Spectacle ‘The Quintessence of Tonkin’ wins The Guide Awards 2019

The trophy won by live entertainment show ‘Tinh Hoa Bac Bo’ or ‘The Quintessence of Tonkin’ at The Guide Awards 2019. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) – The live entertainment show ‘Tinh Hoa Bac Bo’ or ‘The Quintessence of Tonkin’  has received a special prize at The Guide Awards 2019 recently.

The prize honours the farmers who perform in the show as “exceptional cultural and tourism ambassadors.”

Demonstrating the agricultural culture of northern Vietnam, the live show is a product of the Tuan Chau Hanoi JSC, and takes place in an outdoor stage on the western outskirts of Hanoi.

This 60-minute visual spectacle contains more than 250 performers, of which 150 are local farmers living in the area.

Since its debut two years ago, the show has amazed thousands of Vietnamese and international spectators as it offers audience a chance to explore Vietnamese history and culture from a contemporary perspective, with an interactive water stage, and state-of-art technology.

The prize honours the farmers who perform in the show as “exceptional cultural and tourism ambassadors.” (Photo: VietnamPlus)

So far, more than 80,000 people, including 50,000 foreigners, have enjoyed the show.

It was recommended by CNN as a must-see for anyone visiting Hanoi.

The Quintessence of Tonkin includes six acts presenting traditional elements of Vietnamese culture in a contemporary and innovative way.

Throughout the show, the audience will be brought back to a pristine time in an old countryside where they can feel the sacred atmosphere as well as learn about the cultural quintessence of the thousand-year-old-history Red River Delta region, the heart of northern Vietnam.

The venue is near Thay Pagoda, one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in the country and a pilgrimage site during the Lunar New Year festival.

The spectacle draws inspiration from the pagoda’s history as it tells how the pagoda was founded by monk Tu Dao Hanh and the ancient union between religion and monarchy. A visit to Thay Pagoda can be combined with a trip to see The Quintessence of Tonkin, contextualising both experiences.

The show’s stage was built between the auditorium and the small hill where Thay Pagoda rests, so audience can watch the show with the pagoda as a backdrop.

Photo: VietnamPlus

The stage is permanently submerged under a thin layer of water and offers a performing area for up to 250 people at the same time, who are a mixture of both professional artists and local farmers.

The water allows a creative portrayal of the area’s cultural heritage, using water puppetry and dragon boat racing, among other forms of performance.

The show reflects the peaceful sounds of the rural north of Vietnam, such as those from wooden drums, brass gongs, night crickets, and flowing water.

The project also blends different elements of traditional music styles, including 'quan ho' (love duet singing) and 'ca tru' (ceremonial singing), both of which are recognised by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritages.

Not only can the show spectators explore the cultural quintessence, but also the actors.

“Working as a performer in the evening and a props maker for the show during daytime, I have gained a deeper understanding of the richness of our culture,” actress Nguyen Thi Thanh said.

Fellow actor Dao Duc Thang added: “I’m lucky to be a farmer-turned-actor. It’s my honour to contribute to preserving and promoting our cultural values.”  
Alongside the new prize, the spectacle has also won several records and international awards.

It won two Vietnamese records for the performance show with the biggest water stage in Vietnam and the largest number of peasant actors.

The show also pocketed a gold medal for Innovation in Media, Visual Communications & Entertainment in the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards 2018.

In July, the show was named the top cultural spectacle in 2019 at the Best Hotels & Resorts Awards 2019 in Seoul.

The annual Guide Awards, which was founded by The Guide magazine in 1999, is to celebrate the achievements and contributions of enterprises, organisations and individuals in Vietnam to the country’s tourism sector./.