The stage is a haven in life.

On the evening of January 28th, at the Ho Chi Minh City Television (HTV) Theater, the "Golden Bell Forever" program honored People's Artist Kim Cương, produced by the Ho Chi Minh City Television Arts and Culture Department.

During the tribute night, artist Kim Cương was moved to tears several times as memories flooded back. She was extremely happy and spoke fondly about her mother, the late People's Artist Bảy Nam.

People's Artist Kim Cương interacted with the audience during the awards ceremony on the evening of January 28th.

Artist Kim Cương shared that becoming a singer was a natural choice because three generations of her family have been involved in the singing profession since she was born.

Artist Kim Cương's mother was artist Bảy Nam, her maternal aunt was artist Năm Phỉ, her grandmother was Cô Ba Ngoạn, the owner of the Palikao theater, and her father was the renowned theater manager Nguyễn Ngọc Cương.

From the moment she was in her mother's womb, she was nurtured by the music and lyrics of cải lương (Vietnamese traditional opera).

When speaking about her mother, artist Kim Cương became emotional: "My mother gave me a body so I could be a human being, gave me a profession so I could live with the stage, and gave me a heart so I could live with life."

My mother is also the source of my motivation to actively participate in supporting those less fortunate in society.

During the awards ceremony, the audience reviewed her artistic journey, from her youth as a young woman who founded the Southern Drama Troupe with many classic plays such as *The Durian Leaf*, *Under Two Colors of Clothing*, *Camellia Girl*, *Rose Pinned to the Dress*, *Legend of the Mother*...

Having left the stage nearly 20 years ago, her life has been dedicated to charitable activities. People's Artist Kim Cương is currently the Vice President of the Association for the Protection of Disabled People and Orphans in Ho Chi Minh City.

Over the past 10 years, she has organized the "Artists' Appreciation" program, caring for the lives of fellow artists and stage workers who are sick or in difficult circumstances, and awarding scholarships to studious children of artists at the beginning of each new year.

Mr. Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, Standing Committee Member of the City Party Committee and Head of the Propaganda Department of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, shared that People's Artist Kim Cuong is in the hearts of the audience not only as a talented artist but also because of her big heart that always reaches out to the community.

In the final segment of the awards ceremony, artist Kim Cương moved many viewers to tears with her performance of "The Durian Leaf." Kim Cương played the role of the elderly Diệu, alongside artists Hữu Châu, Lương Thế Thành, and Lê Phương.

This short excerpt, though brief, evokes feelings of both laughter and tears in the audience, along with the poignant tragedies imbued with the humanistic essence of Kim Cương's plays.

Artist Kim Cương was born in 1937 into a family with three generations of artists; her great-grandmother, grandmother, and parents were all theater troupe managers, renowned in Saigon.

Kim Cương was a renowned Vietnamese stage actress, film actress, playwright, screenwriter, and head of the Kim Cương Theatre Troupe, a prominent figure before 1975.

The classic work that made the artist famous, "The Durian Leaf," starred artist Kim Cương, who also wrote the script.

Artist Kim Cương, along with Thẩm Thúy Hằng, Thanh Nga, Kiều Chinh, and Mộng Tuyền, were once known as the "legendary actresses" of Southern Vietnamese art in the 1960s and 70s.

Here are some photos from the night honoring People's Artist Kim Cương:

During the awards ceremony, the audience was overcome with emotion when singer Elvis Phuong sang "Duyen Kiet," and People's Artist Le Thuy performed the traditional Vietnamese folk song "Giac Mong La Sau Rieng."

Dam Vinh Hung performed "The Rose Pinned to the Shirt," while Nguyen Phi Hung and Anh Ngoc performed "Returning to the Old Home."

The excerpt "The Durian Leaf" marks the "return" to the stage of Kim Cương. Artist Kim Cương plays the role of the elderly Diệu, alongside artists Hữu Châu, Lương Thế Thành, and Lê Phương. The short excerpt was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.

Besides caring for struggling artists, artist Kim Cương is also dedicated to charitable activities in the community. During the awards ceremony, she presented many gifts to sick artists in difficult circumstances and awarded scholarships to studious children of artists in celebration of the New Year.

During the awards ceremony, the Vietnam Institute of Records, Vietnam Record Organization - VietKings, awarded a certificate of Vietnam Record to People's Artist Kim Cương for the following achievement: "The founder and maintainer of the 'Artists' Appreciation' program and the 'Bay Nam' Scholarship Fund, supporting elderly artists and children of artists in difficult circumstances annually for the longest period (10 years)."

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/nsnd-kim-cuong-san-khau-la-ben-do-cuoc-doi-192240130222628566.htm