FAN FAVOURITE: People’s Artist and cải lương guru Bạch Tuyết (left) performs in Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm (Theatre Artists and Devotion), a long-running art programme on LA38 channel that began in 2008 by Long An Radio & Television. — Photo courtesy of the producer

LONG AN — Dozens of veteran artists and young talents in cải lương (reformed opera), the 100-year-old genre of Vietnamese theatre, are performing on a TV programme on Long An Radio & Television. 

The artists introduce their art through the show called Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm (Theatre Artists and Devotion), a long-running art programme on LA38channel. 

Their performances feature vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes), cải lương and tuồng or hát bội (classical drama), traditional theatre genres from the southern and central regions. 

People’s Artist and cải lương guru Bạch Tuyết was featured in the programme’s latest show titled Tìm Về Cội Nguồn Trăm Năm (Learning Our Tradition) last Sunday. 

She performed vọng cổ songs, which made her famous in the 1980s and 1990s. She also appeared with young actresses, such as Mỹ Tiên and Ngọc Đợi, in tuồng performances. 

Famous extracts from historical plays were also included. 

“It is a thrill for me to go on TV shows and share my art,” said the 77-year-old Tuyết. “I will try my best to bring the original tunes of traditional theatre to audiences.” 

Tuyết began her professional career at the Kiên Giang Art Troupe in Kiên Giang Province in 1961. With her strong voice and rapid improvement in performance skills, she soon became a bright star in cải lương.

She has performed for several cải lương troupes in HCM City and southern provinces. 

She won many top prizes at national theatre festivals and contests launched by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Việt Nam Theatre Association and HCM City Theatre Artists’ Association.

She wrote, composed and produced more than 300 vọng cổ songs, cải lương plays and TV shows. 

She has offered training courses to provide young people with performance skills singing vọng cổ and cải lương, and has written many books about the operatic art form.

CLASSIC MUSIC: Veteran and young artists perform in Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm (Theatre Artists and Devotion), a TV programme that offers performances of vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes), cải lương and tuồng (classical drama), traditional theatre genres in the southern and central regions. — Photo courtesy of the producer

Since its release in 2008, the TV programme Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm has become one of the hottest entertainment shows on Long An Radio & Television. 

It has attracted millions of people in HCM City and the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta region back to Vietnamese theatre and has offered many shows staged by veteran and young actors.

Shows on historical topics for children and young audiences are also included. 

Many young people have sent letters and comments about the programme’s quality.

“Our programme, Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm, targets youth. We want to encourage young audiences to learn more about Vietnamese history and culture through traditional theatre,” said Nguyễn Thị Thuỳ Dung, deputy director of Long An Radio & Television. 

Nghệ Sĩ Và Tri Âm airs live monthly on FM-96.9MhZ and livestreams on YouTube and the fanpage of Long An TV. — VNS