HÀ NỘI  The legend of Lake Hoàn Kiếm (Returned Sword), has been represented in a new show that had its premiere on Wednesday night in Hà Nội.

Entitled Ngọc Sơn Temple – Đêm Huyền Bí (Ngọc Sơn Temple – Mysterious Night), the show took place at the Special National Heritage site of Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple.

The show combines art performances, document display and 3D mapping technology in a unique creation based on historical records and legends.

Ceremony rituals and folk legends have been vividly recreated aiming to convey to visitors the traditional cultural values of Việt Nam in the most innovative and creative way.

The Ngọc Sơn Temple – Mysterious Night begins when visitors step towards the Tháp Bút, a pen-shaped stone tower built in the 19th century. A lighting performance brightens the area, praising the value of knowledge expressed through the image of the pen, inscribed on the sky over centuries. The performance also connected to the fact that Văn Xương, the deity of learning and academic achievement, has been worshipped at Ngọc Sơn Temple.

Passing by the Pen Tower, visitors will be greeted with a dance performance staged right on Thê Húc Bridge. The dance is inspired by the glorious sunrise on the red wooden bridge.

Art Director Lê Quý Dương and Meritorious Artist Đặng Tố Như have collaborated to create the show, incorporating music evoking the heroic and unforgettable memory of Hà Nội.

"We have used an old record of the famous song Người Hà Nội (The Hanoians) by Nguyễn Đình Thi that reminisces about a centuries-old Hà Nội. We also used the recorded voice of the late ca trù (ceremonial singing) master singer Quách Thị Hồ to narrate the legend of Hoàn Kiếm Lake. Her narration has been accompanied by a visual projection at the Đắc Nguyệt Lâu (Pavilion for Moon Enjoyment) in Ngọc Sơn Temple," Dương said.

In the Trấn Ba Shrine located within Ngọc Sơn Temple, a golden throne has been placed right in the centre to pay homage to Emperor Lê Thái Tổ (1385-1433), who led an uprising against the Ming Chinese invaders, gaining independence and sovereignty for the country.

From Trấn Ba Shrine, visitors can enjoy a stage performance that recreates the myth of Emperor Lê Thái Tổ returning a mythical sword to the turtle deity that lives in the lake.

"This elaborate performance also features a dragon boat and the emergence of the Turtle Deity on the lake surface to receive back the precious sword," director Dương said.

After its premiere, the Ngọc Sơn Temple – Mysterious Night show will be held from Monday to Thursday every week. Each night, the one-hour programme will welcome about 60-70 guests. VNS