Proud of the art of Bai Choi of Tram land

50 years ago, in the socialist North, a folk art troupe of Bài Chòi was born to meet the needs of the people and soldiers in the battlefield of Zone 5. And on the day the country was unified, the artists, actors, and musicians of that art troupe became the nucleus that laid the foundation for the Bài Chòi folk art stage in the land of Agarwood…

Memories of youth

Excerpt from Thoai Khanh meets Chau Tuan again performed by some artists of the former Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe.

Recently, at the 50th anniversary of the Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe of the Central Central Region, we saw a performance of the excerpt Thoai Khanh meets Chau Tuan again in the play Thoai Khanh - Chau Tuan. The faces of the artists who were once admired by the audience, such as: People's Artist Phung Thi Binh (as Thoai Khanh), People's Artist Linh Nham (as Princess Te), Meritorious Artist Hoang Minh Tam (as Chau Tuan), are now all in their 70s and have been away from the stage for many years. However, in the friendly reunion with their classmates and colleagues from the fiery time, the passion for the stage was ignited again so that each person could give their all to their roles. After each song, each performance, the audience gave rounds of applause to encourage the artists. “Since 1984, I have been on stage again to perform the role that has been with me throughout my youth, so I feel very emotional. I did not expect that today, my old co-stars would have the opportunity to stand on the same stage. At that time, we were boys and girls studying in secondary and high schools in different areas of Thanh Hoa province, who decided to pursue an artistic career with the hope of contributing to encouraging the soldiers and people of Zone 5 who were fighting the resistance war,” Meritorious Artist Hoang Minh Tam shared.

From late 1971 to early 1972, according to the wishes of the cadres, soldiers and people of Zone 5, the Central Reunification Committee and the Ministry of Culture had a policy of opening a training class for actors and musicians of folk opera Bai Choi in Zone 5, preparing for the establishment of a professional art troupe. The class was opened in the capital Hanoi with 54 members, including 24 wounded and sick soldiers who had fought in the southern battlefields, 30 young men and women selected from localities of Thanh Hoa province. The class was directly taught by leading artists, authors and directors, such as: People's Artist Le Thi; playwright Nguyen Tuong Nhan; directors Nguyen Khanh, Tran Chuc; musicians Hoang Le, Truong Dinh Quang; poets Huy Can, Bao Dinh Giang , Luu Trong Lu; choreographers People's Artist Dang Hung, Pham Thi Danh, Nhu Quynh, Duc Thien, Phuong Anh... After 3 years of studying, in June 1974, the class ended and left its mark with the plays: Thoai Khanh - Chau Tuan, Tam mam Dai Hong, Doi troi chim cheo deo, Mot mang nguoi, Tam phe, La co, Sau co tieu van... which were highly appreciated by the audience.

On July 21, 1974, the class was decided by the Ministry of Culture to establish a troupe under the name of the Inter-Zone 5B Folk Song and Drama Troupe. On July 29, 1974, the troupe set off for the South to serve the army and people of Zone 5. “We will never forget the first two nights of performances at the revolutionary base of Zone 5 to serve the conference of the army, people, and the Party, and were praised by comrade Vo Chi Cong - Secretary of the Zone 5 Party Committee. After that, on September 15, 1974, the Propaganda Department of Zone 5 decided to change the name of the Inter-Zone 5B Folk Song and Drama Troupe to the Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe of the Central Central Region, taking July 29 as the troupe's traditional day”, said Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Khanh - former Director of the Department of Culture and Information, member of the Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe of the Central Central Region.

Proud to continue

The folk song suite Bai Choi performed by artists of the Bai Choi Folk Drama Group (Provincial Traditional Arts Theater).

From the end of 1974 to the beginning of March 1975, the Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe continuously marched to perform for all battlefields in Quang Nam province. Despite the difficult conditions, shortages on all sides, and frequent exposure to enemy artillery, the troupe always completed its mission well. After the victory of Buon Ma Thuot on March 10, 1975, the Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe followed the footsteps of the liberation army to perform for the people and soldiers of the Central Highlands provinces, then went down to Quy Nhon, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet. After that, the troupe was ordered to go back to serve the people and soldiers of the newly liberated localities, including: Ninh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam and Da Nang City. In October 1975, from the city. In Da Nang, the troupe was mobilized by the Propaganda Department of Zone 5 to support Khanh Hoa province, and was later renamed the Folk Song and Drama Troupe of Zone 5, Khanh Hoa province, opening the stage of laying the foundation for the formation and development of folk song and drama in Tram Huong land.

Since 1989, the troupe was renamed Khanh Hoa Folk Song and Drama Troupe. Later, the troupe merged with the Tuong Art Troupe to become the Provincial Traditional Arts Theater. With the attention of the leaders and people of Khanh Hoa province, the troupe has been supplemented with many famous artists, and has staged many plays of high artistic quality, such as: The Thunder of the Central Highlands, A Few Streams of Mother's Milk, Your Love in My Eyes, Money and Personality, Love Through Tet Li Boong, The Sound of the Old Guitar, Sita, Fire in the Night, Dancing with the Devil, A Cruel Time, Bac Binh Vuong Trial... The troupe not only tours in localities in the province but also continuously performs throughout provinces and cities in the country.

From the cradle of the Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe, many artists have grown up and made many contributions to the Bai Choi stage in Khanh Hoa, such as: People's Artist Phung Thi Binh, People's Artist Linh Nham, Meritorious Artist Hoang Minh Tam, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Dinh Anh, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Khanh, playwright Nguyen Sy Chuc... They not only performed well as performing artists but also passed on the quintessence of the Bai Choi folk song and drama stage to the next generation, such as: Meritorious Artist Nhat Le, Meritorious Artist Bich Vuong, Meritorious Artist Bich Thuy, Meritorious Artist Ai Ly, Meritorious Artist Do Ngoc Tam, Meritorious Artist Van Huy... Meritorious Artist Do Ngoc Tam shared: "I myself, as well as most of the current Bai Choi folk song and drama artists, feel honored and proud to be the generation following in the footsteps of famous artists of the Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe. That is why we always try to continue, preserve and promote the artistic value of the folk song and drama stage. card game

Mr. LE VAN HOA - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports: Looking back at the 50-year journey of formation and development of the Central Central Liberation Folk Song and Drama Troupe - the predecessor of the Khanh Hoa Folk Song and Drama Troupe, we are grateful to those who laid the foundation for building the Bai Choi folk song and drama stage in particular and the Khanh Hoa provincial cultural sector in general to achieve the development as it is today. Seeing that, we must be more determined to preserve and promote the culture and arts of Khanh Hoa province. In fact, today's Bai Choi folk song and drama artists are making every effort to be worthy of what the previous generation passed down. The inspiration, love for the profession, and sense of responsibility to serve the people of the previous artists are shining examples for today's artists to learn and follow.

FAMILY

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202407/tu-haonghe-thuat-bai-choi-xu-tram-802731a/