“The performances tell Vietnam’s history from the 19th century until now. Hue’s royal and folk arts have been combined to highlight traditional culture and history”, said Nguyen Phuoc Hai Trung, Deputy Director of the Hue Relics Preservation Center.
Another show called “Vietnamese Timbre” was glorified in the opulent space of Dien Tho Palace. The program was a wonderful combination of folk and classical music.