Classical ballet staged to celebrate Russia Day

Hanoi (VNA) – The classical ballet “Giselle” was performed by Russia’s Ekaterinburg Opera and Ballet Theatre at the Hanoi Opera House on June 12 to mark the 29th Russia Day.

The ballet, with music played by Vietnam’s Sun Symphony Orchestra, features a peasant girl named Giselle who dies of shock after learning her lover was engaged to another woman and deceived her.

She is then summoned from her grave by a group of female spirits who plan to kill her lover, but her enduring love saves him from death.

In his speech, Russian Ambassador to Vietnam Konstantin V. Vnukov said the Russia Day (June 12) marked the start of a new era in the millennia-long history of his country. 

The performance of the “Giselle” ballet was an occasion to help Vietnamese learn more about the diverse culture of Russia, he said, adding that thanks to joint efforts, the two countries have been diversifying their comprehensive strategic partnership. As a result, bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, science-technology, culture and people-to-people ties has been growing strongly.

On behalf of the Vietnamese Government, Minister-Chairman of the Government Office Mai Tien Dung offered congratulations on the Russian Day.

He emphasised that as a close friend of the Russian people, the Vietnamese people are delighted at the enormous achievements that Russia has attained.

This year’s Russia Day coincides with the 25th anniversary of the signing of the treaty on the basic principles of the Vietnam-Russia friendship (June 16, 1994). It is a great event, heralding an important development stage of bilateral ties. On the basis of this treaty, they lifted their relations to the strategic partnership in 2001 and the comprehensive strategic partnership in 2012.

The official added over the last 25 years, Vietnam and Russia have maintained high political trust while their economic, trade and investment ties have recorded breakthroughs with Vietnam being the first country to ink a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.

Aside from traditional cooperation fields like oil and gas, military technique, education-training, culture and tourism, partnerships in new spheres like nuclear energy, renewable energy, high technology, digital economy, infrastructure and smart city building have also been expanded, bringing practical benefits to both sides.

The performance of “Giselle” in Hanoi was among activities of the Vietnam Year in Russia and the Russia Year in Vietnam to mark 25 years of signing the treaty on the basic principles of the bilateral friendship in 2019 and 70 years of the diplomatic relationship in 2020, Dung said.-VNA