Seeing the sights: The first tour gathers many elders on September 6 (Source: tuoitre.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - TheOpera House in downtown Hanoi is now open to the public for historical andarchitectural tours and art shows.
The first tour was organised onSeptember 6. It attracted dozens of Hanoians, especially elders, and members ofthe media.
Visitors will be able to take ina full tour of the House. Notable sites include its main hall, staircases,stage hall, and the mirror room, with traces of bullets shot in December 1946during the first fight in the Indochinese Campaign between the Viet Minh troopsand French troops. Guides will tell visitors about important events held at thesquare in front of the House since early 20th century.
Besides, visitors can experiencethe VIP seats at the theatre hall, as well as tour the third floor of the Houseto see building and decorating materials for the House in early 20th century.An exhibition hall will help visitors understand the renovation that took placein 1995, and also offer photos of the House throughout the time.
A traditional art showtitled Hon Viet (Vietnamese Soul) will entertain touristswith dances, classical opera, ceremonial singing and flute performance.
The Opera House was built in 1901and completed in 1911 by the French following the design of the Opera Garnierin Paris. It has been assessed as one of the most beautiful buildings inSoutheast Asia. The House is now the most opulent building in Hanoi, and housesmajor events, meetings, and high-class performances by domestic and world.
The House will open at 10.30am onMondays and Fridays. After October , the House will open more often forvisitors. Each tour lasts for 90 minutes and costs 400,000 VND per adult (18USD).
“Since the House introduced thetour, various travel agencies have been interested in participating,” said VuongDuy Bien, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, “With the trademarkof the Opera House that no other relic possesses, the managing agencies willdevelop it to make it more alluring to tourists.
“Hence, besides the venue, themanaging agencies should focus on service and building interesting art shows toserve guests. In the near future, the House should introduce some othertraditional shows to meet diverse demands.”
On the first open day, many eldersjoined the tour, including Nguyen Minh Vu, from Thanh Xuan district, who knewabout the opening from public media.
“My dad used to take me here towatch cai luong (renovated opera) shows,” he recalled, “WhenI got older, I understood more about its architecture and historical value. Ihave been longing for such a tour.”
He suggested the House managersdivide the tour into different purposes: to look at architecture, to understandthe building’s history and to enjoy art shows.
“For example,” he said, “On evendays the House may offer tours for architecture and history while art shows maybe spared for night time. Because it combines too many purposes in one tour,the tour price of 400,000 VND is fairly high to a majority of people.”
Hoang Trong Su was also happy tojoin the first tour on September 6. “Visiting the Opera House has been my lifetimewish,” he said, “I’ll soon take my grandchildren here to admire the masterpieceof the French time in Vietnam.”
Duong Long Tan, another elder,said the price should be adjusted to suit more people’s income.
“The tour is in an experimentalperiod and the House’s managing board will run the tours while listening tovisitors’ opinions to make necessary changes,” said Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet,director of the House.-VNA
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