People's Artist Le Thuy with "Dream of Durian Leaves" by Kim Cuong

NSND Lệ Thủy với — People's Artist Le Thuy and People's Artist Kim Cuong at Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper (Photo: Thuy Binh)

"I was deeply moved when I received the traditional song 'The Durian Leaf Dream,' composed by People's Artist Vien Chau, which speaks of Kim Cuong's feelings when remembering her mother, People's Artist Bay Nam. This time, the two sisters will meet on the stage of the HTV Television Theater on the evening of January 28th. That is my greatest happiness, because I respect my older sister Kim Cuong," People's Artist Le Thuy confided.

She recalled the iconic roles of the legendary actress Kim Cương, especially her roles in "The Lady of the Camellias" and "The Durian Leaf". While Y Lan in "The Lady of the Camellias" was a famous dancer in Saigon, Diệu in "The Durian Leaf" was a hardworking mother from the countryside, living in poverty but raising her children to be successful.

"These are two completely different characters in terms of fate and personality, but their greatest commonality is their compassionate and forgiving hearts. They embody the noble self-sacrifice of a woman who is a wife and mother. I loved these two roles played by Kim Cương because the themes she explored in the plays were close to people's lives, speaking about the plight of women in society," - People's Artist Lệ Thủy expressed.

For People's Artist Kim Cương, in what could be considered her final performance before bidding farewell to the stage, she wants to dedicate all her emotions to talking about her mother.

"The traditional song by composer Viễn Châu, which evokes memories of my mother, will be beautifully and solemnly recreated through precious documentary footage, alongside the sweet voice of Lệ Thủy. Audiences have watched and shed tears many times during the play 'The Durian Leaf' performed by my mother, but few know that my mother is the strongest support system that gave me the strength to overcome many obstacles, stay committed to the stage, and create roles that are well-received by the public," shared People's Artist Kim Cương.

People's Artist Viễn Châu wrote three verses of vọng cổ (traditional Vietnamese folk song) to express the feelings of People's Artist Kim Cương when her beloved mother passed away. These verses will surely evoke nostalgia and emotion in the audience because, to this day, no artist has dared to replace People's Artist Bảy Nam in playing mother roles, including the role of Mrs. Tư, the mother of Cô Diệu (in the play "Lá Sầu Riêng").

"Perhaps that's why, to this day, Ms. Kim Cuong hasn't allowed any performing arts troupe to restage the play 'The Durian Leaf,' except for the Golden Stage that I and Mr. Minh Vuong established in 2007, with the aim of building charity houses for the poor. I've had the opportunity to embody the role of Ms. Dieu on the Cai Luong stage, so singing this traditional song is even more meaningful. Because I see Ms. Dieu in myself through the composition by Teacher Vien Chau," said People's Artist Le Thuy.

The program honoring People's Artist Kim Cương, organized by HTV, will be broadcast live on the evening of January 28th at the HTV Television Theater.

In recent days, People's Artist Kim Cương has been gathering many valuable images and documents about former members of the Kim Cương Drama Troupe who have accompanied her on every step of her journey in charitable work and professional activities.

People's Artist Kim Cương couldn't hold back her emotions as she recalled her deceased fellow artists: "Only a few remain, because most have passed away, such as my mother - People's Artist Bảy Nam, the late artist Ba Xây - the father of director Tất My Loan, Vân Hùng, Túy Hoa, Trương Long, Tùng Lâm, Bảo Anh, Mai Thành, Long Hải, Mai Lan... Every time we organize a reunion or do the 'Artists' Appreciation' program, reviewing the list and seeing a few people missing makes my heart ache."

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nsnd-le-thuy-voi-giac-mong-la-sau-riengcua-kim-cuong-196240106083337635.htm