National Cheo Festival 2025 in Bac Ninh: A meeting place for like-minded souls

Artists "burn" themselves out on stage

Held for the second time in Kinh Bac - a land steeped in folk songs and traditional arts, the National Cheo Festival has become a great festival for those who share a passion for Cheo art. 12 professional art units across the country have brought to the festival 21 elaborately staged plays, with diverse themes from historical traditions, revolutionary struggles to contemporary life with the participation of nearly 1,000 professional artists and actors.

Dong Xua Cheo Theater, Hai Phong city with the play "Love story by the river".

Bringing to the festival a youthful breath and intense emotions, artist Nguyen Thi Thu Hue (Eastern Cheo Theater, Hai Phong city) moved the audience to tears when she transformed into the role of Mai in the play "Love story by the river". The love story forbidden by the prejudice of "equal social status" was expressed emotionally in the language of Cheo art. Sharing after completing the role excellently, artist Thu Hue was still moved: "When playing the role of Mai, I lived with the character with intense love and the pain of forbidden love. Standing on stage, I felt like I didn't need to act anymore but really transformed into the character with all the most genuine emotions. Seeing the audience shed tears for my character, I was even more aware that I had to try harder."

Traditional artists are constantly making creative efforts so that each play touches the hearts of today's audiences with the power of closeness and profound humanism. As Dr. People's Artist Le Tuan Cuong, Deputy Director in charge of the Vietnam National Traditional Theater, affirmed: "True art comes from life and must return to serve life. Think of Cheo as the simplest but greatest things, like a mother's lullaby that no one teaches but everyone knows by heart. Respecting the audience, reaching out to the audience and touching the audience's emotions are things that we, traditional artists, are especially interested in." More than a professional reunion, the Festival also honors the spirit of dedication and creative aspirations of those who preserve the soul of national art in the integration period.

Audience "drunk" in the rhythm of the drums

If the artists "burn" themselves out on stage, the audience is the one who keeps that flame from ever going out. For the people of Bac Ninh in particular and the public who love Cheo in general, the Festival is an opportunity for them to be moved by Cheo, to watch, to feel, to be "intoxicated" by the sound of drums, instruments, and the lively and passionate singing. Right on the opening night, the Provincial Cultural - Exhibition Center was packed with audiences. Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Du, 70 years old, in Phu My 2 Residential Group, Bac Giang Ward, said: "I don't know how to sing Cheo, but I have loved Cheo since I was a child. Now that I get to see professional artists perform in my hometown, I am even more moved. When the actors laugh, I laugh, when they cry, I cry too."

The audience attentively followed each performance.

Rarely having the opportunity to see famous artists perform, Mrs. Giap Thi Duyen (Bac Giang ward) memorizes the performance schedules of most art troupes. She confided: "My house is nearby, these days I take my grandchild to see a Cheo performance every day. My daughter-in-law and son go to work during the day, and come home in the evening to watch the Cheo Festival with their mother. My whole family is immersed in the Cheo melodies."

Having loved Cheo since childhood, even though she has lived in Germany for more than 20 years, Ms. My Le, from Tu Ky, Hai Phong city, still regularly returns to Vietnam whenever there are Cheo festivals and performances. During the past few days, she has been in Bac Ninh to watch all the performances. She confided: "Even though I live abroad, I still have a passion for Cheo. I used to study Cheo singing with Ms. Mai Thuy, Mr. Song Thuong, Mr. Mai Van Lang... This time I was able to come to my hometown Kinh Bac to listen to Cheo singing, I cried with happiness."

These sincere emotions prove that Cheo has become an indispensable part of the Vietnamese soul, a familiar call from memory, from the homeland. The good news is that in the audience seats, there are not only gray-haired people but also many young faces. Bui Dac Nhat, 25 years old from An Thi (Hung Yen) shared: "This is the first time I watched a two-hour long Cheo play in its entirety. The more I watch, the more I feel Cheo is as close as listening to my grandmother tell a fairy tale. After this occasion, I will learn more about the traditional art of the nation"...

In the chilly days of Kinh Bac, the sound of the Cheo drums and the passionate songs seem to warm people's hearts. There is no longer any distance between the artists and the audience, only the sublime moments of love and belief in the enduring vitality of traditional art. The festival will end, but the flame of passion will burn forever in the hearts of the artists and the echoes of the Cheo melodies will still resonate in the beloved land of Kinh Bac - where kindred spirits met in a reunion filled with humanity and love of art.

Article and photos: Thuan Thao

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/lien-hoan-cheo-toan-quoc-nam-2025-tai-bac-ninh-noi-gap-go-cua-nhung-tam-hon-dong-dieu-postid429754.bbg