Editor's note
This July marks the third anniversary of Ho Guom Theatre or Ho Guom Opera House.
More than a striking piece of contemporary architecture, the venue has steadily established itself as one of Vietnam's leading cultural institutions, hosting high-quality productions from both domestic and international artists.
The theater has become a platform where cultural values are shared, artistic traditions meet and international exchanges flourish, contributing to the promotion of Vietnam's image abroad while supporting the country's growing cultural industries.
In this special series, VietNamNet looks back on Ho Guom Opera House's first three years.
Major General, People's Artist Nguyen Cong Bay, Deputy Director of the Department of Political Affairs under the Ministry of Public Security and Director of Ho Guom Opera House, spoke with VietNamNet about the theater's remarkable development, changing audience expectations and its ambition to bring world-class classical performing arts closer to Vietnamese audiences.
Ho Guom Opera House was jointly developed by the Ministry of Public Security and the Hanoi People's Committee and inaugurated three years ago to host major artistic events. Looking back, what achievement makes you most proud?
Major General, People's Artist Nguyen Cong Bay: There are two accomplishments that stand out.
First, Ho Guom Opera House has not only been embraced by audiences but has also become a familiar destination for lovers of classical performing arts.
At the same time, it has become a trusted venue for major political events hosted by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State and the Ministry of Public Security.
We are proud that the theater possesses the facilities, technical standards and professional resources needed to meet the demanding requirements of both Vietnamese and international productions.
Second, over the past three years the theater has actively collaborated on numerous performances of political and cultural significance.
Most importantly, we have earned the confidence of international partners, world-renowned artists and leading orchestras.
Several prestigious institutions have proactively signed cooperation agreements with Ho Guom Opera House, including the Royal Opera of Versailles in France (2023), the London Symphony Orchestra (2025), Teatro Massimo in Italy (2025), the Bolshoi Theatre of Belarus (2026) and the Saint Petersburg Theatre in Russia (2026).
We have also established long-term partnerships with the National Centre for the Performing Arts of China and the World Association for Performing Arts, enabling us both to host international productions in Hanoi and bring Vietnamese artists to perform overseas.
What has Ho Guom Opera House accomplished beyond your original expectations?
What we've achieved over these three years has gone far beyond what we imagined.
It's remarkable that theaters with histories spanning centuries are willing to share their experience and bring their artists to perform at Ho Guom Opera House.
Some have placed enough trust in us to co-produce world-famous operas.
In 2025, we successfully staged Carmen with 150 artists from France.
This July, we will present La Traviata with approximately 100 artists from Italy.
For such a young cultural institution, still establishing its place on the global performing arts map, these long-term partnerships demonstrate that our international counterparts recognize our potential.
That has exceeded every expectation we had.
Our flexibility - from building partnerships to organizing performances - has kept the theater vibrant with productions across many artistic genres.
As a result, we've attracted audiences from Vietnam and abroad while also changing perceptions of classical music and performing arts, particularly among younger audiences.
Many internationally acclaimed productions generate significant revenue. Is the theater's long-term goal also to strengthen Vietnam's cultural brand and tourism?
The theater pursues several objectives simultaneously.
Under the management of the Ministry of Public Security and the professional guidance of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, our foremost responsibility is to successfully host important political events.
At the same time, generating revenue is essential for sustaining operations and supporting our staff and artists.
To ensure long-term growth and international integration, we're developing a broad range of artistic programming while expanding an ecosystem that connects performances with tourism and hospitality.
In fact, many visitors from ASEAN countries now choose to fly to Hanoi to attend our performances instead of traveling to Europe.
Looking ahead, the Ministry of Public Security will lead the development of a comprehensive cultural ecosystem, with Ho Guom Opera House playing a central role.
One key project is the creation of an Arts Museum, which will preserve valuable collections while introducing both Vietnamese musical history and the history of Western classical arts to domestic and international visitors.
This initiative fulfills an important cultural mission while also creating sustainable revenue to reinvest in future artistic productions.
What challenges have you faced in bringing international companies that had never previously performed in Vietnam?
The biggest challenge has been adapting to international standards, especially those expected by long-established European institutions.
Both Vietnamese artists and audiences have needed time to become familiar with world-class productions.
That has required us to create opportunities for dialogue, artistic exchange and audience engagement.
Another challenge is financial.
Producing major works to international standards - and inviting world-renowned orchestras and leading artists to Vietnam - requires not only performance fees but also hospitality and logistical services that meet global expectations.
Perhaps most importantly, international partners often ask whether Vietnamese audiences are ready for their productions.
Fortunately, experience has shown that Vietnamese audiences are highly receptive to art forms often considered niche, including ballet, opera and musicals.
Their enthusiasm, appreciation and understanding have dispelled our partners' initial concerns.
International productions also stimulate tourism and related services. How will Ho Guom Opera House continue developing its cultural industry ecosystem?
If we failed to embrace the development of cultural industries in line with the Party's strategic direction, we would inevitably fall behind.
Ho Guom Opera House sees itself as a pioneer in building an integrated cultural ecosystem.
We've already sought approval to upgrade our facilities and digitize our archives.
We're also launching the first phase of the Ho Guom Symphony Orchestra, while preparing to open an Arts Museum featuring virtual reality technology alongside smaller performance spaces to expand the theater's activities.
On the hospitality side, we're developing premium restaurants that combine Vietnamese culinary culture with five- and six-star service to better serve visitors.
Our goal is to create artistic experiences for audiences of all ages - from young people to international tourists.
By tailoring programming to different audience groups, we can generate sustainable revenue that can be reinvested in ambitious artistic productions.
We also plan to work closely with travel companies to develop long-term partnerships that promote Vietnam's people, culture and heritage through performances, museum visits and culinary experiences unique to Ho Guom Opera House.
How has hosting leading international companies enhanced Vietnam's standing on the global performing arts stage?
Although Ho Guom Opera House has only been operating for three years, our successful productions of major classical works have attracted international attention.
Our partners recognize that Vietnam now has a performing arts venue that meets international standards, strengthening the country's presence on the global cultural map.
Most recently, I submitted a proposal for Ho Guom Opera House to officially join the World Theatre Alliance, a network of nearly 40 major theaters worldwide.
Through this alliance, Vietnamese audiences will be able to watch live broadcasts of world-class performances from Europe and Beijing directly at Ho Guom Opera House.
Likewise, when Vietnam hosts its sessions, we will showcase Vietnamese performing arts and traditional musical instruments to audiences across more than 40 member countries.
This demonstrates that Vietnamese performing arts are fully capable of standing alongside the world's best.
Ultimately, every international exchange serves one central objective: promoting the image of Vietnam and its people.
By making full use of our facilities - and especially through the Ho Guom Symphony Orchestra - we integrate patriotism and Vietnamese cultural identity into our artistic programming.
The theater also plans to organize regular monthly and quarterly programs dedicated to introducing Vietnam's traditional arts to international audiences.
Some people initially viewed the theater's construction budget as a major expense. After three years, many now see it as an investment rather than spending. Do you agree?
I completely agree.
President Ho Chi Minh once said, "Culture lights the way for the nation."
Culture is an internal source of national strength, standing alongside the economy, politics and national defense.
If a nation loses its culture, it loses everything.
Investing public resources in a modern theater creates invaluable cultural benefits for society while strengthening Vietnam's international image.
Such investment may be substantial, but it is the right investment - one that serves the future.
Art is an essential form of soft power in international relations.
Music, in particular, is a universal language capable of overcoming barriers and fostering dialogue and mutual understanding between nations.
That is why investing in Ho Guom Opera House means investing in social development, the public's cultural life and Vietnam's lasting international integration.
By the numbers
Over the past three years, Ho Guom Opera House has hosted 279 programs across 320 performances, including:
56 performances serving major political events organized by the Communist Party of Vietnam, the State and the Ministry of Public Security.
48 international productions co-organized by Ho Guom Opera House.
216 ticketed performances generating commercial revenue.
Tinh Le
Vietnamnet.vn
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