According to journalist Tran Hien Phuong, Deputy Head of the Arts Department, Ho Chi Minh City Television, the "Golden Bell of Traditional Music" contest was launched in 2006 and was considered a breakthrough step for the station at that time.
Over the past 20 years, the contest organized by Ho Chi Minh City Television in collaboration with Saigonbank has become a launching pad for hundreds of young talents, contributing to preserving and spreading the vitality of Cai Luong art.
After 20 years, the "Golden Bell of Traditional Music" contest is not only a prestigious playground, but also a place to help many artists step onto the professional path, while at the same time arousing love for traditional art in the hearts of the public.
Attending the premiere of the documentary “Golden Bell Shines” on the afternoon of September 25, Meritorious Artist Ngoc Doi could not help but be moved when seeing again the image of himself during the “battle” in the 2007 competition.
“At that time, I was a rural girl who loved the Cai Luong plays broadcast on the radio. Knowing that I loved Cai Luong and had a good singing voice, everyone encouraged me to compete in the 'Golden Bell of Southern Opera', and I was lucky to win the Golden Bell award the first time I set foot in Ho Chi Minh City,” shared the 2007 Golden Bell, Meritorious Artist Ngoc Doi.
The documentary “Shining Golden Bell” was produced to mark the 20-year journey of the competition, honor the voices that have passed through, and especially the spirit of passion and creativity that is constantly passed from generation to generation.
The film not only depicts the artistic journey, but also conveys the message: "20 years of 'Golden Bell of Southern Folk Songs' - where passion is passed on".
This is the way Ho Chi Minh City Television - TFS Film Studio shows gratitude to the audience, and at the same time spreads the lasting values of Southern Cai Luong art to today's generation.
Film director Le Thi Thuy Trang said: “To make the film, we had to consider what are the important milestones in the 20-year journey of 'Chuong vang vong co' so that when included in the film, they will create an impression on the audience. The audience will not only meet the typical singers of the program but also see documentary footage, behind-the-scenes images, and emotional memories from the contestants, artists, and the attached crew.”
Appearing in the documentary “Shining Golden Bell”, the confidences of Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh helped the audience and artists better understand the work and feelings of musicians and artisans in the orchestra, the silent factors that play a very important role in honoring the contestants' voices.
“Many times when we see that the contestants are not in sync with the orchestra, we feel sad and worried, we don't want to eat, we just practice hard to help the contestants' performances become better,” Meritorious Artist Hoang Thanh shared.
Coming to “Golden Bell Shining”, the audience witnessed the maturity of many artists who were once contestants in the competition. After a long journey of tireless artistic work, with the launching pad being the “Golden Bell of Traditional Opera” contest, many contestants have now been awarded the title of People’s Artist, Meritorious Artist by the state, and many continue to work closely with the program in other roles and positions: coaches for the contestants.
As the champion of the first season of "Golden Bell of Traditional Music" at the age of 17, Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam is currently a coach for contestants participating in the 2025 competition.
It can be affirmed that "Golden Bell of Southern Opera" is a stepping stone for Vo Minh Lam to go further on his artistic path, to have a solid position in the city's reformed opera village and especially in the hearts of fans like today.
Returning to "Golden Bell" as a coach, Vo Minh Lam shared that he focuses on guiding the contestants to see their strengths and weaknesses so that they can choose excerpts that suit their strengths. That is also what contestant Vo Minh Lam received from the previous artists in the first Golden Bell season 20 years ago.
Not only stopping at looking back at the past, the film also raises questions for the present and the future: how can the art of cải lương continue to shine and reach young audiences in the digital age?
From there, it is affirmed that "Golden Bell of Traditional Opera" is not only a contest, but also an artistic journey closely associated with the cultural and spiritual life of the people of the South in particular and the whole country in general.
Mr. Cao Anh Minh, General Director of Ho Chi Minh City Television Station, said that although there are still many difficulties, the station is still making efforts to let "Golden Bell of Southern Opera" continue to resonate, reaching out to audiences who love traditional singing and reformed opera, especially young audiences, so that through the program, young audiences will feel the beauty of the traditional art, typical of the southern region.
“The Shining Golden Bell” is not only a documentary, but also a solemn and emotional retrospective of the journey of preserving and spreading vọng cổ songs over the past 20 years.
The film is a bridge between memory and the present, between traditional art and the young generation, contributing to affirming the enduring vitality of Southern Cai Luong.
The film will be officially released on the HTVm app at 2:30 p.m. on September 25. At the same time, audiences nationwide can also watch the entire film on the digital platforms of TFS and Movie Store. This will be an opportunity for the public, especially those who love Cai Luong, to look back on the 20-year journey of "Chuong Vang Vong Co".
Source: https://nhandan.vn/chang-duong-20-nam-toa-sang-cua-chuong-vang-vong-co-post910736.html
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