Part 1: The "Old Drunkard" Obsessed with Rowing

In Thai Binh , the "land of rice and traditional opera," the art of traditional opera is not only preserved by professional troupes and artists but also maintained and developed by farmer "artists" and nearly 3,000 amateur art clubs.

People's Artist Bui Van Ro performs with other artists and actors from the Khuoc Village Cheo Club.

The nickname "Old Drunkard" has been associated with People's Artist Bui Van Ro since he was 18 years old. Having played the role of a drunken old man in the traditional Cheo opera excerpt "The Old Drunkard and the Young Man," and winning a gold medal at the Thai Binh Provincial Folk Art Festival at the age of 18, he remains passionately devoted to Cheo opera even now at 72.

The guardian of the village's "treasure".

In Khuoc village, Phong Chau commune (Dong Hung district), there are currently about 150 artisans and actors regularly practicing and performing Cheo (traditional Vietnamese opera), including artisan Bui Van Ro, a People's Artist, and three outstanding artisans. Every time we visit Khuoc village, we have the opportunity to see People's Artist Bui Van Ro perform at the village's Cheo theater. Whether the performances are in winter or summer, early or late, the enthusiasm of this elderly man, over 70 years old, always amazes the audience. In some scenes, he plays a staggering drunkard; in others, he portrays a dignified, calm farmer who loves his village and his country. His singing and acting are the soul of traditional Cheo, bringing to life an atmosphere rich in traditional culture...

Passionate about performing and passing on his skills to his descendants through oral tradition, for over 50 years, his Chèo singing has remained poignant, his hands still gracefully moving to the Chèo melodies. With a cheerful face and high spirits, People's Artist Bui Van Ro shared: "I became involved with Chèo through the guidance of my uncle, artist Bui Van Ca, and other amateur artists and actors in Khuoc village. My passion for Chèo art has seeped into my blood without me even realizing it. Khuoc Chèo has many unique melodies that can't be found anywhere else, such as: 'The Chess Game of the Immortals,' 'The Long Road in Autumn,' 'Love Letter from Ha Vi,' 'The Clown's Flute'... These unique melodies of Khuoc Chèo are not found anywhere else because of their distinctive lyrics and singing style. Even though some melodies are similar, the way Khuoc Chèo artists pause and play the drums is completely different." When tourists visit Khuoc village, they often get to see traditional Cheo plays such as "Tu Thuc's Journey to the Immortal Realm," "The Old Fisherman and His Wife," "Quan Am Thi Kinh," "Luu Binh Duong Le," etc. Particularly noteworthy is the Cheo play "Tong Tran Cuc Hoa," a play in which Khuoc village incorporates approximately 20 traditional Cheo melodies.

NNND Bùi Văn Ro is concerned that the biggest challenge facing Khuốc village today is the disappearance of many traditional artists. The "ancient heritage" of Khuốc village's traditional opera is being preserved by elderly artists. Therefore, despite their advanced age and limited health, he and other artists like Mai Văn Hồng, Vũ Thị Thao, and Mai Thị Bé enthusiastically perform, pass on their skills, and personally guide their descendants in the village. Each of them hopes that, with the dedication of the elderly and the enthusiasm of the young, the village's "ancient heritage" will live on forever...

The struggle to deepen the love for traditional Vietnamese opera (cheo)

People's Artist Bui Van Ro was the head of the Khuoc Village Cheo Club for over 20 years. Not only famous for his roles as elderly people in Cheo, he was also particularly successful in comedic roles. His performances were often leading roles. Like generations of Cheo artists in Khuoc Village, he still diligently travels daily on his old bicycle, rain or shine, to teach Cheo to people of all ages. In addition to many prestigious awards, in 2019 he was honored by the State with the title of Meritorious Artist. In 2022, he was awarded the title of People's Artist in the field of folk performing arts.

Meritorious Artist Bui Van Ro expressed his concern: Many artisans in Khuoc village have dedicated almost their entire lives to the art of Cheo (traditional Vietnamese opera). Despite their advanced age, they are all persistently teaching Cheo to their children and grandchildren in the village, as well as to those who wish to learn about Cheo. Furthermore, in other localities within the province, there are also some artisans with significant achievements and contributions to the teaching and preservation of Cheo, but they have not yet been recognized as Meritorious Artists or People's Artists. Meritorious Artist Bui Van Ro believes that to further invigorate the Cheo practice and performance movement, consideration should be given to awarding the titles of Meritorious Artist and People's Artist to members of other Cheo troupes and groups in the province. He hopes that the recognition from relevant authorities will contribute to increasing the love and responsibility of each individual in preserving traditional art.

In modern cultural life, many traditional art forms are facing the risk of disappearing. If not preserved in time, the ancient heritage of our ancestors may be lost. People's Artist Bui Van Ro believes that with the attention and support of all levels of government and relevant agencies in preserving traditional Cheo art, Thai Binh will forever remain the land of Cheo as it has been for generations.