Crying with "The Lonely Tree" and "Golden Bell of Southern Folk Songs" directed by Nhat Nguyen

(NLDO) - "Golden Bell of Traditional Opera" 2020 Nhat Nguyen, after a period of study, reported his graduation play with great enthusiasm.

From left to right: Truc Phuong, Diep Duy, Trong Hieu, Nhat Nguyen and MSc. Screenwriter Nguyen Thu Phuong

On the evening of October 30, artist Nhat Nguyen, real name Nguyen Quoc Nhut (born 1994), residing in Kien Tuong ward ( Tay Ninh ), received praise from experts and audiences when he came to watch the reformed opera "The Lonely Tree" (author Nguyen Thu Phuong, adapted by Hoang Song Viet).

Artist Nhat Nguyen has been passionate about vọng cổ since childhood and dreamed of becoming a cải lương artist. After finishing high school, he went to Ho Chi Minh City to take the entrance exam to the University of Theatre and Cinema, majoring in cải lương acting.

With the dedicated guidance and instruction of teachers, especially Master Cao Tan Loc, Quoc Nhut and his classmates graduated in 2015 with the opera "Love Ferry".

Artist Nguyen Van Meo and Meritorious Artist Thu Van in the play "The Lonely Tree"

The character Luong in the play helped Nhat Nguyen and his classmates receive praise from teachers and audiences.

When choosing the opera "The Lonely Tree" as his graduation report, Nhat Nguyen said: "This is a profound emotional journey about the fate of women and the value of true love.

I found deep sympathy with the author so I decided to choose this work as my exam. I believe the audience also sympathized with me."

Nhat Nguyen understands the tragedy of "The Lonely Tree"

Twenty years living in a poor countryside, the character Uyen (Meritorious Artist Thu Van) - a Saigon girl who, due to family events, became the daughter-in-law of Mr. Tam Tuong - has experienced lonely days in her own house.

Her husband, Nhan (NS Nguyen Van Meo), is a gentle but weak man, not strong enough to protect his wife from the harshness of his father - Mr. Tam Tuong (Trong Hieu).

Meritorious Artist Thu Van and Artist Dien Trung in the play "The Lonely Tree"

Life seemed peaceful until Hao (NS Dien Trung) appeared, the young man awakened in Uyen the desire to live, to love, to be herself.

From here, the play opens a vicious cycle of love - sin - forgiveness, of people bound by morality, responsibility, and the harsh judgment of ancient rural society.

Nhat Nguyen created a personal mark in the staging technique.

To let the art of cải lương touch the depths of emotions, the adapted script by playwright Hoàng Song Việt retains the soul of the original script, but breathes into it the profound breath of Southern cải lương.

The poetic dialogues, mixed with the poignant vọng cổ, make "Cay lone ban" a tragic and humane ballad. With a rustic staging style, exploiting the inner thoughts of the characters. The fate of each person in the play has been strung together by Nhat Nguyen, creating a picture with many emotional colors.

Meritorious Artist Thu Van (role of Uyen - middle) creates emotions for the character that move the audience

Meritorious Artist Thu Van completely transformed into Uyen - a woman who lived twenty years in darkness, only daring to yearn for happiness once.

Thu Van's restrained, inner yet strong performance makes the audience sympathize, sometimes just a sigh is enough to peel away the heart, especially in roles with many vọng cổ songs and cải lương tunes that she performs sweetly and emotionally.

Artist Dien Trung (playing Hao) brings the image of a man full of contradictions: between love and morality, between instinct and reason.

Meanwhile, artist Nguyen Van Meo (as Nhan) subtly plays the role of a dry but not emotionless husband.

The appearance of artist Truc Phuong (Ut Thanh), Diep Duy (Nhan), and Hien Linh (the postman) helps the play increase drama, connecting the pitiful fates in the series of family tragedies of Mr. Tam's family.

Nhat Nguyen likes the message of the play "The Lonely Tree"

The play was designed by artist Le Van Dinh in a realistic-symbolic style. Mr. Tam's house is a living space but also an "invisible prison", a place that confines people in prejudice. Every light and dark patch, every window frame evokes feelings of frustration and loneliness.

"The Lonely Tree" is a simple but painful story of people bound by prejudice, morality and duty.

The message that the play conveys is the desire to live true to one's emotions, to be loved and understood, something that seems small but is the greatest happiness of human life.

Artist Nhat Nguyen said he liked the play because it reminded him that sacrifice does not mean happiness, and silence does not mean peace. People, no matter what their circumstances, have the right to choose their own lives, to love and to be respected.

Artist Linh Hien and Nguyen Van Meo in the play "The Lonely Tree"

"Through the image of the "lonely tree" - a symbol of loneliness but still growing green in the aridity, Nhan is proof that the youth will stand up to rebuild their homeland.

The play affirms the enduring vitality and belief in goodness in every human being, of which Nhan is an image that knows how to overcome adversity to move towards a better future," said artist Nhat Nguyen.

"I am very happy that the University of Theatre and Cinema in Ho Chi Minh City has had another Cai Luong artist complete the university directing class. Nhat Nguyen will go further when he has more staging thinking to contribute to art" - Associate Professor Dr. Tran Yen Chi said.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/khoc-voi-cay-le-ban-chuong-vang-vong-co-nhat-nguyen-lam-dao-dien-196251030054737656.htm