100 years of Minh To classical opera (*): Continuing a proud tradition

Among them, traditional plays based on Vietnamese history are being fueled and spread continuously. In 1957 - 1958, artist Minh To opened a training center for his family's children and outsiders to prepare a successor force.

Old bamboo, new shoots grow

From the model of a children's theater troupe called Minh To Children's Troupe in the past, Meritorious Artist Bach Long later founded Bach Long Children's Troupe.

From that inheritance, a generation of young actors was formed and made a beautiful mark, such as: People's Artist Que Tran, Meritorious Artist Tu Suong, Meritorious Artist Trinh Trinh, artists Chinh Nhan, Binh Tinh, Le Thanh Thao, Ngoc Nga... They are all descendants of famous artists: Thanh Tong, Truong Son - Thanh Loan, Huu Canh - Xuan Yen, Duc Loi - Bach Mai... Besides, many artists such as Meritorious Artist Vu Luan, Meritorious Artist Tam Tam, Meritorious Artist Thy Trang, Chan Cuong, Linh Ty... were also discovered and trained.

In the early 1960s, the Minh To - Khanh Hong family of artists received a new musical flow. That was the introduction of Taiwanese - Chinese film music such as "Luong Son Ba Chuc Anh Dai", "Hon Buom Mo Tien"... and musician Duc Phu brought this music into Cantonese opera plays. At this time, the Khanh Hong Cantonese opera troupe was born, directed by artist Minh To, and performed very well.

100 years of Minh To classical opera (*): Continuing a proud tradition - Photo 1.

The late People's Artist Thanh Tong - a member of the 4th generation of the Minh To family - successfully Vietnamized many famous classical opera works.

In the scientific research work "From Hat Boi to Cai Luong Tuong Co", People's Artist Thanh Tong wrote: "Art that stands still is art that dies. It is the impact of society, the positive feedback from the public through a new performance market, television, that our family has absorbed, transformed, and changed to survive. Through the script writing training course organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association after the country's reunification, the generation of composers of Cai Luong Ho Quang has learned many lessons, from which they have changed their pens, writing and staging trends, to create a trend of Cai Luong Tuong Co".

From late 1975 to 1979, Minh To Traditional Opera Troupe was organized as a collective unit, with the troupe's leadership appointed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Information. People's Artist Thanh Tong held the role of artistic director.

Along with many other authors and directors, People's Artist Thanh Tong has contributed to editing, adapting, and staging plays based on Vietnamese history. Notable among them are: "Under the Tay Son Flag" (1980 - about Ngo Thoi Nhiem's "chess move" Tam Diep), "The Horse Saddle Poem" (1981 - about Ly Thuong Kiet's great defeat of the Song army), "The Storm of Nguyen Phong" (1985 - about the role of Grand Tutor Tran Thu Do and the Tran Dynasty in fighting the Yuan-Mongol invaders), "To Hien Thanh Trial" (1987 - about a loyal and patriotic character), "The Sword and the Female General" (1988 - about the character Bui Thi Xuan), "The Flame of Thang Long" (1989 - about the hero Nguyen Hue defeating the Qing army), "Raising the Flag to Save the Country" (1990 - about Tran Quoc Toan), "The Beauty and the Brave General" (1992 - about the great mandarin Ton That Thuyet)...

By early 1997, the Minh To Traditional Tuong Opera Troupe changed its name to Traditional Tuong Opera Troupe No. 1 (Huynh Long was Traditional Tuong Opera Troupe No. 2). This troupe staged many plays, typically "Giua Chong Ba Quan" (author: Thanh Cao, director: Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong).

Open Structured Vocational Training

When collaborating with the Dai Viet New Cai Luong Stage of producer Hoang Song Viet to perform the play "The Poem of the Saddle", People's Artist Que Tran hopes to recreate the classic works of her father - People's Artist Thanh Tong, in order to contribute to promoting the creativity of the young generation of actors.

It can be said that on the journey to continue writing the history of the Minh To family, the profession is always dynamic according to an open structure, meaning not being conservative, stubbornly keeping the old but always accepting the new. People's Artist Thanh Tong once said that in the period of 1975 - 1985, Ho Chi Minh City's stage flourished with new art troupes, capable enough to change the stage situation which was following the old way of singing and acting. This is also the maturity of the artist force participating in the revolutionary stage, including the reformed stage in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to artist Thanh Loan, artists of the reformed art troupes at that time were given opportunities by the leaders of the theater industry to attend training courses in composition and performance. They wrote and performed plays praising history, contributing to shaping the reformed theater of the new era.

"It can be said that 1975 was a historical turning point for the reformed theater to integrate, supplement advantages, overcome and gradually eliminate limitations. Theater scripts have shifted to reflect many historical issues from a contemporary perspective. Changing the content, changing the art of singing and performing, meeting the public's need to enjoy new things is the responsibility of our young generation to continue writing the history of the family" - People's Artist Que Tran expressed.

People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc said that among the three typical traditional arts: tuong (hat boi), cheo and cai luong, the Minh To family has participated in two types: hat boi and cai luong. "They not only participate in performances or consider it as a profession to make a living, but also wholeheartedly protect and develop the precious heritage left by their ancestors, despite having to go through many ups and downs along with the nation's history" - he acknowledged.

(To be continued)

(*) See Lao Dong Newspaper from issue dated May 8

Meritorious Artist - Director Hoa Ha, who staged the new version of "The Poem of the Horse Saddle", commented: "In the context that some traditional values are at risk of being forgotten, the persistent and creative presence of the Minh To family is very valuable. As long as there are still people who preserve, love and dare to innovate, then Cai Luong Tuong Co will never be forgotten."

Source: https://nld.com.vn/100-nam-tuong-co-minh-to-tiep-noi-truyen-thong-tu-hao-196250508205537676.htm