Project brings theatre to secondary schools
A theatre project aimed at secondary school students was launched in HCM City this week.
Artist Bach Tuyet, a guru of cai luong (reformed opera) (Photo: VNA)
The project, Mot The Ky Cai Luong Viet Nam (A Century of Vietnam’s Reformed Opera), is organised by the HCM City Centre of Performance and Cinematography in cooperation with Lac Long Quan Theatre Troupe.
It offers talks and performances by veteran artists in cai luong, a genre of southern traditional theatre.
The project is part of the city’s Theatre Artists Association’s celebration of 100 years of the art form.
People’s Artist Bach Tuyet, who is considered a cai luong guru, kicked off the event on September 24.
She visited students at the Nguyen Du Secondary School in District 10.
Her talk and performances demonstrated information about the history and development of vong co (nostalgia tunes) and cai luong in different periods in the last 10 decades.
Vong co songs, which feature the hopes and dreams of southern people, are used in cai luong and are popular among farmers living in Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta provinces.
Tuyet, who has spent more than 60 years on the stage, said her art would help students learn more about the country’s culture and lifestyle.
“My fans and I sang vong co together. I hope my experience will help youngsters understand traditional Vietnamese music and theatre,” said the 74-year-old, who has written many documentaries and books on cai luong.
Tuyet is working with 50 young and veteran artists, many of them from the leading Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theatre.
They are offering cai luong shows every week at Cho Lon Theatre in HCM City’s District 5.
The artists perform songs and dances of cai luong, which feature the culture and lifestyle of Saigon in the 1950s and 60s.
They also stage famous excerpts from historical plays such as San Hau ((The Reign) and Thai Hau Duong Van Nga (Queen Mother Duong Van Nga).
Tuyet and her colleagues will also stage the project, Mot The Ky Cai Luong Viet Nam, at six secondary schools in districts 4, 12, Binh Tan and Hoc Mon this year.
Veteran artists, such as People’s Artist Kim Cuong, Le Thuy and Ngoc Giau, will take part in the event./.
VNS/VNA
