Shining young talents in Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera)

The 2026 National Cai Luong Actor Talent Competition has just concluded after nearly a week of events at the Tran Huu Trang Theater (Ho Chi Minh City). Through the competition, audiences had the opportunity to see the young generation of Cai Luong actors nationwide.

Southern and Northern Vietnamese cải lương (traditional opera) blend together.

This was truly a gathering of young Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) actors from across the country, or, as People's Artist Giang Manh Ha, Vice President of the Vietnam Stage Artists Association, put it, a preliminary assessment of our young talent pool. Of course, a competition cannot represent the entire talent pool, but almost all actors with good singing and acting abilities boldly participated, and the strongest theater groups in the country, from public to privately-run, gathered. This shows that Cai Luong has received serious investment, and even in the context of general difficulties, artists still maintain a commendable passion for their profession.

Trong Nhan in the excerpt "Acting Alone"

PHOTO: HK

The audience was treated to a feast of diverse Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) genres, from social, modern, revolutionary, historical, semi-historical, and experimental styles, creating a rich and captivating experience. Most of the excerpts were challenging works, requiring sophisticated singing, acting, dancing, and complex psychological skills. Some actors who normally only play supporting roles in the troupe were given leading roles, performing for nearly half an hour on stage – a difficult test of their abilities. They had the chance to showcase their talents, so whether they won an award or not, they were happy to have left their mark.

Overall, the two schools of Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) from the North and South blended beautifully. Southern Cai Luong is colorful, lively, gentle, and captivating; while Northern Cai Luong is more standardized and elegant, contributing valuable elements to Cai Luong nationwide. In particular, the Northern Cai Luong performances this time were much smoother than they were when they toured Ho Chi Minh City fifteen or twenty years ago. People's Artist Giang Manh Ha also confirmed: "It's definitely smoother, because there's been a lot of interaction with the South." Southern audiences watched and exclaimed: "I didn't expect Northern Cai Luong to be so easy to listen to and feel." Many people, experiencing "Northern Cai Luong" for the first time, applauded enthusiastically because of this surprise.

Rays of hope

Frankly speaking, the contestants were of fairly consistent quality. However, the audience was still intrigued by the bright spots that emerged, creating a positive impression, and that also offered hope for the future of cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera).

Two of the most impressive contestants were Trong Nhan (Huynh Long Traditional Opera Troupe) and Minh Nguyet (Vietnam National Traditional Theatre). In his solo performance, Trong Nhan captivated the audience with the fiery passion of youth and dedication to his craft, performing continuously without losing energy. Minh Nguyet, in her portrayal of Ly Chieu Hoang , depicted a Ly Chieu Hoang full of emotion – sadness, anger, love, pain, nostalgia, majesty, concern for the country, letting go, and gentleness… Minh Nguyet's Northern accent was beautiful, blending sweetly with the Southern Cai Luong melody, and her performance style and appearance were elegant, truly befitting royalty.

Minh Nguyet in the excerpt from Ly Chieu Hoang

PHOTO: HK

Besides that, Vo Thi Be ( Can Tho City Cultural and Arts Center) in the role of Dieu (in " The Time of Girlhood is Gone ") moved the audience to tears. A young volunteer whose face was disfigured by bombs on the Truong Son trail, she continued to live through the arduous but noble days of peace. Vo Thi Be's genuine and emotional performance surpassed even technical skill, even though this excerpt also demanded considerable technique. Contestant My Le (Cao Van Lau Theater, Ca Mau ) also demonstrated both technical skill and the subtle psychology of a female student addicted to drugs (in the excerpt " One Minute, One Time "). Le Trung Tuan ( Hai Phong Traditional Theater) was bright and warm in the role of Ly Thuong Kiet ( in "Loyalty and Filial Piety to Thang Long for Life "), a brave general who also carried silent pains with his loved one, and loneliness that few could understand. For example, Le Hoang Nghi (Vam Co Cai Luong Troupe, Tay Ninh), who won the Golden Bell Award for Cai Luong in 2024, or Lam Minh Nghiem (Cao Van Lau Theater), and Do Thi Hien ( Hanoi Cai Luong Theater) are all very young and show great potential for future development.

Indeed, in the context of cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera) facing competition from many modern entertainment genres, the competition serves as a stimulus for both audiences and professionals to come together; at the same time, it gives young artists more opportunities to keep the flame alive and stay committed to the profession. Of course, we shouldn't compare them to their predecessors, but rather select the best from a limited pool to award prizes, and surely from this milestone they will take many more steps forward. People's Artist Trần Ngọc Giàu said: "If we don't believe in the younger generation, who else can we believe? Let's conduct a comprehensive review of the force, then we'll know where the weaknesses and shortcomings are, and we'll supplement and continue training. Sometimes learning a profession is a lifelong endeavor. As long as cải lương continues to be performed, there is still hope."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lap-lanh-nhung-tai-nang-cai-luong-tre-185260523194404642.htm