Golden Apricot Awards Ceremony 29

28 seasons of the Mai Vang Awards have passed, from the time when the awards were organized simply at Suoi Tien Tourist Area, Dam Sen Cultural Park to when they were upgraded to a professional level until today, entering the 29th season.

* Reporter: Taking on the role of general director of this year's Mai Vang Awards ceremony, how do you feel after many years of being associated with the program?

- Journalist THANH HIEP - General Director of the 29th Mai Vang Awards Ceremony - 2023 : This year, despite the difficult economic situation, the cultural and artistic fields of Ho Chi Minh City in particular and the whole country in general have had positive signs. The public is still interested, going to the theater to watch plays, movies, welcoming MV products, songs of artists and singers in 2023. This has always made the success of the Mai Vang Awards - an award that is different from other awards, it is a game of the audience, readers, they introduce, nominate, and then vote for their favorite artists.

Personally, I am interested in the 3 outstanding Cultural - Artistic awards that have been announced as winners of the Mai Vang Award, namely painter Phung Quang Dong with the fine art work "Forest 2" - clearly carrying the ideological theme of protecting natural forests, our lungs, so the fight to protect primeval forests is a frontline that cannot be neglected; photographer Nguyen Van Phung with the photo series "Bridges in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City" - vividly and brilliantly depicting the changing appearance of the city named after Uncle Ho with the appearance of modern bridges; and the book of 6 stage scripts "The Singer" by writer Nguyen Thi Minh Ngoc (published by Stage Publishing House) is an excellent literary work, showing that the author's pen is very indebted to the stage, with a humanistic theme.

* Having held the same role for many years, do you feel pressured when implementing the program because everyone hopes that next year will have new things compared to the previous year?

- I am a person who likes to face pressure. Since taking on this role, the opportunity to gain experience and renew myself has given me the awareness to spend more time reflecting and accumulating new thinking in staging and organizing the art program in the Mai Vang Award ceremony, so that each year there will be something new and attractive until the last minute.

* Taking place in a difficult economic situation, does that limit your creativity?

- Of course, but with the policy of unity and joint efforts, the sponsors have always stood by us, so that every spring, the Mai Vang blooms again. With the sentiment of that precious companionship, my responsibility is to explore and create to bring a new mark to this year's Mai Vang Award season.

* Which performance is expected to create a different highlight for the 2023 Mai Vang Awards ceremony, sir?

- This is the fourth year that the Editorial Board has entrusted me with the responsibility of being the general director of the Mai Vang Awards ceremony organized by the Lao Dong Newspaper. Every year, there are a few "key" performances composed by me. The "Kindness around us" scene is expected to make a mark for the Mai Vang Awards ceremony 2023. With their abilities, the workers, including Mr. Tran Van Hong and Ms. Nguyen Thi My, even though they are nearly 90, still cook vegetarian meals to give to the poor for free in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City - that is a very noble example that the younger generation should look up to in order to live more decently.

Journalist - general director Thanh Hiep (Photo: TAN THANH)

From the writing contest "Kindness around us" about the two old people Hong and My (organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper), I was inspired by that material to compose a scene song and received sympathy from famous artists: People's Artist Le Thuy, People's Artist Minh Vuong, People's Artist Phuong Loan, Meritorious Artist Tu Suong, Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam, Meritorious Artist Trinh Trinh.

In particular, the two artists who will play the roles of Mr. and Mrs. Hong are artist Tu Trinh and Meritorious Artist Cong Ninh. The scene also has the participation of Lac Long Quan Theater Club, with young actors who are my students.

* Taking place during "awards season", are you afraid of being compared to other award shows that have been and are taking place at the same time?

- Each award has its own criteria and the material that makes the difference is that unique feature. Since 2021, the Editorial Board of the Lao Dong Newspaper has decided to consider and award the "Artist for the Community" and "Artist for Life for the Community" awards. This is the message that the Mai Vang Award always sends to artists, because after a year of hard work in the arts, the achievements are the recognition of readers and audiences for the roles, songs, MVs, and artistic products that individuals and groups of artists create.

But the most important thing is the responsibility to society, the awareness of being a citizen artist, so these two awards remind the artists who win the Golden Apricot Award every year, even though they have touched many Golden Apricot statues, their efforts are tireless dedication to the community with their own abilities and from a pure heart.

The two People's Artists Kim Cuong and Le Thuy were awarded the "Lifetime Artist for the Community" award, which is truly deserved, or singer Den Vau was awarded the "Artist for the Community" award this year with the MV "Cooking for You" which received a very high consensus from the majority of readers and audiences nationwide.

One thing that the Mai Vang Awards always aim for when entering its 30th year is that the award will cover the whole country, so in the list of 14 categories this year, there are many artists from the North nominated by readers and audiences.

* How is your personal mark shown in this program?

- This year, the Editorial Board of the Lao Dong Newspaper has set a requirement to create a youthful and vibrant space to welcome spring. I myself have to rejuvenate my own ideas. In addition to summarizing when putting myself in the audience to watch many traditional music, dance and theater programs during the year, I also try to immerse myself in the work of finding new factors, so that in addition to the singers and artists who are familiar with the Mai Vang Awards, there are also many young faces who promise to make a good impression on this year's program.

* What results do you expect from the 29th Golden Apricot Awards - 2023?

- I believe that readers and audiences are the ones with the most power to make the final decision. I hope that this year's achievements will be a creative motivation for the artists and singers who win the awards.

* With your experience and relationships in the entertainment industry, you certainly have a "delicious dish" from gathering stars into the program that is not available elsewhere?

- Behind me is a press agency under the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee. The relationships that have been established for more than 30 years all come from the prestige of the Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper. The most touching thing is that every year when preparing the program script, many artists and singers want to participate, whether in the role of performing or announcing and presenting awards. Because only in the space of the Mai Vang Awards ceremony is it truly a place for artists to chat, meet, and look back on a year of artistic work.

* Taking on the role of general director of the 29th Mai Vang Awards - 2023, what message do you think needs to be emphasized and widely spread to the audience?

- The Mai Vang Award will forever be a meaningful spring bridge connecting readers, audiences and artists nationwide. From this connection, the spirit of enthusiastic creativity will spread and positive energy will be transmitted to the young generation who are pursuing their career in art.

* If you were given the freedom to be creative with strong financial support, what kind of Mai Vang awards ceremony would you like to bring?

- If I have this opportunity, I will promote the elements of honoring traditional art. In fact, many senior artists in the traditional field have been awarded the Mai Vang Award by readers. They value artistic prestige as the criteria of the Mai Vang Award, so honoring them will be a positive solution for today's young artists to reflect on themselves.

"The goal of the Mai Vang Award is to contribute to the orientation of promoting worthy works and roles, with investment and honoring national pride. Particularly, the cai luong stage is currently seeing the commitment of many young artists, this is a good sign, but through that, it also poses many challenges for young people, which is how to bring cai luong art closer to young audiences" - director Thanh Hiep expressed.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/le-trao-giai-mai-vang-29-2023-ky-vong-vao-ca-canh-long-tot-quanh-ta-196240115214440561.htm