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

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

She is then summoned from her grave by a groupof female spirits who plan to kill her lover, but her enduring love saveshim from death.

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

The performance of the “Giselle” ballet was anoccasion to help Vietnamese learn more about the diverse culture of Russia, hesaid, adding that thanks to joint efforts, the two countries have beendiversifying their comprehensive strategic partnership. As a result, bilateralcooperation in politics, economy, science-technology, culture andpeople-to-people ties has been growing strongly.

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

He emphasised that as a close friend of theRussian people, the Vietnamese people are delighted at the enormousachievements that Russia has attained.

This year’s Russia Day coincides with the 25thanniversary of the signing of the treaty on the basic principles of theVietnam-Russia friendship (June 16, 1994). It is a great event, heralding animportant development stage of bilateral ties. On the basis of this treaty,they lifted their relations to the strategic partnership in 2001 and the comprehensivestrategic 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 thefirst country to ink a free trade agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union.

Aside from traditional cooperation fields likeoil 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 beenexpanded, bringing practical benefits to both sides.

The performance of “Giselle” in Hanoi was amongactivities of the Vietnam Year in Russia and the Russia Year in Vietnam to mark25 years of signing the treaty on the basic principles of the bilateralfriendship in 2019 and 70 years of the diplomatic relationship in 2020, Dungsaid.-VNA