Vietnam’s Quan Ho (love duets) and Ca Tru (ceremonial singing) folk songs will be officially recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritages at the Bac Ninh Festival 2010 due to open on April 19, 2010.
The information was released on April 9 by the Director of Bac Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Dang Tuc.
In addition to recognizing 40 Quan Ho artists, Bac Ninh Province will upgrade the Quan Ho Folk Song troupe to the Quan Ho Folk Song Theatre and establish a Faculty for Quan Ho at the provincial culture and arts college.
The province will also support Quan Ho by restoring some traditional festivals, collecting Quan Ho melodies, and publishing recordings to introduce the art form to domestic and foreign audiences.
Bac Ninh now has three Ca Tru clubs and is one of 15 provinces nationwide where Ca Tru is performed.