Artist Tu Long's mother overcame her illness and happily lived at the age of 75

After being awarded the Meritorious Artist award on March 6, Ms. Minh Phuc respectfully hung the diploma next to the title of her husband - artist Tu Lam.

The couple currently lives with their youngest son in Bac Ninh, occasionally going to Hanoi to visit with the family of their eldest son - artist Tu Long. In the early months of the lunar spring, she was often invited to sing at many festivals with her brothers and sisters, and tutored a number of students. The artist said he never haggled over salary and performed many times for free. “For young students, whoever asked to study, I taught them with all my heart and soul, never hiding my profession. In my free time, I take advantage of the opportunity to copy down the folk tunes I know, as documents for the next generation," Ms. Phuc said.

A few years ago, she had cancer and had surgery to remove a kidney. There was a time when she had to go to Hanoi every week for treatment and injections. While in the hospital, she was well cared for by her husband and children. Last year, she had surgery for a tumor in her bladder again. "I was in pain but never complained. I did whatever the doctor told me to do, but my husband and children were always worried," she recalled.

Artist Minh Phuc has been involved in folk art for 60 years. Born in Ngang Noi village, Hien Van commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh, one of the cradles of cheo singing and quan ho singing in the North. Her father was a drummer at the Vietnam Cheo Theater and her brothers were all civil servants. She was supported by her family to follow the profession and was one of the first seven seeds of the Ha Bac Quan Ho Folk Song Troupe.

In 1969, she took the entrance exam to join the troupe and met the person who would later become her life partner - artist Tu Lam. At that time, a group of actors went to Lim village, One of the ancient Quan Ho villages to learn from. During the day, they follow the artisans, plucking rice seedlings, plowing, and picking berries. Only at night do they have time to learn to sing.

Living and working together, she and artist Tu Lam fell in love and got married after more than two years of knowing each other. She loves him because of his good looks, good singing, decent personality, and always strictly following the office's rules. In 1973, the couple gave birth to their first son - Tu Long. During the war, often away from home to perform, and constantly sent to professional school, artist Minh Phuc had to send his children to his parents-in-law. To this day, she is still tormented because her children grew up without the caring hands of their parents.

During the difficult years, with low subsidized salaries, many colleagues left the union and moved to other careers. Her husband, artist Tu Lam, used to act in films To reschedule up with Nhu Quynh, was invited to work at the Vietnam Feature Film Studio. However, the provincial leaders at that time advised him to stay and maintain the ancient mandarin profession.

When Ha Bac province split into Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces, the mechanism changed, the troupe had to be autonomous in revenue and expenditure, and artists' lives became more difficult. During the Doi Moi period, artists Minh Phuc and Tu Lam were invited to sing at many weddings and conferences in a new style. She and her husband refused, because they wanted to preserve their soul and not sell their profession cheaply. There was a time when they picked up the moon, erhu, and drum, and sang songs to entertain themselves and have more time to go to the fields.

Artist Minh Phuc said: "We have been together for more than 50 years thanks to our common love of art. Both always respect, share, and encourage each other in life."

She is proud that her eldest son - artist Tu Long - followed in his parents' footsteps, is successful, and is loved by the audience. After high school, when Tu Long expressed his desire to study art, she and her husband both advised him to think again: "Looking at my parents, I know that after decades of working in this profession, it is both hard and poor." Tu Long studied carpentry, drove a motorbike taxi, planned to work abroad, and eventually entered the University of Theater and Cinema. "After going around and around, he still had a passion for the profession and was talented so he became famous," Ms. Minh Phuc reflected. She said her eldest son takes a lot of care of his parents' lives, helps his younger brothers and sisters get married, and takes care of the family's death anniversary.

At the age of 75, artist Minh Phuc is satisfied after more than half a century of artistic activities. In her free time, she synthesizes and transcribes nearly 500 folk songs, specifically recording the source and origin of each melody, as a way to pay tribute to her ancestors. “Receiving the title of Meritorious Artist, I no longer regret anything. I have fulfilled the duties of a student with previous artisans," she said.

Artist Tu Long's mother received the title of Meritorious Artist

Ha Thu