Meritorious Artist Bach Quoc Khanh, a close junior colleague of Artist Hoang Tuan, announced that he passed away at 17h10 on 20/1. In 11/2025, he served as an artistic advisor for the Thang Long Puppet Theater's puppet show "Tam Cam", a work that participated in the 6th International Experimental Theater Festival in Ninh Binh. After the festival concluded, he experienced symptoms of vomiting blood and was diagnosed with liver cancer. Following his first round of treatment, he was able to return home for one week. When the artist returned for a check-up, the disease had progressed to its final stage.

According to Bach Quoc Khanh, during Hoang Tuan's hospitalization, young artists from the Thang Long Puppet Theater took turns assisting his family with his care. Due to the severity of his illness, he quickly came to terms with his condition, maintaining a cheerful atmosphere and encouraging everyone to remain optimistic.

Actor Bach Quoc Khanh shared many professional memories with him. In 2004, he played his first lead role in "Thanh Giong", which was Hoang Tuan's graduation project for his theater directing degree. In "Tam Cam", the last production where Hoang Tuan served as artistic advisor, Khanh was also assigned the main character role.

To his junior colleagues, Hoang Tuan was deeply passionate about his profession, possessed a great love for puppetry, and spread this energy to those around him. As a "Hanoi Old Quarter native", he was refined and courteous, never raising his voice with actors. Over more than 20 years of working with the artist, Bach Quoc Khanh never witnessed him speak harshly; he always behaved moderately both on stage and in daily life. During his work, Hoang Tuan did not impose his views but rather suggested approaches and respected all creative contributions from actors.

Artist Hoang Tuan. *Photo: Thang Long Puppet Theater*

People's Artist Hoang Tuan was born in 1956 in Hanoi and developed a love for puppetry from a young age. After graduating from high school in 1978, he enrolled in the first training class at the Central Puppet Theater, taught by Russian experts.

In 1998, he became deputy head of the Actors' Group at the Hanoi Puppet Troupe (now Thang Long Puppet Theater), then deputy head of the Actors' Troupe, deputy director, and assumed the position of theater director in 2009. In 2003, he attended a directing class at the College of Theater and Cinema (now Hanoi College of Theater and Cinema), alongside People's Artists Lan Huong, Anh Tu, Quoc Chiem, and Quoc Anh.

He directed many acclaimed plays such as "Huyen Thoai Tien Rong", "Cau Chuyen Tinh Nguoi", and "Linh Thieng Hai Tieng Dong Bao". After retiring, the artist continued to work as a director or artistic advisor for numerous productions and art programs at the Thang Long Puppet Theater.

Phuong Linh