Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

By Ngoc Thanh   May 17, 2023 | 06:59 pm PT
Bac Ninh Quan Ho Theater, which is inspired by the northern province's traditional communal house roof, won a national architecture award recently.
Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

Its double-layered roof features bamboo adorned with motifs reminiscent of Ba Tam hats.

The consulting architects for the theater were Ngo Trung Hai, Tran Hoang Hai Nam and Tran Anh Son, whose vision was to re-create a Quan Ho cultural space in the city’s Diem village, the home of Quan Ho.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

The theater occupies an area of 19,400 square meters and cost VND240 billion ($10.2 million) when it was built in 2020.

Quan Ho was recognized by UNESCO in 2010 as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

It involves two women and two men taking turns to sing harmoniously, exchanging verses with each other.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

The first-floor corridor is furnished with rows of wooden chairs, and the walls have traditional paintings from Dong Ho village.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

The interior wooden walls of the auditorium stand over 10 meters tall and are sound-proof.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

A large stage is meant exclusively for authentic folk performances from the Quan Ho region.

At the 15th National Architecture Awards last month, the theater received the Silver award in the Public Architecture category.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

The 341 wooden seats in the auditorium are crafted from the red Doussie wood imported from South Africa.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

Of them 18 are large and the rest, small.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

The main stage has two light rigs in the front set against a backdrop featuring motifs of flat palm hats with fringes, worn by women during Quan Ho performances.

Bac Ninh theater inspired by folk traditions

In 2022, the theater hosted over 20 art shows.

 
 
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