Ho Chi Minh City's reformed theater affirms its position

After 50 years of construction and development, Ho Chi Minh City's reformed theater has shown that reformed theater is one of the traditional art forms with great value in the country's culture and art.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association has published a reference book "Ho Chi Minh City Cai Luong Theater, 1975-2025".

Bringing Cai Luong to young audiences

"Ho Chi Minh City's Cai Luong Theater from 1975 to 2025" gathers many profound articles by researchers, artists, theorists, critics, and journalists about Cai Luong theater - an art form considered a specialty of the South.

Immediately after April 30, 1975, our Party identified culture and art, including reformed theater, as an important front in the construction of a new society. Policies and guidelines on culture and art were specified through many resolutions of the Party, such as Resolution 33-NQ/TW in 2014 on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development; creating a legal and spiritual corridor for reformed theater to continue to develop sustainably.

In "Ho Chi Minh City Cai Luong Stage 1975-2025", the authors analyzed a series of plays with profound ideas such as: "Empress Duong Van Nga", "The Heart of the Sea", "Rang Ngoc Con Son", "Chim Viet Canh Nam", "Nguoi Ven Do", "Tieng Trong Me Linh"... Not only reflecting vivid reality, these plays also convey revolutionary ideals, moral values ​​and patriotism.

Over the past 50 years, Ho Chi Minh City’s reformed opera has achieved many successes, notably building a team by training a series of skilled artists, who have been awarded the titles of People’s Artist (NSND) and Meritorious Artist (NSUT) by the state. During this period, artists such as: NSND Trong Phuc, NSND Thanh Ngan, NSND Que Tran, NSUT Vo Minh Lam… have continued the tradition, while boldly innovating to bring reformed opera closer to young audiences.

Since 1975, the team of reformed opera writers in Ho Chi Minh City has also achieved many outstanding achievements in script writing, such as writers: Le Duy Hanh, Duc Hien, Dang Minh, Hoang Song Viet, Vo Tu Uyen, Pham Van Dang... These achievements are also clearly reflected in the book.

Cover of the reference book "Reformed Theatre in the period 1975-2025" by the Ho Chi Minh City Theatre Association. (Photo: THANH HIEP)

Many valuable documents

"Ho Chi Minh City Cai Luong Stage 1975-2025" is performed by prestigious people in the industry such as: People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc, People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau, Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong, Dr. Huynh Quoc Thang, Dr. Mai My Duyen, director Ton That Can, Master - director Thanh Hiep...

"This is the dedicated work of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association. The first step is basic documents and articles about Cai Luong theater from 1975 to present. The Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association will continue to collect and update new documents in reprints" - People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau informed.

In addition to more than 50 articles, "Ho Chi Minh City's Cai Luong Stage from 1975 to 2025" also has an appendix with more than 200 color and black and white photos of artists, directors, painters, authors, and musicians who have been associated with the Cai Luong stage for many years.

The book contains many valuable documents about the Tran Huu Trang Award (1991-2012), the Golden Bell of Traditional Opera Award, the Golden Rice Award; production activities, audience segments and the impact of the reformed opera video format; long-winded singing schools when performing traditional opera; analytical perspectives from Ho Quang reformed opera to ancient reformed opera; staging forms and valuable lessons from People's Artist Huynh Nga, People's Artist Doan Ba, People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau... The book also mentions thematic seminars of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association, such as "Ho Chi Minh City Reformed Opera 1975-2025", "Literary character in reformed opera from 1975 to present"...

Meritorious Artist Ca Le Hong commented: "The book has addressed the core issue: From a Southern folk art form, Cai Luong in Ho Chi Minh City has become a living heritage, both bearing national identity and flexibly adapting to the new era. This achievement is the crystallization of the efforts of artists and the timely and close leadership of the Party, thereby helping Cai Luong theater develop sustainably over the past half century."

Some members involved in making the book (from left to right): Composer Duc Hien, director Ton That Can, Master - director Thanh Hiep and Mr. Nguyen Van Gioi (Saigon 1 Cai Luong Troupe). Photo: NGUYEN TRUNG

Many opinions assessed that "Ho Chi Minh City Cai Luong Stage 1975-2025" has contributed to preserving and developing Cai Luong stage. This book also contributes to paving the way for the younger generation to inherit and innovate, preserving traditional artistic values ​​in the context of the country reaching out to a new era.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/san-khau-cai-luong-tp-hcm-khang-dinh-vi-the-19625042022350707.htm