Light Concert: When art “moves in unison with the heartbeat” of the nation

When heritage, technology and light “tell a story” together

Taking place just one week after the success of the 14th National Party Congress, the programme “Light Concert – Welcoming the New Year 2026”, organised by Nhan Dan Newspaper in coordination with the Ha Noi People’s Committee, carries the theme “Vibrant Light – Radiant Light” and is positioned as an “emotional touchpoint” of cultural life, where political spirit, development aspirations and creative energy are translated through the language of art.

The programme’s content is structured into three chapters, guiding audiences from the depth of tradition, through the spirit of renewal, and concluding with an image of a youthful, radiant and optimistic Viet Nam.

The participating artists span multiple generations: Lam Truong, Truc Nhan, ca nuong Kieu Anh, Phuong Ly, Quan A.P, buitruonglinh, Dong Hung, Hoang Quyen, along with child performers Ali Thuc Phuong, Kim Cuong, Dang Kim Thien Kim, guitarist Cao Minh Duc, HT Art Troupe, Xtreme Power Dance Crew and MC Thanh Thanh Huyen. This diversity reflects the spirit of connecting tradition with modernity, the past with the future, in line with the core narrative of “Vibrant Light.”

Speaking at the press conference announcing the programme on the afternoon of January 27, Le Quoc Minh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Editor-in-Chief of Nhan Dan, Deputy Head of the Central Commission for Communication and Mass Mobilisation, and President of the Viet Nam Journalists Association, stated that the Light Concert is not merely a performance event, but the opening component of a long-term development cycle of the Ha Noi International Light Festival.

“This is the second time we have organised the Light Concert within the framework of the Ha Noi Light Festival, and we aim to make it an annual event. However, each year will tell a different story, with a different narrative approach, without repeating the old format,” Le Quoc Minh emphasised.

This year’s venue for the artistic programme “Light Concert – Welcoming the New Year 2026” was chosen as August Revolution Square, in front of the Opera House, a space smaller in scale, rich in symbolic depth.

“We do not pursue sheer scale, but instead focus on creating distinction by combining light, music, technology and heritage into a unique narrative. Audiences will see that this is not a conventional concert,” Le Quoc Minh shared.

Under this approach, the heritage space is not merely a backdrop, but becomes a “character” of the programme itself.

Dang Le Minh Tri, Creative Director and General Director, shared that this year’s “Light Concert” is designed as a “total artistic experience”, in which audiences are not just spectators but are placed at the centre of the emotional flow. The most significant breakthrough lies in the first-ever deployment of a complex, highly dynamic performance technology system directly on the façade of the Opera House.

“We use a mesh LED system mounted on automated sliding rails, allowing the façade of the Opera House to be ‘opened up’ layer by layer according to emotional progression. In addition, there is a programmed hoist system creating a flying performance platform, where artists can appear in mid-air, especially a 75-ton self-propelled crane that lifts visual structures into the sky,” Mr Tri explained.

However, according to the General Director, technology is only a means, not the destination. “Light here is a language, a symbol of faith, of the spirit of renewal and aspiration to rise. Technology is merely a slice used to honour that story, not to show off,” he stressed.

According to the director, these staging solutions are closely connected to the narrative flow to convey ideas in a profound and intuitive manner, not to display technical prowess, but to create unprecedented moments where the public is placed at the centre of the experience.

Through this, the programme aims to deliver powerful impressions, memorable moments and positive emotions for audiences as they enter the New Year, welcoming a new era for the country.

Art as a way of “moving in unison with the heartbeat” of the nation

According to Le Quoc Minh, holding the Light Concert immediately after the 14th National Congress of the Party carries special significance. “We see this as a milestone celebrating the success of the 14th Congress, and at the same time as a greeting to spring and to a new era. Artists and the press, in their own ways, together contribute to creating excitement and inspiration for society,” the Editor-in-Chief shared.

He noted that in a context of widespread misinformation, the pioneering spirit of innovation among mainstream press agencies is a crucial factor in building public trust.

The Light Concert 2026 continues to serve as the opening event of the Ha Noi International Light Festival, identified as a development axis of the Capital’s cultural industries, linked with tourism, the night-time economy and the promotion of Ha Noi’s image as a Creative City.

Within this flow, light not only illuminates the night sky of Ha Noi, but also becomes a metaphor for faith and aspiration of a nation entering a new phase of development, where culture, creativity and the spirit of solidarity continue to be enduring sources of energy for the future.

The online ticket registration portal opens at 10:00 on January 28, 2026 at the website:

Dangkyve.hanoilight.com. Audiences who successfully register for Fanzone tickets will exchange wristbands at Nhan Dan on January 30. The organising committee encourages audiences to bring lightsticks to jointly “illuminate” the heritage space.