5 contestants of "Golden Bell of Traditional Music" visited Meritorious Artist and Musician Hoang Thanh

5 thí sinh — From left to right: Phu Yen , Vuong Quan Tri, Thuy Duong, Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh, My Duyen and Ha Nhu

At noon on September 15, 5 excellent faces entered the Final 3: Vuong Quan Tri, Ha Nhu, My Duyen, Phu Yen and Thuy Duong. Right after overcoming the tense moments on stage, the top 5, together with the Organizing Committee and sponsor Saigon Industry and Trade Bank (SAIGONBANK), performed a beautiful act: visiting Meritorious Artist - musician Hoang Thanh at his private home (Tran Huu Trang Theater apartment building - Ho Chi Minh City).

After the Final 2 of "Golden Bell of Traditional Music" 2025, the audience could not help but regret having to say goodbye to two potential singers Ngoc Nhu and Tan Dat. However, the journey still continues with a very meaningful trip.

Hoang Thanh - The silent teacher

Meritorious Artist – Musician Hoang Thanh is a familiar face to those who love Cai Luong. He has composed hundreds of vọng cổ songs, many valuable Cai Luong scripts, and is also the Band Leader of the Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre.

He is also the father of Ly My Tra and Ly Ha Thuong, two melodies used by many authors and artists in reformed operas. He is also the inventor of the famous My Chau string (ho tu). He said: "To play the guitar in the "ho tu string", musicians only need to add a block, but Meritorious Artist My Chau's voice is "lo ba, lo tu", I really don't know how to play it properly, so I pondered and invented the "My Chau string" in the ho tu voice but in the C key. Lowering the string helped Hoang Thanh's guitar sound and Meritorious Artist My Chau's voice become more soulful and in tune."

In particular, from the first season in 2006 until 2023, he was a teacher, a quiet but extremely important companion on the journey of "Golden Bell of Southern Folk Music".

For twenty years, artist Hoang Thanh has not only been an accompanist, but also a "beat keeper" for many generations of contestants stepping onto the stage, helping them confidently sing sweetly in their artistic careers. For many generations of young artists, he is a memory, a spiritual support, a living testament to a journey of preserving and transmitting the breath of vọng cổ.

Hoang Thanh was honored by the top 5

During the meeting, the contestants were moved to express their admiration and gratitude to the musician who devoted his life to the art of Cai Luong. The simple stories but full of love for the profession that Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh shared helped the young people gain more confidence and motivation for the road ahead.

"We clearly feel that, to have a solid competition like today, in addition to the stage's halo, there is also a lot of sweat and silent dedication from artists like you" - Vuong Quan Tri, on behalf of the whole group, emotionally expressed his gratitude.

The Organizing Committee and sponsors also presented a commemorative gift, as a sincere thank you to the artist who has accompanied the competition for 20 years. Mr. Pham Hoang Hong Thinh - Deputy General Director of Saigon Industry and Trade Bank (SAIGONBANK) wished Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh good health, to always be a support for generations of musicians, instrumentalists and contestants of "Chuong Vang Vong Co" to follow, to make the art of Cai Luong famous in our country.

"Drinking water, remember its source" - spreading value

In the artistic life, especially the reformed theater, paying tribute to the previous generation is a ritual and a source for generations of artists to follow each other. The visit to Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh by the top 5 contestants preparing to enter the final 3 therefore has a profound meaning: reminding that the success of any young artist today is nurtured by the love, sacrifice and persistent dedication of previous generations. From there, they are given more motivation and confidence to embark on the artistic path.

That is the biggest lesson that "Golden Bell of Traditional Opera" 2025 conveys: Preserving the identity of reformed opera not only through singing, but also through the ethics of "remembering the source of water when drinking" and "respecting teachers and valuing education".

The competition is still ahead, but the actions of the contestants on September 15 will forever remain as a beautiful mark, showing that "Golden Bell of Traditional Opera" affirms its position as a playground for finding talents, a bridge between the tradition and the future of reformed opera art.

"Golden Bell of Traditional Music" towards the final night 3

The competition is still ahead, but the actions of the contestants on September 15 will forever remain as a beautiful mark, showing that "Golden Bell of vọng cổ" will forever be a playground to find talent and standards of vọng cổ songs, thereby sustainably creating a bridge between tradition and the future so that cải lương art can enter a new era with outstanding stature, contributing to promoting the development of the Cultural Industry of Ho Chi Minh City.

And now, the audience who loves vọng cổ, please continue to accompany and cheer for the top 5 in the upcoming Final 3 night - where emotional songs will be sung, continuing the journey of preserving and spreading the soul of cải lương to the public today and tomorrow.

In the final night 3, they will compete with 5 excerpts created by the coaching staff. Hopefully, they will shine and surprise the audience who love them.

"Musicians who have devoted their whole lives to reformed opera like Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh are the ones who "set the rhythm" to accompany the "Golden Bell of Traditional Opera" to persevere and flourish" - said director Tran Hien Phuong, Deputy Head of HTV's Arts Department.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/5-thi-sinh-chuong-vang-vong-co-den-tham-nsut-nhac-si-hoang-thanh-196250915181151807.htm