“Him Lam Moon” - The continuation of Dien Bien's heroic spirit in modern times

After 70 years of Dien Bien Phu Victory, a novel written about this brilliant milestone was born, titled "Him Lam Moon". The work was raised as a continuation of Dien Bien's heroic spirit in modern times. It has both historical and unique artistic significance.

The values of this work have been widely discussed in literary circles and the media recently, as artists and writers in particular, and the people of the whole country in general, are turning their attention to Dien Bien Phu with special feelings. At the seminar "Dien Bien Phu - an epic poem, a great source of creative inspiration for literature and art" held in Dien Bien Phu on the morning of April 19th, this work once again received the attention of many participants in the presentations.

The novel "The Moon over Him Lam" by writer Chau La Viet.

At the seminar, writer and journalist Hoang Du, Editor-in-Chief of the Literature and Arts Times, stated that from very early on, the Literature and Arts Times had developed a plan to organize propaganda and events to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, a victory "renowned throughout the world and shaking the earth," with a series of well-planned and meticulous activities aimed at creating a widespread impact in the literary and artistic community, and especially among the younger generation.

Recognizing the value of the manuscript of the novel "The Moon over Him Lam" written by author Chau La Viet, the Literature and Arts Times decided to invest in this work. After three months of tireless effort, intellect, and dedication, author Chau La Viet was able to release the work just in time for the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory.

According to writer and journalist Hoang Du, the first value of this work, immediately after its publication, was its adaptation into a musical of the same name, "The Moon over Him Lam," by Associate Professor, Doctor of Music Do Hong Quan. Unfortunately, this musical did not premiere in time for the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory, but based on this novel, writer Chau La Viet is diligently working towards a major film adaptation.

Writer and journalist Hoang Du, Editor-in-Chief of the Literature and Arts Times, shared his views at the seminar.

Literary critic Bui Viet Thang argues that Chau La Viet's novel "The Moon over Him Lam" has taken a fresh approach to historical events from a cultural, literary, and artistic perspective – highlighting the artist's contribution to the sacred resistance war, where "the poet's stature stands level with the battlements," as expressed by Che Lan Vien.

With a writing style rich in realism, author Chau La Viet successfully portrays the character of musician Do Nhuan – a towering figure in Vietnamese music . The author meticulously constructs Do Nhuan's life as an artist and soldier, depicting him as both a citizen and an artist through a truthful and unembellished narrative.

The character of musician Do Nhuan is "planted" by the author on a broad and solid foundation - the "collective" character, the "people". Against this broad backdrop of the people, we see "everyone in layers" - ordinary citizens (ethnic minorities) - guerrillas - soldiers - youth volunteers... All are directed towards the front lines, all for the ultimate victory of the just struggle to protect the independence and freedom of the country, critic Bui Viet Thang said.

Critic Bui Viet Thang presented a paper at the Workshop with the topic: Dien Bien Phu - A Vietnamese noun - a new approach to historical events seen from the "Him Lam Moon".

Furthermore, the fervent inspiration of an artist in the face of historical struggle is also expressed by writer Chau La Viet, conveying emotions skillfully. From the story of a character, a heroic archetype, who both created and fought, to the authentic, simple, and moving stories of everyday life, with a grateful perspective on the past, and a viewpoint that extends from the shared destiny of the nation to the fate of individuals, Chau La Viet expresses all of this with boundless enthusiasm.

Professor Dr. Le Hong Ly, President of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association and President of the Theoretical and Critical Council of Literature and Arts of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, affirmed: The Dien Bien Phu victory still holds potential for artists to create, and the work "The Moon over Him Lam" is a new feature in literary creation in recent times.

According to Professor Dr. Le Hong Ly, there have been many works praising victory, but Chau La Viet has a different perspective when he looks at the entire war through the image of an artist.

While many works have been written about war, few have addressed what remains behind it. "The Moon over Him Lam" emerges with a new perspective on war; its contribution lies not only in praising victories and describing battles, but also in vividly portraying the ordinary events during and after the war," Professor Le Hong Ly further shared.

Professor Lê Hồng Lý shared his thoughts on the significance of the work.

Before becoming a topic of interest at the conference, during an artistic exchange between artists from the pilgrimage group of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations and artists from the Son La Provincial Music and Dance Theatre, writer Chau La Viet shared his emotional thoughts about his literary creation.

For him, the work was born first and foremost from his love for the Northwest, which, according to him, is not only a revolutionary land, but also a land of music, opera and art.

Writer Chau La Viet shares about the novel "Him Lam Moon" at an art exchange organized by the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations in Son La.

He confided: "When I was eight years old, I lived with my mother – a famous artist in the Central People's Song and Dance Troupe. I had the opportunity to learn about the musical 'Cô Sao' by composer Đỗ Nhuận, in which my mother also participated. During those difficult years for the country, the first musical in Vietnam was created with great acclaim, contributing to the determination to build a modern musical theater scene. And I was even more impressed when I learned about the circumstances surrounding the creation of this work. In this world, there have been death row inmates who became presidents, but a prisoner becoming a great composer like Mr. Đỗ Nhuận is perhaps unique to our country."

He further shared: "From that musical, our generation learned more about Son La. It turned out that there was not only the To Hieu peach tree there, but also the musical 'Co Sao.' Later, when we went into life and into the struggle, we carried with us that baggage and our love for the beloved Northwest region."

"Cô Sao," after many years of receiving much affection from the people, was finally restaged, but the original manuscript was lost over time due to war and bombing. What further impressed writer Châu La Việt was that the son of composer Đỗ Nhuận, out of love for his father and a sense of responsibility to the opera, rewrote 1000 pages of musical score to bring his father's "Cô Sao" back to life.

He added that, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu victory, out of a sense of responsibility and the calling of an artist's heart, the son of composer Do Nhuan created a musical drama titled "The Moon over Him Lam," with the spirit of embracing tradition to embark on a new revolutionary path.

Chau La Viet's "Him Lam Moon" is highly regarded for its historical and artistic significance.

With its profound meaning, the musical "The Moon over Him Lam," if staged and performed for the public, is expected to be a resounding success. Besides its deep artistic and ideological content and high educational value, the work reflects the reality of the struggle and the victories of the artists in the historic Battle of Dien Bien Phu. At the same time, it portrays noble and humane figures, evoking pride and continuing the tradition of artists' connection to national history.

Through its distinctive language, literature and art have made immense contributions to the nation's revolutionary cause. Although the war is long over, literary and artistic works about the Dien Bien Phu Campaign can still be created and continue to leave their mark on the flow of modern Vietnamese literature and art. Investing in works about Dien Bien Phu ensures that creations about this historic victory will continue to flourish today and in the future.

Aries (Arttimes.vn)

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