Preserving the national soul through the reformed opera "The Drum of Me Linh"

On the evening of October 29, at the Binh Duong Convention and Exhibition Center (HCMC), the Department of Culture and Sports of HCMC organized a performance of the Cai Luong play "Tieng Trong Me Linh". This is an activity within the program series of "HCMC Literature and Arts Days".

Comrade Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, visited and greeted the artists before their performance.

Attending the program were comrades: Nguyen Phuoc Loc, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee and Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Ho Chi Minh City; Nguyen Hoang Thao, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee (formerly); and other members of the Standing Committee of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee.

Over 1,400 audience members and guests attended the Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) performance "The Drum of Me Linh".

People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Ho Chi Minh City, gave a speech before the performance.

From around 5 PM, more than 1,400 spectators of all ages gathered at the Binh Duong Convention and Exhibition Center to await the performance of the Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera).

Audiences are eagerly awaiting to enjoy this classic Cai Luong performance.

The play "The Drums of Me Linh" takes the audience back in time to relive a glorious period of the nation's history. It tells the story of Trung Trac and her sister Trung Nhi, who resolutely launched an uprising to "repay the debt to the nation and avenge their family." The Trung sisters erected an altar at the mouth of the Hat River and issued the order to revolt. The sound of the bronze drums, struck during this sacred moment of the Trung sisters, is seen as a divine call to arms, evoking feelings of pride in the heroic spirit of Au Lac in the viewers.

A scene from the Cai Luong play "The Drum of Me Linh"

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Dung (60 years old, a resident of Phu Loi Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “I love watching Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera). I've seen excerpts from 'The Drum of Me Linh' many times on TV, but this is the first time I've seen the performance live on a large stage and seen the artists in person. It was wonderful and moving! The artists performed their roles excellently, bringing many emotions to the audience.”

Audiences of all ages filled the auditorium.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mai (40 years old, residing in Binh Duong Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: "I was deeply moved by the performance. It was like an epic ballad about patriotism and national pride. I took my children to see it so they could better understand the glorious history of our nation."

A scene from the play.

The play "The Drum of Me Linh" has been re-staged with many different teams and versions, but each time it is performed, audiences both domestically and internationally give the play enthusiastic praise.

Outstanding performances by the artists at the show.

According to People's Artist Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports, activities within the framework of "Ho Chi Minh City Literature and Arts Days" in 2025 will be organized widely in Saigon, Binh Duong, Ba Ria, Vung Tau, and Con Dao special zones, contributing to promoting the diversity and uniqueness of art forms in the city; spreading works with ideological value to the people, helping to enhance patriotism, national pride and profound humanistic values.

The segment was performed brilliantly by the artists, from vocals to choreography, receiving continuous applause from the audience.

The Cai Luong play "The Drum of Me Linh" was first performed in 1977 (written by Viet Dung and Vinh Dien). It was selected as one of the 50 outstanding works of art and culture of Ho Chi Minh City since the reunification of the country.

MOOD

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/giu-hon-dan-toc-qua-vo-cai-luong-tieng-trong-me-linh-post820579.html