Huynh Mo and her aspiration to keep the flame of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) alive.

Artist and director Vo Huynh Mo, originally an Information Technology graduate, made a bold career shift to become a guardian of Southern Vietnamese Cai Luong (traditional opera). This journey is not simply a change in livelihood or profession, but a clear testament to her unwavering love for traditional values, where the sounds of the zither, the melodies, and the traditional folk songs have been ingrained in the blood of this woman who grew up in Long An province.

FROM THE CLASSROOM OF TECHNOLOGY TO THE STAGE LIGHTS

Few could have imagined that the student who once diligently worked with lines of code and information systems at the Ho Chi Minh City College of Information Technology would one day stand under the spotlight in a theatrical costume.

Artist Vo Huynh Mo (far left) receives the Gold Medal at the 2024 National Cai Luong Festival.

Born and raised in the Đồng Tháp Mười region, Huỳnh Mơ's childhood was nurtured by her mother's lullabies and the sweet melodies of folk songs on the waterways of the Mekong Delta.

Therefore, even though she chose technology as her early career path to hone her thinking skills and character, the flame of art within her never died out.

When she decided to switch to art, she accepted starting from scratch, facing many difficulties as someone new to the profession.

As Deputy Head of the Performing Arts Department, Huynh Mo is a prime example of a person who consistently demonstrates unwavering political conviction, firm ideological stance, and a high sense of responsibility in all assigned tasks. Her sincerity and spirit of camaraderie among artists have contributed to building a united and progressive work environment. In particular, from a professional perspective, the unit's leadership highly appreciates Huynh Mo's proactive advisory capacity and practical thinking in maintaining regular stage performances and revitalizing the province's arts and culture movement. These quiet but practical efforts have transformed heritage spaces into venues connecting contemporary audiences, making a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of the unique values ​​of Southern Vietnamese culture.

DIRECTOR OF DONG THAP PROVINCE CULTURAL CENTER LE HOANG AI NAM

However, with perseverance and genuine love, she didn't choose the glitz and glamour, but quietly accumulated experience through each role and each edited script.

The combination of the logical thinking of a technology student and the sensitive soul of an artist has created a very unique Huynh Mo, both soft in emotion but sharp in organization and staging.

Looking at Huynh Mo's academic journey and the awards she has achieved, one can clearly see her serious work ethic and unwavering ambition to excel.

After graduating with a degree in Information Technology in 2006, she continued her formal training in the arts, graduating from the College of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) acting at the Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Film and then specializing in Stage Directing at the Military University of Culture and Arts.

That dedication was further enhanced when she completed her second degree in English Language in early 2026, as a way to enrich her knowledge base.

She is a living example of the modern artist, constantly reinventing herself and always considering knowledge as the foundation for sustainable artistic creation.

That perseverance and sustained effort have been rewarded with prestigious awards from professionals over the years.

The first notable achievement was winning the Gold Medal at the 2020 National Theatre Arts Festival for a performance portraying the image of a People's Police officer, with a deeply emotional role.

Following her success, in 2024, she consecutively won two more important Gold Medals at the National Cai Luong Festival and the National Mobile Propaganda Competition commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory.

In addition, her collection of awards includes numerous Silver Medals at professional Cai Luong festivals and acting talent competitions from 2017 to 2021.

These medals are not only a recognition of the artist and director Huynh Mo's persistent dedication to his craft, but also the result of a serious artistic journey.

EFFORTS TO REKINDLE THE THAY NAM TU THEATER

Not limited to her individual performing career, Ms. Huynh Mo is currently the Deputy Head of the Performing Arts Department at the Dong Thap Provincial Cultural Center, a prominent figure who makes positive contributions to the team.

Artist Vo Huynh Mo plays Trang in the Cai Luong play "The Lover's Drop of Blood".

As a party member, she consistently maintained her ideological stance, possessed unwavering political resolve, and demonstrated a high sense of responsibility in all assigned tasks.

In her daily life at the office, Ms. Huynh Mo always maintains a humble and approachable lifestyle, building close and united relationships with her colleagues as well as fellow artists in the local area.

Her sincerity and quiet dedication have contributed to creating a harmonious and progressive work environment. In both her professional work and artistic activities, her passion and persistent efforts for traditional Vietnamese opera have always been highly appreciated by the unit's leadership.

On numerous occasions, Ms. Huynh Mo has shared her concerns with us about preserving the traditional Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) cultural space at the Thay Nam Tu Theater, which is considered the cradle of Southern Vietnamese Cai Luong art.

She has been proactive and dedicated in advising the Board of Directors on organizing and maintaining regular art programs here.

Artist Vo Huynh Mo plays the role of Mother Sau in the Cai Luong play "The Field of Ap Bac".

In addition, programs she produced such as "The Enduring Sound of Silk Strings," "The Moonlit Rendezvous," and "Night Serenade of Gratitude" have become important bridges, bringing cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) closer to young people.

Ms. Huynh Mo's practical ideas have contributed significantly to keeping the theater running, transforming it into a connecting space and bringing Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) closer to the public.

Through plays like "The Fields of Ap Bac," which she directed, she successfully recreated the national spirit, helping audiences to further appreciate the historical values ​​and identity of their homeland.

These efforts, though small and quiet, have yielded practical results in jointly preserving, conserving, and promoting the unique values ​​of local cultural heritage in particular and national culture in general.

HOAI THU

Source: https://baodongthap.vn/huynh-mo-va-khat-vong-giu-lua-nghe-thuat-cai-luong-a241453.html