People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh - talented female stage director passed away

Dr., People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh - a talented contemporary stage director of Vietnam, former Director of the Youth Theater, passed away on the evening of September 3 in Hanoi, at the age of 84.

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh was born in 1941 into a family with a tradition of academic achievements. Her father was Mr. Pham Khac Hoe - a man who had great contributions in persuading King Bao Dai to abdicate and was trusted by President Ho Chi Minh . He was the one who drafted the abdication decree for King Bao Dai on August 22, 1945.

Portrait of People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh. Photo: Youth Theater

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh inherited her father's love of literature and her mother's sweet Hue singing voice. It was her mother who directly guided Pham Thi Thanh to choose performing arts to pursue throughout her life. Since childhood, she had cherished her dream of being an artist.

At the age of 14, she joined the Central Performing Arts Troupe, had the opportunity to meet and fall in love with People's Artist Dao Mong Long. In 1970, she was sent by the State to the former Soviet Union to study stage directing. After 7 years, she returned home and together with director Ha Nhan wrote a project to establish the Youth Theatre.

The project was accepted, in 1987, the Youth Theater was established. Ms. Ha Nhan was the Director, female director Pham Thi Thanh was the Deputy Director. The first course had many people who later became famous artists such as People's Artist Lan Huong, People's Artist Le Khanh, People's Artist Minh Hang, People's Artist Anh Tu, People's Artist Ngoc Huyen, Meritorious Artist Chi Trung...

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh (in black shirt, middle) and the first batch of drama actors of the Youth Theatre. Photo: Youth Theatre

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh is the director of more than 200 plays, of which nearly 20 plays won Gold Medals and several plays won Silver Medals at theatrical art festivals. She is the director of the 990th Anniversary of Thang Long - Hanoi , 330th Anniversary of Khanh Hoa, 100th Anniversary of Da Lat, Hue Festival...

From 1991 to 1996, she held the position of Director of the Youth Theater, then Deputy Director of the Department of Performing Arts (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism).

She also participated in many foreign theater art projects in Vietnam, making efforts to bring traditional arts of the nation into schools. She is also Vice President of the Vietnam UNESCO Association, Member of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, Delegate of the Hanoi People's Council, and also participates in teaching at the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema.

People's Artist Pham Thi Thanh was awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts in 2012.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/nsnd-pham-thi-thanh-nu-dao-dien-san-khau-tai-ba-qua-doi-715102.html