The opening of the first International Marionette Festival, co-organised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Performing Art Department and the Viet Nam Stage Artists’ Association, also included the “Le Grand Retour” performance of the Tof Theatre of Belgium.

Seventeen troupes from Viet Nam and 12 foreign countries, including Egypt, Belgium, Brazil, Sweden, Israel, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and the Philippines, have brought to the festival 20 puppet shows of different genres.

As the host, Viet Nam contributes eight shows by the Central Puppetry Theatre, the Thang Long Puppetry Theatre and three other troupes from Ho Chi Minh City, Hai Phong city and Dak Lak province.

The festival will last until February 23 with a variety of shows at the Central Puppetry Theatre, the Military Theatre, the Hanoi Children’s Palace, and the Hong Ha Theatre in Hanoi.