Artist Lê Khanh performing in an extract of the play Rừng Trúc (Bambo Forest) by writer Nguyễn Đình Thi. Photo arttimes.vn

HÀ NỘI Outstanding works by late writer, poet and screenwriter Nguyễn Đình Thi were presented to audiences in Hà Nội at a special art programme to celebrate his 100th birthday.

The programme, entitled Đất Nước (Nation), was held by the Việt Nam Union of Literature and Arts Associations and the Việt Nam Musicians' Association in cooperation with the Voice of Việt Nam and the Military University of Culture and Arts on January 9.

Dr Đoàn Thanh Nô, a researcher of folk culture and Vice President of the Việt Nam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, said the programme was an opportunity to remember the outstanding contributions of cultural figure Nguyễn Đình Thi to Vietnamese literature and arts, and “to pay tribute to the profound humanistic values he left behind”.

Thi was not only a gifted poet, songwriter and playwright but also an outstanding cultural leader. In his role as the first chairman of the Vietnam Union of Literature and Arts Associations, he helped develop the literature and arts sector to ensure that it remained a cultural gem and the essence of the nation, while also upholding its position on the international stage.

The artist understood that literature and the arts not only reflect but also contribute to shaping life and nurturing the human soul. With the mindset of a revolutionary intellectual and the vision of a leader, he asserted that literature and the arts are a cultural force closely tied to the struggle for national independence and the preservation of national identity, while also supporting international exchanges. 

The programme pays tribute to Nguyễn Đình Thi – a great artist and cultural figure for the country. Photo arttimes.vn

"The programme is not only a profound tribute to Nguyễn Đình Thi – a great artist and cultural figure, and a dedicated leader – but also reflects the responsibility of today’s generation to inherit and promote the precious legacy he has left us,” Nô said.

“The melodies, verses and images on stage today are a testament to his legacy, an endless source of inspiration and deep pride in each of us.”

Thi was a poet with a unique artistic style, harmoniously blending tradition and modernity. His poetry often has a philosophical nature, filled with deep reflections and great emotional resonance.

He has written short poems that bear his personal mark – concise yet rich in imagery – alongside poems about his homeland, the country and the Vietnamese people. Notably, he has left behind many profound romantic poems that evoke a range of emotions, from joy and happiness to the sorrow of separation.

The programme presented the audience with many of his most famous works, such as Rừng Trúc (Bamboo Forest), Người Hà Nội (Hanoians), Du Kích Quân (Guerrilla Soldiers) and Bên Bờ Sông Lô (By the Lô River), which were performed in a solemn and emotional atmosphere.  

Nation is part of a series of activities to celebrate the artist's 100th birthday. A previous ceremony was organised by the Vietnam Writers' Association, with the participation of numerous artists, intellectuals and members of the artist's family, along with a scientific seminar on the theme 'The Cultural and Artistic Legacy of Nguyễn Đình Thi for Today'. 

Late writer, poet and screenwriter Nguyễn Đình Thi (1924-2003). Photo vanhoanghethuat.vn

Thi was born on December 20, 1924, in Luang Prabang (Laos), and hailed from Vũ Thạch Village, now Bà Triệu Street, in Hà Nội's Hoàn Kiếm District.

He participated in revolutionary activities from a very young age. In the 1940s, he joined the National Culture Rescue Organisation, followed by the National Culture Association, where he directly managed the newspaper Độc Lập (Independence). He was appointed to attend the National Congress in the Tân Trào Revolutionary Base and was elected to the Vietnamese National Liberation Committee in July 1945.

After the August Revolution 1945, Thi was elected as a delegate to the National Assembly for the first, second and third terms. He served as the General Secretary of the National Culture Rescue Association and as the President of the Việt Nam Union of Literary and Art Associations.

With his outstanding contributions to the Party and our people in building and defending the Fatherland, Thi was awarded many noble titles and honours by the Party and the State, including the First-Class Resistance Medal against America, the First-Class Independence Medal, the 50-Year Party Membership Badge and the Hồ Chí Minh Prize for Literature and Art.

He passed away in 2003. VNS