THANG LONG WATER PUPPET THEATRE
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a well-known historic theater in Hanoi that exemplifies Vietnamese artistic tradition. Many visitors have been astonished by the site's glittering puppet acts and intriguing narratives.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre Information:
Address: 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi City
Opening hours: 3:30 pm - 5 pm - 6:30 pm - 8 pm - 9:15 pm daily and Sunday at 9:30 am
From 150.000 VND - 250.000 VND
Hanoi is a captivating city with over 1,000 years of Vietnamese history, a vibrant culture, wonderful cuisine, and numerous attractions. Tourists who enjoy ancient Vietnamese art should include Thang Long Water Puppet Theater in their itinerary when visiting Hanoi. Every year, millions of tourists go to the theater to see the world's most famous water puppet acts.
The History of the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre:
October 10, 1969:
The Hanoi People's Committee voted to establish the Hanoi Kim Dong Art Troupe, which would be managed by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Information. The head office is located in the basement of the Department of Culture and Information, 47 Hang Dau Street, Hanoi City.
1975:
Kim Dong Art Troupe has changed its name to Hanoi Puppetry Troupe.
Famous talents from the capital and around the country have convened to assist the group in developing the show's program. Providing support to hundreds of theatrical art troupes at the national and local levels. The ensemble began touring regions and cities around the country.
1985 - 1990:
Facing the prospect of a shutdown.
In the latter years of the subsidy period, performances without audiences, artists without revenue, days without work, group leaders disciplined, risk of breakup, unemployment, and dissolution.
#The future of art has a long way to go, and grandeur cannot be stopped.
What Le Van Ngo and his brothers must recognize at this point is that we must return to our origins, to the thousand-year-old water puppets that have always been preserved among the people.
Return to the Dao Thuc-Dong Anh water puppet ward to live as a villager, eating and sleeping together, wading and performing water puppetry with the village's artists.
1991 - 2001:
Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe
Thang Long Puppetry Group was formally transferred to Hoa Binh Cinema in 1993 when it was built and remodeled into a puppet theater at 57B Dinh Tien Hoang Street in Hoan Kiem.
#Becoming a prominent arts and cultural venue in the capital
The Ha Noi crowd and the entire country, as well as foreign visitors, flocked to see three nonstop performances every day of the year.
Travel firms are very busy booking trips for travelers from all over the world to come to Hanoi and watch Vietnamese puppetry at Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe.
#Introducing the art of water puppetry to the globe.
During ten years, audiences all around the world discovered that Vietnam had a unique and magnificent art theater. Thang Long Puppetry Troupe performs globally and attends international art festivals like Paris, New York, Barcelona, Hejsinki, Sydney, Seoul, and Bangkok. In many places, the group returned to perform with the audience's invitation approximately ten times, including France, Australia, America, and Japan.
Throughout the years, the Troupe has toured worldwide several times. In 2000, the group went on seven overseas trips.
2001 - 2005:
Thang Long Puppet Theatre
Viet Nam Outstanding Artist Mr. Le Van Ngo was selected as Director of Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre.
In August 2001, the Hanoi People's Committee agreed to elevate the Thang Long Water Puppetry group to the Thang Long Puppet Theater.
The name change from Thang Long Puppetry Troupe to Thang Long Puppet Theater is a significant step for an art troupe.
After over ten years of developing and performing water puppets together, the Theater has achieved positive results. Even though the board of directors was aware of the numerous challenges, they chose to revive shallow puppetry in a modern manner. Dry puppetry provides an ideal environment for artists to sublimate, express their creativity, and validate their abilities. Because this is essential spiritual nourishment for young millennials.
In 2003, a series of shallow puppet plays was developed, each having a different topic, substance, form, shape, performing method, etc. in a modern manner. 2003 was a year of extraordinary success, with the pieces that competed in the National Puppet Theater Festival winning several accolades.
2005 - 2007:
Mrs. Do Thi Mui, a Vietnamese artist, has been selected as the director of Thang Long Puppet Theatre.
The Board of Directors has worked hard with the collective of artists, performers, and staff to join and unite; the Red Theater now has 365 days of lights; the number of guests is rising; the revenue for the next year is more than the previous year; and his life has improved.
The State honored painters Le Van Ngo, Huu Thu, and Nguyen Dang Tien with the prestigious title of Viet Nam Outstanding Artist in 2007.
In addition to completing jobs, the theater participates in social activities such as a city-level scientific project with the topic "Preservation and development of Thang Long - Hanoi puppetry" which is widely regarded.
Along with artistic success, training is a significant and required responsibility. The theater has partnered with Ha Noi Academic of Theater and Cinema to provide formal academic puppeteers. Furthermore, established artists and actors are encouraged to participate in vocational training for the next generation, with the sole goal of having the next generation of brilliant young actors work together to protect and advance their professions.
2007 - 2017:
Mr. Nguyen Hoang Tuan, a Vietnamese People's Artist, has been chosen as the Director of Thang Long Puppet Theatre.
The orchestra was founded in 2008, with more than a dozen players who had received official training at the Vietnam National Conservatory of Music. Previously, the Theater lacked an official orchestra; nevertheless, as the demand for art enjoyment grew, forming a professional music team became a highly practical duty.
From 2008 to 2014, several works were shown to domestic audiences and in response to national and international puppetry festivals. Thang Long Puppet Theater has always been a professional art unit, appearing in several shows with typical artistic excellence that blends tradition and contemporary.
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a popular cultural attraction in Hanoi, including over 500 traditional Vietnamese water puppet acts. The presentations frequently feature scenarios from Vietnamese culture, history, and daily life, complemented by live music.
The theater's history stretches back to the 11th century when water puppetry was originally introduced in Vietnam's Red River Delta region by the Ly Dynasty. Water puppetry, influenced by rice cultivation tradition, was first performed in rural communities' rice paddies and ponds during festivals and special events. The art was finally introduced to the imperial court in Hanoi, where it became a popular form of entertainment.
The State honored artists Nguyen Hoang Tuan, Chu Dac Duoc, Chu Luong, Nguyen Phuong Nhi, Duc Hung, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, and Siu Y Ban with the title of Viet Nam Outstanding Artist in 2012.
#Asian Record:
Asia Record Center officially set the theater record as "The only theater in Asia to achieve a record of performing water puppetry 365 days/year" on September 18, 2013.
At the same time, the Theater was honored to receive the First Class Labor Medal.
In 2015, various artists were bestowed the noble titles of People's Artist and NSU'T by the State (People's Artist Nguyen Hoang Tuan and NSU'Ts Le Chi Kien, Nguyen Ho Thuy Tien, Dang To Nhu, Nguyen Quoc Vu, Tong Thi Hue, Vo Thuy Duong, Tran Xuan Trung, Le Thu Huyen, Cong Bich Thuy, Le Minh Tuan).
Thang Long Water Puppet Theater Hanoi was founded in 1969 to conserve and popularize traditional Vietnamese puppetry. Today, the theater offers performances that are both entertaining and informative. Every year, approximately 150,000 tourists from all over the world go to the theater to watch the magnificent Hanoi water puppet acts.
Water puppetry has become a prominent cultural icon in Vietnam. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater was designated a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Site in 2010.
2017 - 2020:
Viet Nam Outstanding Artist Mr Chu Luong, Deputy Director of the Theater, was appointed to administer the Thang Long Puppet Theater.
How to book Thang Long Water Puppet Theater tickets?
E-tickets can be purchased through Thang Long Water Puppet Theater's official website or any other reliable ticketing website that accepts theater reservations. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased in person at the theater's ticket booth.
It is suggested that you buy your tickets ahead of time, especially during busy tourist seasons, since shows might rapidly sell out. Thang Long Water Puppet Theater ticket costs vary depending on the kind of ticket and show hour.
- Standard tickets cost 150.000 VND (~6 USD).
- VIP tickets cost 250.000 VND (~10 USD).
It is important to note that ticket pricing may fluctuate over time. To get the most up-to-date information, visit the official website.
What can you expect to see at Thang Long Water Puppet Theater?
Visitors to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater in Hanoi may enjoy a beautiful water puppet performance in Vietnam. The theater has also expanded its repertoire to incorporate other types of Vietnamese traditional art, like as folk music and dances.
Water puppetry is a spectacle in which professional puppeteers manipulate puppets while standing in waist-deep water behind a bamboo screen. The puppets are made of wood and varnished to keep them watertight. The puppets themselves are exquisitely constructed and fashioned to resemble diverse animals, legendary creatures, and human characters.
Live music: The presentation is complemented by traditional Vietnamese music performed on bamboo flutes and drums.
The presentation tells a range of stories about Vietnamese folklore, mythology, and daily life. Some stories represent everyday scenes in the countryside, such as rice farming and fishing, while others feature dragons, fairies, and other magical creatures.
Visual effects: Over time, the theater has been enlarged and updated, with new technology included in the shows. Today, the show incorporates a variety of visual elements, including fireworks, smoke, laser illumination, and water splashes, to enhance the performances.
Audience participation: In some shows at Thang Long Water Puppet Theater, members of the audience are asked to come up on stage and interact with the puppets.
Some of the greatest puppet shows in Hanoi that should not be missed by tourists to Thang Long Water Puppet Theater are:
The Legend of the Returned Sword tells the account of King Le Thai To, who acquired a miraculous sword that enabled him to battle invaders and restore peace to the realm.
- Rice Harvest: This depicts the process of cultivating rice using conventional agricultural practices.
- Dragon Dance: Displays the classic dragon dance, a prominent performance in Vietnamese culture.
Each concert normally lasts about 50 minutes. Water puppet shows in Hanoi begin everyday at 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m., and 9:15 p.m.
What to visit in the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre?
This summer's International Festival of Rivers and the Sea included a magnificent Vietnamese water puppetry presentation.
The Thang Long Water Puppet Troupe of Hanoi demonstrated the age-old skill outside The Sage Gateshead.
The method was developed over a thousand years ago in northern Vietnam to commemorate the conclusion of rice harvests, mark religious festivals, and, subsequently, amuse the royal court. Unknown outside of Vietnam until recently, the art form offers a look into ancient Vietnam's cultural life and times, particularly the stories and legends that entertained and amused peasant farmers and fishermen.
Puppetry is a theater genre that uses a rice field, river, or pond as a stage. Visitors watched as the puppets, some standing two feet tall and weighing up to 15 kilos, were moved over the water's surface using a system of underwater poles, rods, and strings.
Many are so massive and complicated that they take two or three persons to move them. The puppeteers stand waist-deep in the water, shielded from the audience by a pagoda.
Some of the acts include Dance of the Dragons, Triumphant Return, and Dance of the Fairies.
How to get to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre:
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre is located in the center of Hanoi's Old Quarter, near Hoan Kiem Lake, and is readily accessible from most sections of the city.
There are numerous methods to reach the theater depending on where you start:
By walking: If you are staying in the Old Quarter, you can easily get to the theater.
By taxi or motorbike taxi: You may hail a cab or motorcycle taxi on the street or book one using ride-hailing apps like Grab or Gojek.
By bus: Take busses 04, 146, 18, or 42 and get out at the Hoan Kiem Lake station, which is approximately a 5-minute walk from the theatre.
Tips for visiting the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
1. Purchasing tickets:
Tickets for this concert sell out far in advance, so grab yours as soon as possible. You can go to the theatre in the morning and get tickets for a later afternoon play. Aside from the VND 100,000 general entrance fee, there are additional camera or video expenses if you wish to photograph or film the event.
2. Seating:
Because the theatre is huge and the puppets are small, it is worth paying a bit more to sit closer to the (water) stage.
3. How to get there:
The theatre is located in the Old Quarter, so walking from your accommodation is the best option. If your lodging is too far away from the city center or you are coming from another location outside of it, you should consider getting a cab. Keep in mind, however, that the streets near the Thang Long Theatre, Hoan Kiem, and the Old Quarter are blocked to motorized vehicles in the afternoon on weekends.
4. Activities in the region:
The Thang Long Theatre is very adjacent to Hoan Kiem Lake, so this is an excellent opportunity to roam about. It's also only 100 meters from the Ngoc Son temple, which sits on an island in the lake. If you wish to visit this temple, avoid going after a late water puppet show, as the bridge to the island closes at 6 p.m.
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