Young artist Vuong Quan Tri. Photo: Provided by the artist.
“A true hero fears no danger/ Even death is nothing to me/ I sacrifice myself for my country/ So as not to bring shame upon my manhood,” Vuong Quan Tri began the excerpt “The Integrity of Tran Binh Trong” with a majestic and defiant recitation of poetry. And at the end of the excerpt, when the character Tran Binh Trong, portrayed by a 16-year-old boy, declared: “I would rather be a ghost in Southern Vietnam than a king in Northern Vietnam,” the audience rose to their feet and applauded enthusiastically. Vuong Quan Tri not only delivered the emotions of a theatrical performance, but also conveyed a spirit of patriotism and national pride.
On stage that night, viewers didn't see a 16-year-old contestant, but rather a valiant and resolute General Tran Binh Trong standing firm against the enemy, deeply burdened by the pain of his homeland being trampled upon and his wife and children being taken hostage. His performance was perfectly blended, with a clear, smooth voice and skillful vocal embellishments, earning Vuong Quan Tri a "shower" of praise on social media platforms. Many affectionately remarked that, despite winning the Bronze Bell award, Vuong Quan Tri was already a "Golden Bell in the hearts of the audience."
Entering the 2025 "Golden Bell of Traditional Vietnamese Opera" competition, Vuong Quan Tri was the youngest and least experienced contestant, but as he progressed through the rounds, he increasingly demonstrated his talent and stage presence. Listening to Quan Tri perform traditional Vietnamese opera songs with skillful phrasing, rhythm arrangement, breath control, and emotional emphasis, many people thought he had extensive stage experience and couldn't believe he was just a student without formal training. In the final round, Quan Tri played Sang in the classic excerpt "The Durian Leaf," and when he began his operatic performance, the entire audience was moved by Sang's torment and regret for not acknowledging his biological mother...
On a late afternoon at the end of the year, in a small house in Chau Doc ward, An Giang province, Vuong Quan Tri held a stack of song lyrics, leisurely humming traditional folk songs amidst the vast mountains and long rivers of That Son. He recounted his journey to the Cai Luong stage, as if it were a destined encounter.
Vuong Quan Tri and People's Artist Ho Ngoc Trinh in a scene from "The Valor of Tran Binh Trong". Photo: Provided by the artist.
Vuong Quan Tri is currently a student at An Giang General Technical College, and has had a love for Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) since childhood. When his mother, Ba (as Tri calls his aunt Ba), sang lullabies, Tri listened and memorized them. Seeing his talent, she found a singing teacher, and the teacher who accompanied Tri to the final round of the "Golden Bell of Cai Luong" competition was the artist Tran Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Chau Doc Traditional Music Club. Tri's rich and expressive voice, a blend of high and low notes, has left a unique mark. Regarding traditional music, Quan Tri prefers singing Northern styles because they showcase his vocal range, and he also enjoys singing "Oan" songs because of their melodious and heartfelt delivery.
Building on that foundation, Vuong Quan Tri tried his luck in the "Amateur Singers of the Countryside" program in 2024 organized by Dong Thap Provincial Radio and Television Station and won first prize. Before winning the Bronze Bell in the "Golden Bell of Traditional Vietnamese Music" competition, the 16-year-old also won first prize in the "Traditional Vietnamese Music Singing Contest of Con Dao Special Zone Radio" in 2025.
Many people liken Vuong Quan Tri to a "second Vo Minh Lam," a promising new talent in the Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) theater. Quan Tri is pleased with this sentiment, but also reminds himself to always improve and create his own unique style. Vuong Quan Tri confided: "After graduating from high school, I plan to apply to the Ho Chi Minh City University of Theater and Film, majoring in Cai Luong acting."
At the age of 17, Vuong Quan Tri harbored many plans for his upcoming journey in Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera): “My love for Cai Luong cannot be explained in words; it seems to be deeply ingrained in my heart. As a young person, I want to tell other young people that we should not consider Cai Luong as just a memory, but as a source of pride for the present and a bright future.” That thought is truly insightful, and I believe that in the future of Cai Luong, Vuong Quan Tri will be a “golden gem.”
DANG HUYNH
Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-hat-ngoc-mua-vang--a198851.html
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