Touching images of singer Khánh Ly visiting the old home of musician Trịnh Công Sơn.

The image of singer Khanh Ly at the age of 80 and as a young girl in front of the house where musician Trinh Cong Son once lived evokes many emotions in viewers.

Poet Le Huynh Lam (58 years old, residing in Hue City) has just provided Thanh Nien reporter with some photos of famous singer Khanh Ly visiting the house at 203/19 Nguyen Truong To, Hue City - where musician Trinh Cong Son used to live with his family.

Poet Lê Huỳnh Lâm has been the "keeper of this heritage house" for over 10 years, and he has now named it Gác Trịnh (Trịnh's Attic). Although he rented the house from the late writer Hoàng Phủ Ngọc Tường and poet Lâm Thị Mỹ Dạ, Mr. Lâm still wholeheartedly takes care of it, transforming it into a popular destination for many admirers of Trịnh Công Sơn.

Singer Khánh Ly holds in her hand a photograph of her taken before 1975, which has become a valuable document at Gác Trịnh.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Among the many artifacts related to the life and creative career of musician Trinh Cong Son that Mr. Lam collected and displayed, there are many photographs of singer Khanh Ly both when she was young and when she turned 80 (March 6, 1945 – March 6, 2025).

"At the end of August 2024, Ms. Khanh Ly returned to Hue and visited Gac Trinh to see the house where the talented musician once lived, in order to make a video commemorating his 80th birthday. She confided that she came back to find the image of a person from a bygone era. In particular, she gave me a photograph of herself taken right in this house. I was very moved…," Mr. Lam shared.

Legendary singer Khánh Ly stands in front of the house where musician Trịnh Công Sơn once lived in Huế.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Singer Khánh Ly returned to visit her old house at the age of 80.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

This black-and-white photograph shows the renowned singer Khánh Ly before 1975. In the image, a young woman in her twenties with a delicate face smiles as she sits on the balcony in front of her house. In the background is an old car driving under a row of camphor trees on the road now known as Nguyễn Trường Tộ.

During her visit to Hue in 2024, while visiting the old house of musician Trinh Cong Son, singer Khanh Ly also captured images of herself touring the house. Particularly noteworthy is the moment she, wearing a purple ao dai (traditional Vietnamese dress), sat alone on the porch of Trinh Cong Son's attic.

Poet Le Huynh Lam received many valuable documents signed by singer Khanh Ly.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

"That image reminds me of Trinh Cong Son's song 'The Returning Person Suddenly Remembers ' with its gentle lyrics: 'The feet that have traveled far suddenly remember / Every night I hear the wind whispering softly...' The old scene remains, but our Trinh Cong Son has been gone for 24 years now...", poet Le Huynh Lam said emotionally.

Mr. Lam announced that, in commemoration of the 24th anniversary of musician Trinh Cong Son's passing (April 1, 2001 - April 1, 2025), a music night titled "Knowing Where the Roots Are" will be held at the late musician's former home, performed by the Xom Nui Nam Dong music group, at 5:30 PM on April 1st.

A memorial concert for musician Trịnh Công Sơn will take place on the evening of April 1st.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The band is a gathering place for those who love Trinh Cong Son's music. Most of them are retired teachers who play guitar and other instruments. The program features Venerable Thich Quang Hue, abbot of Ha Trung ancient pagoda (Phu Vang District, Hue City), playing the harmonica and discussing Trinh Cong Son's music; and teacher and martial arts master Huynh Xuan Dung, leader of the Xom Nui Nam Dong band, as the host.

Meeting place for fans of musician Trinh Cong Son

Also on this occasion, poet Le Huynh Lam displayed many materials about the life of musician Trinh Cong Son, such as books, newspapers, music collections, old sheet music... which Mr. Lam himself collected and received as gifts. Among these, there are many rare sheet music pieces, as they are little-known compositions by Trinh and were printed more than half a century ago.

The materials about musician Trịnh Công were collected over many years by poet Lê Huỳnh Lâm, including handwritten notes from the late musician as well as those of his friends, who were famous artists.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

"If conditions permit, I will collect more materials about musician Trinh Cong Son to create a mini-archive space dedicated to him for future generations and especially for those who love Trinh Cong Son's music," poet Le Huynh Lam shared.

According to poet Lê Huỳnh Lâm, before 1975, writer Hoàng Phủ Ngọc Tường – a close friend of musician Trịnh Công – often visited the house to tutor the musician's sisters. After the musician's family moved to the South, the writer took ownership of the house.

This rare old sheet music featuring Trinh Cong Son's songs was published 50 years ago.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Seeing the house looking so deserted, Mr. Lam, an admirer of Trinh Cong Son, rented it in 2013. Over that time, Mr. Lam gradually restored the house to its original state thanks to suggestions from the musician's friends.

Trinh Cong Son's attic gradually became a gathering place for intellectuals and artists. Many exhibitions and music nights have been held here to commemorate the musician Trinh Cong Son. For example, an art exhibition by painters Dinh Cuong and Phan Ngoc Minh was held in November 2013. This is also a place that many locals and tourists who love Trinh Cong Son's music come to visit.

Singer Khánh Ly officially collaborated with Trịnh Công Sơn to sing his music in 1967 with the song "Ru ta ngậm ngùi" at Quán Văn, Saigon.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Poet Le Huynh Lam said that anyone who has read the article "The House of the Wanderers" by writer Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong will know that this house is the place where close friends such as poet Ngo Kha, painter Dinh Cuong, Trinh Cong Son, and writer Hoang Phu Ngoc Tuong were together…

"In our youth, the group would often gather under the camphor tree in front of the apartment building, and from there, we would stroll and admire the streets at night. During those walks, these wanderers would enthusiastically discuss human affairs and the ways of the world. And then, the creative philosophies that inspired our literature and music became deeply humanistic and liberating," Mr. Lam recounted.

News reports covered the death of musician Trịnh Công Sơn on April 1, 2001.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The atmosphere at Trinh's Attic during the days commemorating the 24th anniversary of the musician's death.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Old sheet music on the old wall inside Trinh's attic.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The old sheet music was framed elegantly by poet Le Huynh Lam.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The works of musician Trinh Cong Son were printed on sheet music by old publishers.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Images and artifacts imbued with the passage of time.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The titles of the timeless works of the talented musician Trịnh Công Sơn, combined with paintings, create a work of art.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

The old house where musician Trịnh Công Sơn once lived in Huế is the site of commemorative activities marking the 24th anniversary of his death.

PHOTO: LE HUYNH LAM

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lang-dong-hinh-anh-ca-si-khanh-ly-tham-nha-xua-cua-nhac-si-trinh-cong-son-1852503302350224.htm