Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) joins forces with circus to tell the story of King Tran Nhan Tong.

The performance "Tran Nhan Tong" was jointly directed by People's Artist Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation, and Meritorious Artist Tran Quang Khai, based on a script by author: Dr. Bui Huu Duoc; adapted into Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) by Meritorious Artist Phan Ngoc Chi; stage design by People's Artist Dat Tang; music composition and arrangement by People's Artist Huynh Tu; choreography by Master Nguyen Thi Tuyet Minh.

The play vividly and completely recreates the life of King Tran Nhan Tong, the Buddhist Emperor, from his birth, growth, ascension to the throne, leading the people of Dai Viet to victory against the Mongol invaders, to his journey of abdicating the throne, becoming a monk, and ultimately becoming the First Patriarch of the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect.

Speaking at the press conference for the show's premiere, held on the afternoon of December 17th in Hanoi , People's Artist Tong Toan Thang, Director of the Vietnam Circus Federation, said: ““Tran Nhan Tong” is an artistic achievement marking the third time the Vietnam Circus Federation has collaborated with the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre, now the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre, to stage a circus performance combined with Cai Luong.”

The creative team shared information about the performance.

Previously, the two troupes made their mark with the performances "The Magic Wand" and "The Heavenly Holy Mother". Based on lessons learned from previous projects, the creative team seamlessly integrated the two art forms, ensuring that the circus acts were not separate but served as illustrations, supplements, and emotional enrichment to the narrative of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera).

Meritorious Artist Tran Quang Khai shared that "Tran Nhan Tong" is his directorial debut, but he had previously had the opportunity to portray this historical figure on stage. In 2015, Meritorious Artist Quang Khai played Tran Nhan Tong in the play "The Buddha King". In 2022, he staged "The Buddha King" in the form of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) combined with circus acts as his graduation project while studying stage directing at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film.

And for this third time, in his role as co-director with People's Artist Tong Toan Thang, he and the creative team wanted to deliver a work capable of captivating a wide range of audiences and tourists. Therefore, the script was refined with the most representative scenes, but with more investment in expressive language, technology, and entertainment value to make the performance as relatable and accessible as possible when conveying meaningful historical messages.

The performance brings together a talented cast from two performing arts organizations.

Immediately after the dress rehearsal on December 8, 2025, the performance received much positive feedback from professionals and audiences. Through the combined language of circus, cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera), music, dance, and stage art, the performance not only provided an emotionally rich artistic space but also helped today's audience better understand the personality, ideology, and spiritual legacy of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông, with lessons that remain relevant in the current process of building and protecting the country.

Enjoying the performance, viewers are immersed in the sweet and profound melodies of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) while being captivated by highly challenging circus acts such as juggling, trampoline jumping, tightrope walking, and aerial acrobatics. The seamless combination of circus and Cai Luong languages adds depth to the performances, while simultaneously creating a vivid and cinematic real-life setting.

Unlike the two previous productions, which took place on a circular stage, the play "Tran Nhan Tong" was moved to the square stage of the Central Circus to take advantage of the power of supporting technological elements. The team mobilized many high-altitude performances, creating a multi-layered stage space. The scene depicting the birth of Tran Nhan Tong combined with high-wire acts; the battle scene incorporated acrobatics and trampolines; the rural market scene combined with balancing acts on rollers… providing viewers with many unique visual and auditory experiences.

Representatives of the Tran Family Council of Vietnam presented the creative team with several paintings and sculptures to be auctioned off, with the proceeds going towards promoting the performance.

In particular, the performance boldly incorporated animal acts (monkeys, goats, pigs, etc.) into the stage setting to recreate the atmosphere of a rural village, market, and nature, thereby creating scenes that were both visually rich and entertaining.

The system of movable platforms and stage bases, combined with LED projection screens, scenery, and stage decorations, creates many interesting visual effects for the audience. This is considered the beginning of a direction towards developing large-scale performances with deeper application of technologies such as 3D Mapping and Hologram in staging.

Also at the press conference launching the play, representatives of the Tran Family Council of Vietnam presented the creative team with several paintings and sculptures to be auctioned off, with the proceeds going towards promoting the play.

The circus-traditional opera "Tran Nhan Tong" will officially premiere on the evenings of December 20, 21, and 28, 2025, at the square stage of the Central Circus Theater, Hanoi.

TRANG ANH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/cai-luong-bat-tay-xiec-ke-chuyen-vua-tran-nhan-tong-post930957.html