On August 6, 1959, the Ministry of Culture decided to establish the National Orchestra to mark the birth of the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet in the future.

On June 5, 1961, the National Orchestra was established, affirming the special attention and correct orientation of the Party and the State in acquiring the world cultural quintessence together with promoting the values of traditional culture.

On May 7, 1964, the Ministry of Culture decided to establish the Vietnam National Symphony, Choir and Ballet. Thus, in addition to the symphony concerts and the independent choir, there were also the coordination between singers and dancers to perform musicals and ballets.

Under the steering of the Department of Culture, the Department of Music as well as the assistance of Korean experts, the National Orchestra and Choir have performed outstanding artistic valued concerts with aesthetic orientation to large number of people. These concerts contributed to the enthusiasm of working for the construction of the Socialist Republic in the North, fighting to liberate the South and reuniting the country. The concerts included such works as “Ru con”, “Singing in the center of Pac Bo forest”, “Guerrilla of Thao river”, etc 7. The musical. “Co Sao” by musician Do Nhuan was the first Vietnamese musical choreographed by Vietnam, attracting  mass audiences. Then later, the musicals “Mountains and forest speak up”, “Evghenhin”, “On the banks of Krong pa”, “Sculptor” and the Ballet “Sister Su”, “Prison Break” were implemented and got  good reputation and reception both inside Vietnam and abroad.

One of the deepest memories of the artists is the night of September 10, 1960 when the orchestra performed to congratulate the sucess of the Party Congress at the Botanical Park. The beloved Uncle Ho came and stood on the podium, with the conductor’s wand to conduct the song “Solidarity is strength”, praising the will of millions as a determination to win in the end. The image of Uncle Ho holding the wand conducting the Orchestra and Choir remains in the memories of the artists, VNOB staff and the audience. At the same time, it also brings historical and spiritual values, encouraging the course of cultural and artistic development of the country.

In the years 1966 and 1967, when the US invasion war spread to the North, the assault art troupes, the artists and staff  managed hardship, and sacrifice to perform to the people and soldiers in the Northern provinces. With all the enthusiasm for the front, the assault art troupes went deep into the Vinh Linh fire line, going along Truong Son trail to serve the army units and compatriots. Many artists of VNOB have been awarded the Medal and the title of Hero by the Government. Many artists, such as Emeritus Artist Vu Luong, Nguyen Huu Hieu, Nguyen Van Hiep, Tran Quy, Do Dung, Trong Bang, Quang Hai ..; Director, People’s Artist Van Ha, Vo Bai, painter Bui Huy Hieu, Tran Mau, Choreographers Thai Ly, Xuan Dinh, Doan Long, Hong Linh …; Singers Quoc Huong, Tan Nhan, Quy Duong, Quang Hung, Trung Kien, Ngoc Dau, Anh Dao, Thuy Ha, Kim Dinh, Bich Lien, Tam Trung, Quoc Tru …, have grown up and are still loved by the audiences.

On April 30, 1975, the South was completely liberated, and Vietnam was united. Together with the happiness of the country,  National Symphony, Choir and Ballet were appointed by the Ministry of Culture to perform in order to celebrate the country’s great success and events in Saigon. The performances of the Theater impressed deeply the Saigon audiences.

In 1978, the National Symphony, Choir and Ballet was renamed Vietnam National Orchestra, Choir and Ballet Theater. It can be said that this is a period of great development of the Theater. The joy of creating art and dedication to art is always the inspiration for artists to practice and create programs, opera and ballet for the audience. Musicals “Phidelio” by LV. Beethoven, “Green Singing” by Nguyen Dinh Tan, “Gadfly” by Shostakovich and “Truong Chi” by An Thuyen were choreographed and performed very successfully.

During the 1980s, in implementing the cultural cooperation between Vietnam and the Soviet Union with the effective support of the Ministry of Culture, many famous Ballets and classical operas in the world art treasures, choreographed by former Soviet Union experts, were successfully staged and performed in Hanoi, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and Ho Chi Minh City. Some of the Ballets and classical operas staged were the “Spatacus”, “Giselle”, “Swan Lake”, “The Lost Man and the Young Lady”, “Faxto” and the classic musical” Madame Butterfly “… Through which affirms the talents and names of many artists such as ballerinas Kim Quy, Kieu Ngan, The Dung, Le Van, Le An, Thuy Hanh, Van Hai, Anh Quan, Minh Thong, Emeritus Artist Hoang Hoa, Gia Hoi, Gia Khanh …

In 1985, for the first time “Vietnamese cultural days in the former Soviet Union”, the VNOB artists performed at the Moscow Opera House and the Republic of Moldavia, Uzbekistan, Armenia … attracted Russian audiences with the pinnacle of classical European academic art.

In 1985, in response to the development requirements of Ballet and Opera to meet a demand for international integration and development, the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra Theater officially changed its name to the Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) with the function of performing Opera and Ballet.

During this period, the country was in a period of renovation with many difficulties and challenges. Overcoming the common difficulties of the country and difficulties in the field of art such as degraded facilities, lack of both human resource, musical instruments, and fewer audiences … VNOB still tried to set up high-quality art shows such as musicals “The Singing of Truong Chi”, “A Phu couple” by People’s Artist Doan Long, “Mother’s Legend” by Nguyen Cong Nhac, “Legend of Truong Son” by Emeritus Artist Bang Thinh, repertoire to participate in professional national Contest, the show to celebrate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of Vietnam … In addition, there were many programs being performed in Ha Giang, Tuyen Quang, Yen Bai, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Hue, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Binh Dinh … and all of them attracted audiences.

Following the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Department of Performing Arts, Vietnam National Opera and Ballet (VNOB) have made steady steps on the path of developing the Ballet, Opera and Orchestra, meets the requirements of the country’s development in the period of industrialization, modernization and international integration.

VNOB always focuses on and enhances the cooperation with foreign experts to improve the art quality for each night of the show. From 1996 until 2015, many foreign choreographers, commanders and artists worked with the VNOB’s three professional groups. This cooperation has enriched the arts programs, improving the performance level, the technical level for artists. At the same time, through which VNOB learned a lot of experience in the development of academic arts in Vietnam, the promotion of brand, the skills of composing works … such as the cooperation with L ‘. Espace (France) in Hanoi; SIDA Fund (Sweden), Goethe-Institut (Germany), Australian Choreographer, Chery Stock and many choreographers from England, USA, France, Russia … Master pieces as “You – Vietnamese woman”, “Through strange land”, “Phoenix eye”, Musicals “Lucile”, “Paris life”, “Cosi fan Tutte”, “Labohem”, “Dreams and Realities”, “The Flying Dutchman”, Ballets “Romeo and Juliet”, “Monsoon Dance”, “Nutcracker”, “Magic Bullet”, “Orphée et Eurydice”, “Venus”, “Franceska Draimimi”, “Fire Bird”, “Silk Heart”, “Sacred Spring”, “La Sylphide”, “Who care”, “Western Story” and many symphony programs like Carmina Burana, Symphony No. 9 … are illustrated for such friendly cooperation.

Keeping up with the trend of the world dancing, Vietnam National Opera and Ballet is one of the cradles to receive and develop modern dance in Vietnam. Over the years, many young artists of VNOB have been sent to practise in France, Australia, Sweden, USA … They are the bridges to bring modern dance increasingly closer to the public. With knowledge, art and living experience, many artists of VNOB have succeeded in creating contemporary dance works bearing Vietnamese cultural identity such as “The Spirit of Truong Chi”, “The Light Source” , “Firefly season”… The Music Discovery program of VNOB, sponsored by Ford Foundation, was conducted with the purpose of promoting, introducing and educating youths in the provinces and cities about Symphony, Opera and Ballet. VCC Children’s Choir Club organized by VNOB has attracted 200 children from level I to level III to participate. For the first time, the choir of 36 children organized by VNOB, led by Deputy Directors Pham Hong Hai and Ngo Thi Kieu Ngan, performed in three states of the United States and achieved great success.

The success of the VNOB in this period marked the development of the art of academic as symphony, opera and ballet, with a certain contribution to the process of setting up  advanced Vietnamese culture, imbued with national identity. The school art project “Discovering music and dancing” of VNOB attracts tens of thousands of students who are evaluated as a highly effective project in guiding the aesthetic of the art form to the audience.

While in the previous period, the Theater received support from the State and foreign experts, from 2015 up to now, that support has gradually been lost.

Meanwhile, with the development of the entertainment industry, artists have a larger working enviroment and better income. Therefore, to maintain and develop academic arts as well as retain talents to maintain working with VNOB is not easy. In the 3 years from 2015 to 2017, although VNOB had some famous shows such as Immortal Moment, Sacred Spring, The Forgotten, The Love in Ancient Wall, Les Sylphides, … but they were really old. Newly created repertoires were Yes Yes No No, Red Leaf, Carmen Hanoi, Carmina Burana.

From 2018 up to now, with  new breaths coming from the young, enthusiastic and knowledgeable management board, updating the entertainment trend, the Theater has had a convincing rise. The Theater has received the attention of the public through the expansion of communication networks and laying the first foundations for marketing activities, and public relations, in parallel with modern programs, which are accepted by young people such as: Under the Eye, Bolero & Suite en Blanc, Around the world, Rock Symphony, Ballet Peter and Wolf, … The theater, based on the old plasform, has updated, forcusing into the present life, but still honors the values and temperament of the golden work. Therefore, the hit products continue to be showed to the public as Symphonies Moment of Seasons, Summer Symphony, the Autumm Melody, Musical Maria de Buenos Aires, Ballet Nutcraker, Musicals Red Leaves, Sculptor, especially full Ballet Swan Lake with 4 stages, was choreographed after 35 years on the occation of the 60th anniversary of VNOB.