Three major theatre festivals, along with a variety of related activities, will be held in 2019, according to the Vietnam Stage Artists Association (VSAA) Chairman Le Tien Tho. 

They will be comprised of a national festival of Tuong (classic drama) and folk songs in the central province of Thanh Hoa in May, a national festival of Cheo (traditional opera) in the northern province of Bac Giang in September, and the fourth pilot international theatre festival in Hanoi in October. 

Within the framework of the pilot international theatre festival, there will be a forum on the participating works and a workshop on theatre integration and development trends, Tho said at a conference in Hanoi on January 25. 

The VSAA is also expected to launch three composing camps for artists in March, June, and September in Nha Trang city, the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa, and Dai Lai and Tam Dao in the northern mountainous province of Vinh Phuc, as well as create conditions for artists to take fact-finding trips to Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. 

The association will convene its national congress for the 2019-2024 period in December, he said. 

Highly-esteemed theatrical artist Le Chuc, who is also VSAA Vice Chairman, said in 2018, the association hosted and co-organised seven theatre festivals across a range of genres and admitted 132 new members. 

During the conference, the association honoured experienced artists who have made outstanding contributions to the theatre industry. –VNA