Minh Khánh, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, ran out to the village gate in the middle of the night, looking up at the sky and praying for the rain to stop and the wind to cease. Inside the courtyard, the sounds of drums, cymbals, gongs, and stringed instruments, along with traditional folk songs, harmonized in a lively and soaring melody.
Minh Khánh (11 years old) is the son of artist Phượng Loan from the Ngọc Khanh Traditional Opera Troupe ( Dong Nai province ), and is one of the "seeds" of the traditional opera "field". At the age of 6, Minh Khánh impressed everyone by confidently performing excerpts from traditional operas, singing and dancing gracefully and fluently with the Hồ Quảng style such as "Chúng bản", "Tống Liên chi", "Xảo bản"...
Five years later, she returned to Hue with the troupe, more confident and mature. Although it was unknown whether Khanh would follow in her mother's footsteps, her eyes blazed with faith and passion for traditional art, a source of pride that her mother and senior artists were preserving.
This is the third time the Ngoc Khanh Traditional Opera Troupe has returned to its roots to celebrate its 35th anniversary. Besides paying tribute to the ancestors at Thanh Binh Ancestral Temple – a national monument dedicated to the founding masters of Vietnamese traditional opera – the troupe also organized two nights of free traditional opera performances. The program featured many prominent figures in the traditional opera scene, including Meritorious Artist Ngoc Khanh, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long, Meritorious Artist Trinh Trinh, Meritorious Artist Vu Luan, singer Long Nhat (guest), and other artists such as Phuong Loan, Khanh Tam, Hieu Canh, My Hau, Phuong Thao, Tuan Duong, Thanh Quang, Quang Bao…
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| Artist Phuong Loan in an excerpt from the classical opera "Lu Bu and Diao Chan" performed at the Thanh Binh ancestral hall stage. |
This event attracted hundreds of spectators from the ancient capital, including those who hadn't seen traditional opera in a long time. For example, Mr. Nguyen Van Phuoc (70 years old), after his bicycle delivery job at Dong Ba Market, went straight to Thanh Binh Street to watch the performance. He recounted that the last time he saw traditional opera was 55 years ago. Similarly, Mrs. Tran Thi Yen (69 years old), from Vinh Phu commune, 30 km from the center of Hue City, also traveled a long distance to attend.
The people of Thanh Binh hamlet showed incredibly warm affection for the delegation. Many days before the delegation arrived, the villagers worked together to clean up, set up the stage and tent, and prepare accommodation for the delegation. Meritorious Artist Ngoc Khanh, the head of the delegation, emotionally shared: "The people of Thanh Binh hamlet helped us so much… These things, along with the sacred fire of the Ancestral Spirits, provided warmth and great encouragement for us artists."
On the final night (July 14th), while the troupe was performing, a sudden storm broke out. As the excerpt from the play "Trieu Tu Nhap Cam Lo" was nearing its end, the rain unexpectedly poured down. The troupe had to apologize to the audience and turn off the lights. The artists and staff hurriedly packed up but only managed to protect some musical instruments and electronic equipment. Everyone was soaked, their makeup smudged. Costumes and personal belongings were all wet. The members huddled inside the tent amidst the mess of belongings.
Despite facing numerous difficulties due to the decline of traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi - tuong co), the artists remain steadfast in keeping the flame of their craft alive. They consider pursuing this profession as their "calling." Meritorious Artist Ngoc Khanh said that only half the year is dedicated to performances, while the other half the year the artists have to earn a living through side jobs. During trips to Hue or tours far from home, without the support of benefactors, the troupe would face many difficulties. For example, this time, the artists had to contribute their own money, scrimp and save, rent a shared bus, and live in tents during their stay in Hue. Even so, no one complained. Female artist Khanh Tam shared: "Today, under the roof of Thanh Binh Ancestral Hall, we thank the Ancestral Spirits for allowing us to sit together once again, wiping away the layers of the past to paint a new, more brilliant chapter with the colors of love, compassion, and understanding."
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| Artist Phuong Loan in an excerpt from the classical opera "Lu Bu and Diao Chan" performed at the Thanh Binh ancestral hall stage. |
Thanh Binh Ancestral Hall, built during the reign of Emperor Minh Mang (1825), is a national monument (1992). It is dedicated to many deities, saints, and patron saints of the arts, including the founder and other prominent figures who made significant contributions to Hue's traditional opera (hat boi). Studies indicate that Hue's opera once held a dominant position, reaching the pinnacle of the art form with its court opera style; it was even considered the "national drama" of the Southern region under the Nguyen lords. During the Nguyen dynasty, Thanh Binh Ancestral Hall held a grand three-day annual ceremony honoring the ancestors, attracting opera troupes from all over the country. The art form experienced periods of both prosperity and decline. Despite periods where it seemed to have faded into oblivion, it is encouraging that in the last decade or so, Thanh Binh Ancestral Hall has been revived at least three times each time the Ngoc Khanh Traditional Opera and Hat Boi Troupe returned to its roots to perform.
On the night of July 14th, under the heavy rain that enveloped Thanh Binh from the street, I looked out at the courtyard, then up at the stage, as if I could see the figure of a towering figure in the art of traditional Vietnamese opera, the late artist Nguyen Huu Lap. He had just passed away at the age of 83. This time, Hue was without him, and the audience did not get to see him perform, but excerpts from his classical opera – the play "Luu Kim Dinh Giai Gia Tho Chau" – were still enthusiastically received by the performing artists and the audience of the ancient capital.
I remember that in 2017 and 2020, artist Huu Lap and his troupe visited Hue. On July 25, 2020, when he returned to his roots for the second time, I asked him what kept him passionate about his profession, despite the decline of traditional opera and the countless difficulties artists face. Huu Lap smiled gently and said, "In our profession, as long as there's even one audience member watching, we'll keep performing."
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/van-hoa-du-lich-van-hoc-nghe-thuat/202507/lua-nghe-van-chay-o-thanh-binh-a26108c/
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