More than 300 artists from across Ho Chi Minh City are taking part in a “Don ca tai tu” festival which opened on May 16.

A "Don ca tai tu" performance at the festival 

The artists from 24 “Don ca tai tu” clubs are presenting solo, duo and group singing and instrumental performances at the four-day event.

They will sing “vong co” (nostagic tunes) and “cai luong” (reformed opera) excerpts about love, praise of the country, late President Ho Chi Minh and national heroes, achievements in nation-building, along with Vietnamese culture and people.

Meanwhile, musicians will play traditional instruments, including “kim” (two-stringed guitar), “co” (vertical violin with two strings), “tranh” (16-chord zither) and “bau” (monochord zither).

At the opening ceremony, Deputy Director of HCM City’s Culture Centre Tran Thanh Binh said three years since being listed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2013, the southern region’s art of “Don ca tai tu” has been growing strongly, showing its importance in the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.

Together with other localities in the region, HCM City has also made efforts to preserve and bring into play unique values of this art over the past years, and this festival is among oustanding activities, he added.

Last April, artists of HCM City also took part in the second national “Don ca tai tu” festival, held in nearby Binh Duong province, and won many prizes.

VNA