Traditional Vietnamese opera, a unique art form.

Việt Nam•05/05/2024

( Quang Ngai Newspaper) - Traditional opera is loved by many people in Quang Nam province in general and Quang Ngai in particular, so the folk song has passed down the famous verse: "Mother, don't hit me so hard / Let me catch snails and pick vegetables for you / Mother, don't hit me, you fool / Let me sing opera and be a female lead for you to listen to."

A glorious past

Traditional Vietnamese opera (Hát bội) has a long history, known as Tuồng in Northern Vietnam. The founder and progenitor of Hát bội in Southern Vietnam was Lộc Khê Hầu Đào Duy Từ (1572-1634), a renowned official during the Nguyễn dynasty. He brought Hát bội from the North. In the 19th century, Đào Tấn (1845-1907), a graduate of the Đinh Mão examination (1867), successively held the positions of Governor-General of Nghệ An and Tĩnh Gia, then Minister of Public Works. He became a talented Hát bội playwright, famous for his revised works such as Sơn Hậu, Đào Phi Phụng, Tam Nữ Đồ Vương... He composed many new plays such as Diễn Võ Đình, Trầm Hương Các, Hồi Trống Cổ Thành... During this period, Hát bội troupes received attention from the Nguyễn dynasty. Đào Tấn supported Hát bội troupes within the palace, directly teaching and performing Hát bội. He is honored as the progenitor of Hát bội.

The 19th century was the heyday of traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi). King Gia Long ordered the construction of the first opera house within the Hue Imperial Citadel, named Duyet Thi Duong, to serve the king, queen, and princes and officials. During the reign of Emperor Tu Duc, the king gathered about 300 skilled actors and actresses from various regions, from Binh Tri Thien to Dong Nai, to perform for the royal family. At this time, the South Central region had several schools of opera such as Binh Dinh opera, Quang Nam opera (Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Da Nang ), and Hue opera.

Photo of Meritorious Artist Minh Lưỡng (center) and his co-star in the play "Tiết Đinh San - Phàn Lê Huê". Photo: PV

In particular, the Governor of Quang Ngai, Nguyen Cu Trinh (8th century), was also a lover of traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi), with famous classical plays he composed such as "Luc Suc Tranh Cong" and "Sa Vai"... In the Quang Ngai Provincial Chronicle, published in Nam Phong magazine, volume 33, number 186, July 1933, edited by Nguyen Ba Trac and Nguyen Dinh Chi, a famous classical play "Lan Phuong Ky Duyen" was recorded, with the first act "Luc Vo Song defeats Truong Bao / Ly Kieu Phuong loves Nhu Lan," which partly confirms that hat boi appeared and was popular in the Quang Ngai region many centuries ago.

By the 20th century, especially during the period of 1930-1945, the Hue court fell into decline, and the traditional opera troupes, which were primarily supported by the court and served within the royal palace, disbanded. Singers from each province returned to their respective provinces and formed their own troupes. After the liberation in 1975, opera troupes from the North came to the South Central provinces. Each province had its own troupe, collectively known as the Inter-Regional Opera Troupe 5. Later, amateur opera troupes were established to serve the people...

Preserve and promote

According to artist Pham Hoang Viet (65 years old), son of the late Meritorious Artist and First-Rank Singer Hoang Chinh, from Binh Dinh province, traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) is a fusion of poetry, song, music, painting, and dance, with the prominent features of the performance being humor and tragic heroism. The artist's performance is judged during the show through the sound of the drums. The term "boi" here implies exaggeration and convention in the manner of makeup (wearing beards, painting faces, costumes), performance, and stage space, aiming to convey to the audience the distinction between morning, afternoon, and evening, scenes of waiting for one's husband, scenes of holding court, etc.

The facial features also follow specific principles, such as two red marks on either side indicating a hot temper, two red streaks on the forehead representing a rebellious character, red dots around the eyes, and along the bridge of the nose indicating a coward. A characteristic prop in traditional Vietnamese opera is the rattan whip. The whip is symbolically represented by a horse whip, and the horse is symbolized through the artist's face and performance style...

Following the impresarios and performers were a pair of carrying poles. These poles resembled carrying yokes, woven from rattan or bamboo, about 50-70 cm high and 40-50 cm wide at the top, used to hold costumes, musical instruments, and props. Similar to Bài Chòi (a traditional Vietnamese folk game), when they reached a high place, the group would spread out mats and sit down to sing; the locals called this a "Phánh Hát Bội" (traditional Vietnamese opera troupe). Later, the troupes moved from the ground onto a platform (stage), at which point they were called a "Đoàn Hát Bội" or "Phường Hát Bội" (traditional Vietnamese opera troupe or guild).

According to Phan Kế Bính's book "Vietnamese Customs," traditional opera (hát bội) performances were usually staged at the base of a large tree or in a village communal house. A hát bội troupe typically consisted of 11-12 people, including singers (female and male performers, elders, flatterers, and generals); and a musical ensemble (with drums of various types: ceremonial drums, battle drums, small drums, cymbals, command drums, and other percussion instruments), horns, zithers, gongs, wooden clappers, bells, and cymbals. Each night's performance earned the troupe a few silver coins.

Meritorious Artist Minh Luong (65 years old) - Director of Nhon Hung Traditional Opera Performing Arts Company, currently living in Binh Dinh province, said: "My family has been practicing traditional opera for 100 years. My father was the late artist Nguyen Minh Chau (stage name Hong Loi). Since childhood, I have followed my father's traditional opera troupe to perform everywhere. In the past, people in Quang Ngai really enjoyed watching traditional opera. Traditional opera was often performed during temple and communal house festivals or harvest festivals in coastal fishing villages... The festival always included traditional opera and boat races. In the past, people in Pho Thanh ward (Duc Pho town) even organized a ceremony to welcome the gods and watch traditional opera on the 16th day of the 7th lunar month every year at the ancestral temple of the salt industry, in Tan Diem residential area."

Mr. Tran Ngoc Canh (60 years old), Deputy Head of the Thạnh Đức 2 Neighborhood Protection Committee, Phổ Thạnh Ward, said that at Thanh Minh Temple (Temple of the Departed Souls), every year, people usually organize tomb sweeping ceremonies and ancestral worship ceremonies on the 14th day of the 3rd lunar month, and the main sacrificial ceremony on the 15th day of the 3rd lunar month. According to tradition, the ceremony is held once every three years. A traditional opera troupe is invited to perform during the main sacrificial ceremony with rituals of veneration, prayers for peace, and processions through the small alleys and village roads. Afterwards, the opera troupe performs for the people for three consecutive nights. The traditional plays performed are based on Vietnamese history, Nôm stories, and anecdotes, reflecting the beautiful traditional values of the Vietnamese people, such as: Lưu Bình - Dương Lễ, Lục Vân Tiên reunited with Kiều Nguyệt Nga, Phụng Nghi Đình, Phạm Công - Cúc Hoa, Trưng Vương, Nguyễn Trãi, Nghêu Sò - Ốc Hến...

MINH Anh - TA HA

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