The "keeper of the flame" of traditional opera in Muong Don.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, artisan Bui Thi Phieu, President of the Thanh Vinh Commune Traditional Opera Club, quietly preserves the cultural heritage of Muong Don. She considers inheriting and promoting cultural values ​​from previous generations as her mission and personal responsibility.

Artist Bui Thi Phieu, President of the Thanh Vinh Commune Traditional Opera Club, during a rehearsal.

Through the story, artist Bui Thi Phieu relived the years she spent traveling with her father and the traveling opera troupe through the Muong villages in the region. At that time, opera in Muong Don was mainly maintained by itinerant troupes. Without a fixed theater, groups of artists would bring costumes, musical instruments, and props, setting up temporary stages in village courtyards or open fields to perform at village festivals and holidays for the people. The plays, depicting heroic figures with stirring songs and majestic movements, quickly captivated the people of Muong Don, who had a tradition of loving martial arts and valuing righteousness.

For her, traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) is not just an art form, but the "breath" of the Muong people. Ancient plays about loyalty to the king and patriotism, and about human compassion, have deeply permeated her being. During festivals and New Year celebrations, alongside folk songs and the resounding sounds of gongs and drums, ancient opera melodies such as Nam Binh, Nam Ai, Tau Ma, and Hat Khach resonate, reminding us of our origins and the moral principles of our nation. Through countless changes, hat boi has become a beautiful cultural feature of the people of Van Dinh village in particular and Thanh Vinh commune in general.

There was a time when the art of traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) in Muong Don faced the risk of extinction as the elderly artists gradually disappeared. Unwilling to see their ancestral heritage forgotten, Mrs. Phieu, along with dedicated artists in Thanh Vinh commune, tirelessly gathered the villagers to revive excerpts of ancient operas. Despite her age, she wholeheartedly guided the younger generation, teaching them everything from vocal embellishments and gestures to the meaning of each role. Every day, in her small house in Van Dinh village, she patiently and diligently taught the melodies and songs to the younger generation. In Van Dinh village, those with more knowledge taught those with less, and the older generation guided the younger generation, ensuring that hat boi not only remained in memory but continued to live in the community today. Thanks to the efforts of people like Mrs. Phieu, hat boi is now not only preserved by the people of Van Dinh village but has also spread throughout Muong Don.

The contributions of Ms. Bui Thi Phieu and the Muong community here not only help preserve the traditional cultural values ​​of the Muong Don Festival, but also serve as a "bridge" to integrate ancient cultural values ​​into the present day.

Text and photos: Khac Cong

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/nguoi-giu-lua-hat-boi-nbsp-o-muong-don-283073.htm