Gen Z keeps the flame of Quang Nam opera alive

Da Nang students eagerly welcome the art of Tuong at school.

Looking for talent in Quang Nam

One April morning, the yard of Tran Hung Dao Secondary School (Hai Chau District, Da Nang City) was filled with the sound of drums. From behind the scenes, actors in red and white masks, wearing ancient costumes, crowns, and shoes… stepped onto the stage.

The excerpt “Tran Quoc Toan” about mother with the meaning of honoring the patriotism of young people was conveyed in an interesting way. In the last 15 minutes of the performance, the actors also introduced the typical masks in the art of Tuong in Quang. The stage owners that day were only 10-15 years older than the students, they were the promising Gen Z generation of actors of Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater.

While removing his makeup after the show, Le Van Tien (26 years old, from Tien Lanh, Tien Phuoc) said that in 2016, after passing the entrance exam, Tien was able to go to Hanoi to study at the University of Theatre and Cinema.

“At that time, I had just dropped out of school, only 17 years old and had a little talent for singing. Otherwise, I knew absolutely nothing about Tuong. The more I studied, the harder it became. There were days when I skipped school and wanted to drop out… Then, teachers came to encourage me, and I continued to go to school. Only when I understood the value of Tuong did I find motivation,” Tien shared.

For a sensitive girl like Tran Vu Quynh (24 years old), although traditional opera is difficult to learn, it is very interesting if you understand the inner thoughts of the character. Expressing the spirit and soul of the character is a challenge that Quynh always wants to conquer.

“From Nam Phuoc (Duy Xuyen), I studied Tuong in Hanoi at the age of 16. At that time, my thinking was still very immature. Many times because I couldn’t sing again and again, I covered my face and cried. Unlike now, my peers respected me more when they knew I was pursuing Tuong, but back then, because I was young, many of them teased me as “Quynh hat boi”. I asked my parents to come home, but then my family encouraged me to continue studying, passed many auditions and became an actress like today. This profession cannot be successful without perseverance...”, Quynh concluded.

Tien and Quynh are 2 of 20 young actors of generation Z discovered by Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater during talent searches in Quang Nam in 2016.

During their 4 years of studying in Hanoi, the group of actors received intensive training in the art of Tuong while continuing their high school education. In 2020, the theater added 12 staff members. Immediately after that, 20 young people entered the competition, competing on stage to officially set foot in Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater.

Building a generation of brave "actresses" and "actresses"

Unlike his two colleagues, "actor" Trinh Ky Vu (25 years old) was exposed to traditional music very early because his father was a writer of folk songs and his mother was a folk opera actress in Hiep Duc district.

The young actors of Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater bring Tuong to schools.

Thanks to a good foundation and the dedicated instruction of master artists such as: People's Artist Phan Van Quang, People's Artist Tran Dinh Sanh, People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thu Nhan..., Vu quickly grasped and became an outstanding factor of the theater.

“Traditional opera is a very difficult art form, especially for young people like me. Luckily, we have been guided by experienced artists who have worked with the theater, so we have grown in our profession. For me, being able to play a role is already a happiness, so there is no reason for me to hesitate when I am assigned to be a main or supporting actor or a soldier... Thanks to small roles in Nguoc Song, Nua Gioi Son Ha... I have increasingly improved my performance skills,” Vu said.

Passion combined with persistent training helped Vu win an award at the age of 23. That was the Second Prize for the role of Dong Kim Lan (in the excerpt Dong Kim Lan Passing the Pass) at the National Cheo, Tuong and Folk Opera Actor Talent Competition organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2023.

Also 25 years old and with a similar starting point to Vu, "actor" Phan Tung Lam (from Que Tho commune, Hiep Duc) had his uncle, People's Artist Phan Van Quang, who introduced him to Tuong when he was only 17 years old. Perhaps that's why Lam understands the value of spreading and promoting the art of Tuong.

“The program Bringing Tuong to Schools that I am performing in not only helps students understand more about the art of Tuong, but who knows, among the children, there may be some who will become Tuong artists in the future,” Lam shared.

“Acting Sister” Tran Vu Quynh said that she knew about Quang Tuong since 8th grade, when she first participated in a program to bring Tuong to schools and was immediately fascinated. Because of that experience, Quynh always strives to bring Tuong closer to students and tourists not through books but through performances, direct dancing, singing, and explanations.

As an artist for the past 5 years, Quynh believes that Tuong performances at “new stages” such as airport terminals, walking streets, parks, etc. are good ways to introduce Tuong art to international tourists. “Witnessing the excitement of students or the curious eyes of foreign visitors, I have more reasons to stick with this profession,” Quynh said.

People's Artist Phan Van Quang (working at Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater - Da Nang) assessed that Tuong is a difficult art form, requiring hard training. A good actor is someone who possesses "sound, beauty, maturity, spirit, energy, and spirit".

“It is already difficult to have 3 out of 6 of those factors,” Mr. Quang said. Therefore, to take on the profession, along with talent, young artists must be passionate, enthusiastic and love the profession... The current Gen Z at Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theater makes people have more faith that traditional cultural capital will always last through time.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/gen-z-giu-lua-tuong-xu-quang-3154059.html