Director Pham Thi Thanh has passed away.

Pham Thi Thanh, a director and People's Artist who dedicated her entire life tirelessly to the Vietnamese stage, passed away at 7:55 PM on September 3rd in Hanoi.

Director Pham Thi Thanh - Photo: Youth Theatre

This information was shared with Tuoi Tre Online by Meritorious Artist Nguyen Si Tien, director of the Youth Theatre.

Mr. Si Tien stated that People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh was the founder of the Youth Theatre, and the theatre, together with her family, will organize the funeral for the female director.

Female director and noble lineage Pham Thi Thanh

Information from the Youth Theatre indicates that People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh was born in 1941 (according to her family, she was born in 1938), into a family of distinguished lineage.

Her father, Pham Khac Hoe, was the one who drafted the abdication decree for Emperor Bao Dai on August 22, 1945. During her lifetime, Pham Thi Thanh was very proud when speaking about her father.

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh (in black, center) with the first graduating class of stage actors at the Youth Theatre - Photo: Youth Theatre

The mother of People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh was the second wife of Mr. Hoe, a beautiful woman, the younger sister of poet Ung Binh Thuc Da Thi, niece of poet Mien Tham, and great-granddaughter of King Minh Mang.

Ms. Pham Thi Thanh inherited her love of literature from her father and her sweet Hue singing voice from her mother. It was her mother who guided Ms. Pham Thi Thanh to pursue a career in performing arts.

At the age of 14, she joined the Central Performing Arts Troupe, which marked the beginning of a life closely intertwined with the stage and performing arts.

The founder of the Youth Theatre, credited with "discovering" playwright Luu Quang Vu.

In 1970, Ms. Thanh was sent by the government to Russia to study stage directing. After 7 years of study, she returned to Vietnam and, together with director Ha Nhan, wrote a proposal to establish the Youth Theatre.

In 1987, the Youth Theatre was established. Ms. Ha Nhan was the director, and female director Pham Thi Thanh was the deputy director.

The first generation of actors at the Youth Theatre during Ms. Thanh's leadership included many who later became renowned artists such as People's Artist Lan Huong, People's Artist Le Khanh, Meritorious Artist Chi Trung, People's Artist Minh Hang, Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen, People's Artist Anh Tu, Meritorious Artist Duc Hai…

Artist Chi Trung stated that the success of today's big-name artists such as Lan Huong, Le Khanh, Ngoc Huyen, Minh Hang, Anh Tu, Duc Hai, etc., is entirely thanks to director Pham Thi Thanh.

"In 1978, we entered the arts completely bewildered, like naive young birds, with only an eagerness for the profession. Ms. Thanh taught us the first rudimentary steps of acting...", said artist Chi Trung.

Throughout her theatrical career, Pham Thi Thanh was closely associated with the ups and downs of theatrical history, from its golden age to the period of the centrally planned economy and the transition to a market economy . She was close to prominent figures of the theater such as The Lu, Song Kim, Nguyen Dinh Nghi, and others.

She directed over 200 plays, nearly 20 of which won gold medals and several others won silver medals.

Many plays directed by her remain deeply etched in the minds of audiences of that time, such as Romeo and Juliet, The Ninth Oath, The Pinnacle of Dreams, Tu Xuong, 2,000 Days of Injustice, The Good Man at House Number 5, Living Forever at 17, Vu Nhu To...

In particular, director Pham Thi Thanh was one of the first directors to "discover" Luu Quang Vu, making his playwriting career shine.

Director Pham Thi Thanh and playwright Luu Quang Vu - Photo: Youth Theatre

Luu Quang Vu's first play, titled "Living Forever at 17," was directed and staged by Pham Thi Thanh at the Youth Theatre, thus launching a brilliant and illustrious theatrical career for Luu Quang Vu that lasted for about 10 years.

The two worked together seamlessly, earning them the nickname "the golden director-writer duo" of the stage at the time.

Pham Thi Thanh dedicated her entire life to the theater. Even after retirement, she continued to participate in theatrical projects and direct major festivals.

At 60 years old, Pham Thi Thanh remains a sought-after director for important festival programs. She has directed major events such as the 990th anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi , the 330th anniversary of the founding of Khanh Hoa, the 100th anniversary of Da Lat, and the Hue Festival…

She participated in many foreign theatrical art projects in Vietnam, striving to bring traditional national art into schools.

Director Pham Thi Thanh is also the vice president of the UNESCO Vietnam Association, a member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, a representative of the Hanoi City People's Council, and a lecturer at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film...

She received the State Award for Literature and Arts in 2012.

BIRD OF HEAVEN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dao-dien-pham-thi-thanh-qua-doi-20250904134723954.htm