Shining brightly on the three pillars of traditional theater.

For the first time, the three pillars of traditional Vietnamese theater—Tuong, Cheo, and Cai Luong—come together in a single performance titled "Mysteries of the Magical Dynasty." More than just an artistic performance, this is a bold experiment by Vietnamese traditional theater in its quest for a cultural industry model for traditional theater.

Three representative excerpts from the art forms of Tuong, Cheo, and Cai Luong are brought together in this stage performance. Photo: Traditional Vietnamese Stage.

A reunion on the same stage

“Mysteries of the Magical Dynasty” is the theme of the first season in the “Variety Show” series produced by the Vietnam Traditional Theatre – a community brand for young people, under the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre. The show will take place over four Saturday nights from May 30th to June 20th at the Hong Ha Theatre ( Hanoi ).

The concept of a "variety show" was developed by the production team as a comprehensive performance stage, featuring various art forms appearing together in one performance space. For the first season, traditional Vietnamese opera (tuong, cheo, and cai luong) were chosen as the three main elements to create a continuous artistic journey, preserving traditional values ​​while opening up new approaches for contemporary audiences.

According to Bui Yen Linh, head of the organizing committee for the "Variety Show," the project's goal is to raise public awareness of traditional theater, helping people understand the differences between Tuong, Cheo, and Cai Luong, thereby appreciating the diverse beauty of Vietnam's theatrical heritage.

“The program is designed as a bridge between the past and the present, aiming for a creative performance space that suits contemporary tastes. It's also an experiment to open up new directions for traditional theater, making it more flexible and accessible to the public while still preserving the core spirit of national art,” shared Ms. Bui Yen Linh.

"The Mystery of the Magical Dynasty" leads viewers into a world that is both mysterious and colorful, where magic becomes the gateway to secrets. From seemingly playful "transformations," the story gradually shifts to a suspenseful atmosphere as strange forces emerge. Throughout this journey, viewers are constantly presented with questions: What is real, what is an illusion, who is good, who is evil, and what secrets are hidden behind this magical dynasty?

Three traditional theatrical forms are integrated into this journey through representative excerpts. In the opera section, the excerpt "On Dinh slays Ta" brings the tragic and fantastical atmosphere of the play "Son Hau" through the performances of artists Manh Linh, Trong Van, Dinh Thuan, The Ban, Ngoc Quan...

While traditional Vietnamese opera (tuồng) creates an epic atmosphere, folk opera (chèo) offers a witty folk flavor through the excerpt "The Witch Who Feared Ghosts." Artist Lê Thơm, in collaboration with Trọng Khánh's percussion, brings a lively Chèo atmosphere with charming performance segments. Meanwhile, the cải lương (Vietnamese reformed opera) segment "The Desire of Daji" opens up a fantastical world. With the participation of Meritorious Artist Minh Lý and artist Tuấn Thịnh, the excerpt clearly demonstrates the romanticism and psychological depth that are strengths of cải lương.

In addition to stage excerpts, the program also features the instrumental piece "Chien Ban Tau Ma" composed by Meritorious Artist Le Tran Vinh, with the participation of a live orchestra and dancers from the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre.

The aspiration to create a model for the cultural industry.

The variety show "Mysteries of the Magical Dynasty" was launched against the backdrop of the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre being established through the merger of three units: the Vietnam Cheo Theatre, the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre, and the Vietnam Tuong Theatre. Bringing three art forms with distinct expressive languages, rhythms, and storytelling styles onto the same stage was considered a major challenge. However, for the creative team, this was also an opportunity to create a new theatrical model.

Variety shows are seen as a bold shift in traditional theater, as the three art forms no longer stand alone but begin to engage in dialogue within a shared narrative. Audience emotions are guided through multiple layers of artistic language, sometimes conventional like traditional opera, sometimes witty like folk opera, and sometimes deeply emotional like reformed opera.

According to the head of the organizing committee, Bui Yen Linh, the project inherits the multi-sensory experience model previously tested in "Hanoi's Sacred Traces 2024" within the framework of the Hanoi Creative Design Festival. This program attracted 4,359 ticket purchases within just one month of going on sale, with over 1,000 attendees across four nights of performances. Based on these results, the team recognized the potential for developing traditional theatrical art products towards cultural industry and experiential tourism. Instead of relying entirely on dialogue – which faces many limitations when reaching international audiences due to the unique characteristics of the ancient language – the program is oriented towards enhancing visual elements, music , and multi-sensory experiences.

Meritorious Artist Loc Huyen, the director of the performances, shared that the convergence of Tuong, Cheo, and Cai Luong on the Hong Ha Theater stage was a moving moment, as the finest examples of traditional Vietnamese theater "raised their voices" for the national heritage. According to the artist, this marks a beautiful milestone in the combination, honoring, and continuation of traditional artistic values ​​in contemporary life.

One of the program's biggest goals is to target young audiences and children. The choice to launch it on International Children's Day 2026 shows a desire to bring traditional art to the younger generation through more accessible lenses. "Mystery of the Magical Dynasty" also opens up a larger aspiration: to create a cultural industry model for traditional Vietnamese theater in the future.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/toa-sang-ba-tru-cot-san-khau-truyen-thong-896165.html