Vu Manh Linh is one of 18 faces winning gold medals at the National Tuong and Folk Opera Festival in 2025. Recalling the moment his name was called for the role of Khuc Thua My, in the play "Fire of Phien Ngung", he emotionally said: "All my heart and mind put into my role have been recognized by the jury and my colleagues. That is a great happiness for every artist".

According to the male artist, from the time he received the script until completing the role, he practiced continuously for more than a month. The character is Hoan Hao, a young but ambitious envoy, who must shoulder many diplomatic responsibilities for the country. "To portray the intelligence, courage and temperament of an envoy, my crew and I continuously analyzed the script, exploited the psychology and shaped every detail. I was lucky to have a director and co-stars accompanying me and giving me feedback so that the role could be perfect," artist Manh Linh shared.

Artist Vu Manh Linh plays King Dinh in the play "Stories outside official history - Being a king".

Behind every success on stage of the male artist are years of hard work and a lasting love for Tuong. Born in 1986, in a family with parents who love art, from a young age, Manh Linh was exposed to music and drama. Tuong is a difficult art, from language to expression, all are highly stylized. For those new to it, everything is difficult and student Manh Linh is no exception. "When I first entered the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema, I was very shy. Hearing my classmates say that they had acted in Tuong since childhood, I both admired and feared them, not daring to say a single line of Tuong," he recalls. However, thanks to the strictness and dedication of the teachers, especially People's Artist Nguyen Gia Khoan and Meritorious Artist Doan Thi Yen, Manh Linh gradually overcame the barrier. “The teacher said if he didn’t open his mouth, I wouldn’t teach him anymore. From then on, I started to pronounce each word and each line of the play. When the teacher praised me, “You will be a great actor in the future,” I became more confident and dared to express myself,” Manh Linh said.

The first lessons helped the shy student at that time gradually assert himself. The perfect scores for many consecutive semesters, the trust of teachers and friends, and the first roles such as Dong Kim Lan in "Kim Lan Qua Deo" or Mr. Le in "Mother's Love" nurtured his passion and enthusiasm for Tuong. On the professional stage, Vu Manh Linh gradually made his mark with a series of awards. From the silver medal at the Capital Theater Festival in 2014, the title of Best Actor in 2017 awarded by the Vietnam Theater Artists Association, to the gold medal at the National Tuong and Folk Opera Festival in 2019 and many other awards.

In more than 20 years of being attached to Tuong, Vu Manh Linh was especially impressed with the role of King Dinh in the play "Stories outside the official history - Being a king" - a role that helped him win a gold medal at the National Tuong and Folk Opera Festival in 2022. The male artist shared that this is a role that helps him fully express his personal abilities and fully portray the character. "When transforming into King Dinh, I feel sublimated, as if I am no longer myself but completely integrated into the character. Through many transformations, I feel that my acting quality and temperament are especially suitable for historical roles of stature such as General Tran Hung Dao and King Quang Trung," the artist confided.

Commenting on artist Vu Manh Linh, director and People's Artist Hoang Quynh Mai said: "Despite his young age, Manh Linh has shown outstanding talent. He has inner strength, passion and dedication to his profession. The role of Khuc Thua My in the play "Fire in Phien Ngung" is a heavy one, but Linh performed it excellently, even with more than enough strength. That clearly demonstrates Vu Manh Linh's ability and strong play quality."

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/ngon-lua-tre-cua-tuong-viet-1015231