For nearly two hours, well-known artists from northern Bac Ninh Province sang tunes, such as Ban Tinh Oi (My dear sweetheart) and Dem Qua Nho Ban (Last night I missed my friend).

Singers from Bac Ninh Province were among more than 1,500 artists of 29 troupes from northern, central and southern Vietnam taking part in the festival organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism from September 8-15.

Each troupe brought songs, music and dances unique to its region to the week-long festival.

The Dam San Troupe from the Central Highlands province of Gia Lai fascinated audiences with a performance titled Am Vang Dai Ngan (Echoes of jungles), combining gong playing and traditional dances of E De ethnic people.

Songs and dances performed by artists from coastal provinces praised the beauty of the sea and depicted the lifestyle of fishing villages.

The beauty of natural landscapes was highlighted in songs performed by vocalists from northern Ha Giang Province.

The performance of 11 songs and dances by HCMC’s Bong Sen (Lotus) troupe received rounds of applause from the audience.

“I’m always impressed when I hear a one-string zither performance,” said Michael Abadie, an American who has lived in Vietnam for more than 15 years and speaks fluent Vietnamese.

The festival is organised every five years in Vietnam. This year, the festival was also held from August 15-20 in Vinh City in central Nghe An Province with the participation of 17 song and dance troupes.

“The festival aims to review activities and the quality of professional artistic troupes around the country,” Le Tien Tho, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said.

“Many songs and dances of the festival will be selected again next year for the ceremonies to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi,” Tho said.

According to the Arts Performance Centre under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the 25-member troupe will provide Vietnamese audiences with special songs and dances which have won many Chinese and international awards.

Established in the 1960s, the Ordos Troupe has toured many countries throughout the world, including France, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Pakistan, Mongolia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria.

The event was attended by Vietnam’s former Vice State President Truong My Hoa and Laos’ Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

Participants enjoyed art performances by the Association of Vietnamese in Vientiane saluting the land and people of Vietnam, late President Ho Chi Minh and the special ties between Laos and Vietnam.

The Vietnamese community in Laos is planning more activities in celebration of National Day between now and September 2.

Under the four-point MoU, inked on September 8, the two sides agree to work closely to further increase tourism promotion.

They will hold annual meetings to timely solve arising problems that could harm their cooperation.

At their meeting in Sapa District, the two sides’ officials also agreed to assist each other in organising trade fairs, exhibitions – as part of measures to boost cross-border travellers.

They proposed that the two countries’ border-gate agencies should facilitate the cooperation.

On the occasion, the two sides made introduction on their tourism potentials, focusing on famous tourist sites.