The Việt Nam Tuồng Theatre was established in 1959 from members of the former Military Zone 5 Tuồng Company (Đoàn Tuồng Liên Khu 5) and a number of leading tuồng artists from Nghệ An and Thanh Hóa provinces. In 1975 a number of Military Zone 5 Tuồng Company members returned south to Quy Nhơn where they operate today as the Đào Tấn Tuồng Theatre but those who remained became the nucleus of the new National Tuồng Theatre (Nhà hát Tuồng Trung Ương); the Theatre has since reverted to its original name. The Việt Nam Tuồng Theatre functions to preserve and develop the ancient art of tuồng, an operatic genre combining stylised singing, dancing, drama and the spoken word which continued to be performed at the royal court until the demise of the monarchy in 1946. In addition to some 30 full-length classical tuồng pieces the company also presents chèo-style short pieces, new historical and revolutionary works based on the lives of Vietnamese national heroes, and tuồng-style adaptations of works by Chinese writers and western playwrights such as William Shakespeare. The 100-strong company has gone through seven generations since its foundation and has won many awards, including eight People’s Artist titles – Bạch Trà, Quang Tốn, Lê Bá Tùng, Nguyên Hồng, Đàm Liên, Tiến Thọ, Mạn Thu and Minh Ngọc – and 21 Excellent Artist awards. The National Tuồng Theatre incorporates two performing troupes which give performances around the country, both in theatres and (where these do not exist) on their own portable stages. It has also toured extensively overseas, taking tuồng to Russia, Mongolia, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the USA, Japan, Egypt, India and Singapore, to widespread acclaim. In 2002 the Hồng Hà Theatre in Hà Nội’s Old Quarter was earmarked as a permanent venue for the company's activities: