Talented artists of hát bội and bài chòi receive support from the Vũ Ngọc Liễn Fund.

On January 3, at the Binh Dinh Traditional Arts Theater (Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh), the Executive Board of Vu Ngoc Lien Fund - Supporting young talents of Hat Boi and Bai Choi in Binh Dinh presented support money to young talents for the first time.

Accordingly, the organizing committee awarded support to 7 young talents, including 1 actor receiving support A (3 million VND/person) and 6 actors and authors receiving support B (2 million VND/person).

Of these, 5 are professional stage artists and 2 are non-professional artists; there are 4 artists in the Hat Boi genre, 2 artists in the Bai Choi genre and 1 scriptwriter. These are young artists and writers, from difficult circumstances, who have achieved good results in Hat Boi and Bai Choi stage activities in 2023 and 2024.

Artist Nguyen Thai Phien, Dao Tan Tuong Troupe, Binh Dinh Traditional Arts Theater (left) was awarded support A

Aspiration for the longevity of hát bội and bài chòi

Speaking at the ceremony, the young artists could not hide their emotions when talking about researcher Vu Ngoc Lien and his contributions to the art of Hat Boi and Bai Choi.

Artist Nguyen Thi Diem Thy (Nhon Hung Opera Troupe, An Nhon Town, Binh Dinh Province) said that to be named at the Vu Ngoc Lien Fund's support ceremony is a process of continuous striving and training of young artists. Along with the teaching and encouragement of senior artists, the support from the Vu Ngoc Lien Fund has motivated young artists to surpass themselves, overcome difficulties to achieve better results in theatrical activities.

Artist Nguyen Thi Diem Thy (2nd from right) and artist Nguyen Thi Quy Thuong (3rd from right) are 2 non-professional artists who were awarded support B.

Scriptwriter Le Cong Phuong (Binh Dinh Traditional Arts Theater) said that researcher Vu Ngoc Lien has devoted his entire life to researching, preserving, and developing hát bội and bài chòi. His achievements have left the theater industry with many valuable research and collection works such as: Đào Tấn tuong hát bội, Đào Tấn thơ và từ, Đào Tấn qua thư chí, Gập nhớ trên đường ...

Not only leaving behind valuable documents, researcher Vu Ngoc Lien also left us a heart, an aspiration for the longevity of the art of hát bội and bài chòi... Proof of this is that he stood up with Mr. Vu Hoang Ha, former Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee of Binh Dinh province; poet, playwright Van Trong Hung; folk culture researcher Nguyen An Pha... to call for the establishment of the Vu Ngoc Lien Fund with the purpose of promoting the talent of hát bội and bài chòi in Binh Dinh.

Scriptwriter Le Cong Phuong (3rd from right) and artists from Binh Dinh Province Traditional Arts Theater were awarded level B support.

"Over the years of operation, the fund has awarded many awards to artists of the art forms of hát bội and bài chòi. This is a valuable source of spiritual encouragement for young artists in following their ancestors' career and preserving their profession," Mr. Le Cong Phuong emphasized.

Nurturing artistic vitality

In 2012, on the occasion of receiving the State Prize for Literature and Arts, researcher Vu Ngoc Lien used a portion of this prize to establish the Vu Ngoc Lien Fund - Promoting Talent in Binh Dinh's Hat Boi and Bai Choi, later renamed the Vu Ngoc Lien Award with the participation and contributions of many people.

After 10 years of operation (2012 - 2022), Vu Ngoc Lien Award has been transformed into Vu Ngoc Lien Fund - Supporting young talents of Hat Boi and Bai Choi in Binh Dinh from June 20, 2023. The remaining fund amount before the first support award was more than 271 million VND.

Researcher Vu Ngoc Lien (left cover) received the State Prize in 2012.

FAMILY ARCHIVES

According to Dr. Vo Ngoc Vinh, representative of the family of researcher Vu Ngoc Lien, the previous award and the current Vu Ngoc Lien Fund both have the same purpose of encouraging and supporting the young artists of Binh Dinh in Hat Boi and Bai Choi, regardless of professional or amateur; to stimulate the development of talent, nurture artistic vitality for tomorrow, contribute to preserving, cultivating and promoting the traditional art left by our ancestors.

Through 7 awards and the first support from Vu Ngoc Lien Fund, 73 young artists (including 34 artists) were awarded and supported. Of which, 5 artists were honored with the title of Meritorious Artist, including: Nguyen Duc Thanh, Thu Tham (hat boi), Duong Nu Thuy Dung, Nguyen Phuong Phu, Hoai Tam (bai choi).

Researcher Vu Ngoc Lien (1924 - 2013) was born in Quy Nhon City, joined the troupe and studied opera since he was young. In 1954, he gathered in the North, then studied and researched at the Academy of Opera (Beijing, China). When he returned to Vietnam, he worked at the Art Department of the Performance Department, then was in charge of the Research Department of Dao Tan Opera Theater. In 1986, he retired and continued to research, collect, and translate Han Nom documents related to Binh Dinh opera culture.

Representative works of researcher Vu Ngoc Lien: Dao Tan Document Directory, Ke si dat Thang Moc, Gup rai along the road (1, 2), Quynh Phu Nguyen Dieu - the artist scholar ... In particular, the three books about Dao Tan: Dao Tan - poetry and words, Dao Tan - tuong hat boi, Dao Tan - through documents were awarded the A prize of the Xuan Dieu - Dao Tan (Binh Dinh) prize and the State Prize in 2012.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhung-tai-nang-hat-boi-bai-choi-nhan-ho-tro-tu-quy-vu-ngoc-lien-185250103162257378.htm