Audiences will experience six aspects of the cultural Quintessence of Tonkin: Poetry, Buddhism, Nostalgia, Music & Painting, Joy & Festivities. The show will bring you back to a pristine time, living in the old countryside of Vietnam, feeling the sacred atmosphere and the cultural crystallization of the land with thousands years of literature.
Vietnam’s must-see cultural spectacle
From October 2017, the grandest and most ambitious live entertainment project Vietnam with the name The Quintessence of Tonkin (Thua Ay Xu Doai – Tinh Hoa Bac Bo) is released to welcome visitors from across the globe. This performance will offer spectators a chance to explore Vietnamese history and culture from a contemporary perspective, with hundreds of performers, an interactive water stage, and state-of-the-art technology. Complimentary transportation is available from Hanoi for bookings made at least 2 days in advance.
The Quintessence of Tonkin locates in Baara Land complex, about 40 minutes’ drive from the city center of Hanoi.Located 25km west of central Hanoi, The Quintessence of Tonkin occupies a space close to Chua Thay (Thay Pagoda), a special National Heritage and one of the oldest Buddhist pagodas in Vietnam. Chua Thay can be easily visited in conjunction with a trip to see The Quintessence of Tonkin, which helps frame the spectacle.
Especially, the open air rice field completes with a replicated village and the Chua Thay Mountain as the backdrop is the setting for this spectacle, which is performed on a submerged stage under a thin layer of water. “Mountains and water are very important in Vietnamese spirituality and folklore, which is why the show takes place on a lake and the Chua Thay hill is visible”, says Hoang Nhat Nam, Director of the show. “The Quintessence of Tonkin” will be showcased in different fields of arts from poetry, music, painting, sculpture, architecture, leisure activities to cultural activities in religious belief and in the working life of the people.
The Show
The Show draws inspiration from the spiritual history of the nearby Thay Pagoda telling the story of the pagoda’s founding by venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh, and explains the ancient union between religion and the monarchy. Years in the making and with hundreds of performers, an interactive stage, state-of-the-art technology, and a stunning setting, this live spectacle is an unmissable highlight of any trip to Hanoi.
The Story
This show is blended 6 different aspects of the cultural Quintessence of Tonkin: Poetry, Buddhism, Nostalgia, Music & Painting, Joy & Festivities. Besides, water puppetry – a typical form of Vietnamese art, which has existed for more than 1,000 years – as a part of the Quintessence of Tonkin will bring you vivid images of daily rural life in Vietnam.
Not only opening up the cultural space of the northern delta with people’s daily life activities, the play also shows the audience the best of the water puppetry art with the story of the venerable monk Tu Dao Hanh and the history of the ancient Thang Long Royal Palace.
The Performers
There are two groups of performers in this show: local families of farmers, bringing their experience and showcasing their lives to the audiences, and a young team of talented Students from the Hanoi College of Dance, bringing youth and energy to the stage.
The Theater
The theater itself is an engineering masterpiece. The natural lake was transformed into a stage, including a state-of-the-art hydrothermal system that raises the 15-ton Thuy Dinh Pagoda (pavilion on water) from under the water in just under a minute. As the Thay Mountain composes the background of the scenery, we also had to develop a unique illumination system to light up the hills, 1.5km away, using 40 lamps of 1500 watts!
PLATINUM: The best seats of the house! A guaranteed central view under a covered, VIP area.
GOLD: Be sure to have an excellent central view with our Gold package.
SILVER: An incredible experience at a great value.
The Costumes
The costumes are made of traditional patterns and raw materials – silk and cotton. They are all made onsite, and in order to faithfully illustrate our history and culture, were produced under the supervision of a historian and multiple artisans.
This fantastic visual spectacle is more than just a show; it is an experience of agricultural Vietnam. Enjoy a taste of the show’s history and talent now by watching a short video clip above or follow this link:
Capacity: more than 2,500 seats.
Time: 7:30PM – 8:30PM
Venue: Da Phuc Village (near Thay Pagoda), Sai Son Commune, Quoc Oai District, Hanoi
Public price (please contact us to about the availability of ticket and the best offer such as promotion rate, early bird or last minute deal):
+ 800,000 VND/Silver Ticket; 1,100,000 VND/ Silver Ticket with Dinner.
+ 900,000 VND/ Gold Ticket; 1,200,000 VND/ Gold Ticket with Dinner.
+ 1,200,000 VND/ Platinum Ticket; 1,500,000 VND/ Platinum Ticket with Dinner.
Pick-up: 5:30 PM from the Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.
Drop-off: at approximately 10:00 P.M (at the Hanoi Tower).
Complementary shuttle bus for individual guests/ group under 10 persons will be provided with bookings of at least 2 days in advance.
Ticket holder should arrive at the amphitheater at least 30 minutes before the show on time to check in. Latecomers will be seated in a latecomers’ zone. Price difference between zone booked and latecomers’ zone will not be refunded. Seats in latecomers’ zone are subject to amphitheater availability.
Smoking, food and beverage consumption are not allowed in the amphitheater and during the show.
The use of any audio/video recording devices, including cellphones, is strictly prohibited during the show.