"Keeping the flame alive" of traditional theater in Thanh Hoa province.

Traditional Vietnamese opera (tuồng) has been a part of Thanh Hoa 's cultural life since very early times. Just before the August Revolution of 1945, Thanh Hoa had nearly 30 tuồng troupes.

Artists from the Thanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theatre performed an excerpt from the play "The Old Man Carrying His Wife to the Festival" at the Lam Son Square stage, Phan Chu Trinh pedestrian street, Thanh Hoa City.

People who are involved with the art of traditional Vietnamese opera.

Recognizing that traditional Vietnamese opera (tuong) was an indispensable part of the people's cultural life, in May 1962, under the direction of the Standing Committee of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee and the Propaganda Department of the Zone 5 Party Committee, and with the patronage of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Fatherland Front and the Quang Nam - Da Nang Provincial Liberation Front, the Thanh Hoa Tuong Art Troupe was established under the name Thanh - Quang Tuong Art Troupe. During the war years, amidst bombs and bullets, people from Thanh Hoa still heard the resounding sound of the opera drums behind the bamboo hedges of their villages, as if urging young men to take up arms to fight the enemy and save their country and homes. Operas such as "Chi Ngo," "Tran Binh Trong," and "De Tham," performed by artists Thien Tap, Ngoc Minh, Mai Tuyet, Mai Lan, Duc Binh, and Vu Quang, further ignited the flame of patriotism in the hearts of every citizen.

With the complete victory of the resistance war against the US and the reunification of North and South Vietnam, the Thanh-Quang Tuong Art Troupe also fulfilled its political mission. Since 1976, the Thanh-Quang Tuong Art Troupe has been renamed the Thanh Hoa Tuong Art Troupe. In 2017, the Thanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theatre was established through the merger and reorganization of three traditional theatre troupes (tuong, cheo, and cai luong), with the addition of a folk song and dance troupe. Facing the difficulties and challenges of the market economy and the explosion of information and entertainment technology, the Thanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theatre continues to fulfill its professional and political duties, such as researching, collecting, preserving, restoring, and organizing performances of cheo, tuong, cai luong, and Thanh Hoa folk songs and dances. Simultaneously, it participates in serving political events commemorating provincial and national holidays and anniversaries.

Tuong (classical Vietnamese opera) is a classical, scholarly art form, and the standard for evaluating a Tuong artist's talent is the convergence of "voice, appearance, skill, refinement, spirit, and essence." As Meritorious Artist To Hao (Vu Thi Hao), Deputy Director of the Thanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theatre, remarked: Tuong is a comprehensive combination of singing, dancing, acting, and musical accompaniment, creating powerful emotions for the audience. In Tuong art, convention and stylization are considered core characteristics that create the unique beauty of this traditional theatrical form. Through the artist's performance, the audience not only perceives changes in space and time but also sees the internal conflicts and struggles of the characters. From these elements, it is clear that training a young artist in this traditional art form is a long-term process; the artist needs to love their profession and strive to learn and improve. Currently, the art of Tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) is facing significant difficulties and challenges in training artists and actors. The generation of artists and actors at the theater is aging, while the younger generation is dwindling. Perhaps Thanh Hoa province should establish a "Talent Fund" for those in the arts, supporting newly graduated artists to be selected and work in the theater troupe. To make Tuong more accessible to the people, the Traditional Arts Theater has also proposed solutions such as developing a program called "Bringing the Stage into Schools," creating excerpts for performances at major political events in the province, linked to typical festivals, or holding weekly performances on Phan Chu Trinh pedestrian street (Thanh Hoa City)...

The villages resound with the melodies of traditional opera.

Alongside the innovation and development of the traditional opera troupe (Thanh Hoa Traditional Arts Theatre), in the villages of Thanh Hoa province, the melodies of traditional opera still resonate, a testament to the enduring love and dedication of the people for this traditional folk art form. In Thanh Hoa, the melodies of traditional opera still echo through villages like Kim Son, Hoang Kim commune (Hoang Hoa district), with the Kim Son traditional opera and drum club. There, dedicated individuals like Ms. Nguyen Thi Mien and Mr. Nguyen Van Long are still active. Currently, the club has over 30 members. These artists and actors, though not formally trained, have been preserving traditional opera in their rural communities with love and passion. Similarly, in Beo village, Vinh Long commune (Vinh Loc district), the Beo Village Traditional Opera Club is still being preserved and developed, thanks to the dedication of many people, including the significant contribution of artisan Tran Thi Doi. Established in 2005, the club serves as a common home for those who love traditional Vietnamese opera in Beo village.

In Thanh My commune (Thach Thanh district), during the Muong Don festival, the melodies of traditional opera resound, attracting many viewers. According to Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Thanh My commune, the reason why traditional opera melodies are so popular and performed at the Muong Don festival, held on the 18th day of the first lunar month every year, is because, according to elderly villagers, in the early 20th century, a troupe led by Mr. Hai Hoat from Phat Diem, Kim Son district (Ninh Binh province) came to this area. Every day, the troupe traveled from village to village performing only traditional opera. Being the land of the descendants of the military officer Vu Duy Duong, with a tradition of passion for martial arts, and seeing the stories of the opera often depicting heroic figures, with exhilarating and heroic lyrics and majestic movements, the villagers were captivated and sang all night long. Many people therefore memorized numerous ancient opera stories and passed them down to their descendants.

Currently, the people of Muong Don still preserve the traditional opera melodies passed down through folk culture club activities. The plays and excerpts are recorded by elderly people in notebooks and on video. Among them, the people of the former Van Doi villages (now Phong Phu, Van Dinh, and Van Tien villages) regularly perform. Notable members of the folk culture club include Ms. Nguyen Thi Ky, Ms. Bui Thi Phieu, Ms. Bui Thi Uon, Ms. Truong Thi Ty, Ms. Truong Thi Nhi... who are knowledgeable and perform opera. In addition, some young people in villages such as Tay Huong and Le Cam 2... are also learning and practicing to sing and perform.

With the impact of market mechanisms and the strong development of new art forms, the number of people who truly love traditional Vietnamese opera is gradually decreasing. To ensure that the sound of the opera drums continues to resonate in rural villages and on professional stages, the most important thing remains building a team of young actors and artists.

Text and photos: Ngoc Huan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/giu-lua-tuong-co-บน-que-huong-xu-thanh-223588.htm