The Smile of Angkor

A high quality show jointly produced by China and Cambodia

Upon leaving Siem Reap International Airport, your car will soon be on the main road, and a billboard will catch your eyes, reading, “The Smile of Angkor Welcomes You”. It is written in Cambodian, Chinese and English.

However, the “Smile of Angkor” does not refer to Angkor Wat, one of the world’s seven wonders, but instead to Cambodia’s largest song and dance drama, which is based on the history of the Angkor Dynasty that dates back more than 1,000 years. Unexpectedly, “The Smile of Angkor” is a result of China-Cambodia cultural cooperation.

Even in June when tourism is off-season, every sunset will see some 500 spectators walking into the Angkor Smile Theatre. In a surreal atmosphere created by modern lighting and original choreography, they are immersed in singing and dancing incarnations of the stone fairies they have seen in the ruins of Angkor Wat.

            “Three out of every ten Asian tourists to Angkor Wat come to watch our show,” says Qian Yong, deputy general manager of Siem Reap Performing Arts Investment Co., Ltd, a branch of Yunnan Cultural Investment Group. Angkor Wat received 2.03 million tourists last year, 200,000 of whom watched the show. Since it was first staged in 2010, more than 800,000 people have attended. So far, Vietnamese tourists account for the largest portion of the audience, with Chinese and Korean tourists ranking second and third, respectively.

As we learnt, the majority of the 73 actors and actresses of “The Smile of Angkor” are Cambodian locals, and all the costumes have been copied from the ancient patterns carved on five cliffs. The show has also brought together many classical Cambodian dances, including the Fairy Dance, which was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2003.

Accordingly, as an interpretation of Cambodian culture by a Cambodian cast, “The Smile of Angkor” is actually a result of China-Cambodia cultural cooperation.

The Smile of Angkor

A high quality show jointly produced by China and Cambodia

Upon leaving Siem Reap International Airport, your car will soon be on the main road, and a billboard will catch your eyes, reading, The Smile of Angkor Welcomes You. It is written in Cambodian, Chinese and English. However, the Smile of Angkor does not refer to Angkor Wat, one of the worlds seven wonders, but instead to Cambodias largest song and dance drama, which is based on the history of the Angkor Dynasty that dates back more than 1,000 years. Unexpectedly, The Smile of Angkor is a result of China-Cambodia cultural cooperation. Even in June when tourism is off-season, every sunset will see some 500 spectators walking into the Angkor Smile Theatre. In a surreal atmosphere created by modern lighting and original choreography, they are immersed in singing and dancing incarnations of the stone fairies they have seen in the ruins of Angkor Wat. Three out of every ten Asian tourists to Angkor Wat come to watch our show, says Qian Yong, deputy general manager of Siem Reap Performing Arts Investment Co., Ltd, a branch of Yunnan Cultural Investment Group. Angkor Wat received 2.03 million tourists last year, 200,000 of whom watched the show. Since it was first staged in 2010, more than 800,000 people have attended. So far, Vietnamese tourists account for the largest portion of the audience, with Chinese and Korean tourists ranking second and third, respectively. As we learnt, the majority of the 73 actors and actresses of The Smile of Angkor are Cambodian locals, and all the costumes have been copied from the ancient patterns carved on five cliffs. The show has also brought together many classical Cambodian dances, including the Fairy Dance, which was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2003. Accordingly, as an interpretation of Cambodian culture by a Cambodian cast, The Smile of Angkor is actually a result of China-Cambodia cultural cooperation.