Held under the theme “Vietnamese Traditional Martial Arts - Shining Essence”, the opening ceremony brought together more than 500 artists, performers, martial arts masters and students from Vietnam and abroad.
The three-chapter production traces the origins of the nation, the spirit of Tây Sơn, and the continuing development of Vietnamese traditional martial arts in contemporary society.
In the hours before the ceremony, performance teams rehearsed continuously at the Provincial Convention Center and Nguyễn Tất Thành Square, refining choreography, martial arts formations and stage coordination.
Choreographer Nhật Huy said the program is designed as a continuous narrative depicting the evolution of Vietnamese and Bình Định traditional martial arts, with dance connecting different scenes and emotions.
He said the image of Gia Lai as the "mountains embrace the blue sea" serves as a greeting from the host region to domestic and international visitors while preserving the program's focus on traditional cultural identity.
For many performers, the opening ceremony represents an opportunity to promote Vietnamese culture as well as their hometown. First-time participant Hà Lê Khánh Ly, from Quy Nhơn Ward, said she was excited to contribute despite the demanding rehearsal schedule.
At the martial arts rehearsal area, senior Master Trần Duy Linh, Director of the Bình Định Traditional Martial Arts Center and director of the martial arts performances, supervised final preparations and corrected students' techniques.
He said the performances emphasize not only technical precision but also synchronization, allowing every routine to convey both the strength and cultural beauty of Bình Định traditional martial arts.
According to musician Huỳnh Hiệp An, Director of the Provincial Cultural Center and co-director of the program, the three chapters are linked through a unified emotional flow that blends music, dance, martial arts and stage effects.
He said the production aims to present Vietnamese traditional martial arts as a living cultural tradition connecting the past with the present while serving as a bridge for cultural exchange with audiences in Vietnam and overseas.
One of the highlights of the opening ceremony is "Diễn trường luyện quân" (Military Training Ground), performed by artists from the Provincial Traditional Arts Theater.
Inspired by Bình Định hát bội, the performance combines the physical language of the classical opera with traditional martial arts to recreate the atmosphere of military training while honoring the martial traditions of the region.
Choreographer Hoàng Việt said the performance is intended not to recreate a hát bội excerpt but to showcase the visual beauty of the art form while introducing both hát bội and Bình Định traditional martial arts.
Master Trần Duy Linh said signature Bình Định martial arts routines, including Thiền Sư Form, Hùng Kê Form, Lăn Khiên Đao, Lôi Long Đao and Song Phượng Kiếm, have been choreographed with newly arranged music to create a fusion of martial arts and performing arts.
He said the production combines large-scale group performances with artistic storytelling, from the opening sequence and ancestral tribute ceremony to the finale featuring martial arts delegations from Vietnam and abroad, highlighting martial spirit, gratitude to predecessors and the enduring vitality of Vietnamese and Bình Định traditional martial arts.