8 Best Performing Arts in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The French-colonial Opera House is one of the icons of downtown Ho Chi Minh City. It was built in 1897 and modeled on the Petit Palais in Paris, which was completed the same year. It was originally as lavish inside as it was out, with a revolving stage and a three-tiered, 800-seat gallery. Some of the more ornate fixtures were removed in the 1940s and from 1956 it was the home of the National Assembly of South Vietnam. It became a theater again in 1975 and is now the permanent headquarters of the Ho Chi Minh City Ballet and Symphony Orchestra. Check the website for details of upcoming ballet, musical, and cultural performances. As there are no tours, catching a performance is the only way to see the gorgeous interior.

Seven screens show local and international movies.

One of the newest movie theater chains in Ho Chi Minh City shows local and international movies, dubbed and subtitled.

This is the only regular venue in town for classical music performances. The theater's main season is from September through June; it's generally closed in summer except when there are special concerts by visiting orchestras. Check the "notice" section of the website for performance times.

Five screens show local and international new-release films.

Three times a day, talented water puppeteers perform this folk art from the Red River Delta in Vietnam's north. The show is narrated in Vietnamese by a troupe of singers, accompanied by traditional musicians. The 50-minute show does not tell just one story, but scenes from daily life and skits based on Vietnamese folk tales. Expect to get a little wet if you sit in the front row—it's okay to scream if you get splashed, it's all part of the fun. In high season, tickets are only available two weeks ahead.

Explore the nearby Tao Dan Park before or after a show.

In an ugly Soviet-era palace, this theater is mostly used for local Vietnamese dramas, puppet shows, and the occasional fashion show.

Vietnam's institute of cultural exchange with France regularly hosts performances by local and visiting musicians and theater groups. Look for the hoat dong van hoa (cultural events) tab on the Vietnamese site for details of upcoming shows.