Cải lương stars Quế Trân, Võ Minh Lâm and Tú Sương will play leading roles in a new version of the historical play Gánh Cải Trạng Nguyên (The Laureate) produced by the Đại Việt Cải Lương Theatre. — Photo courtesy of the theatre

HCM CITY — HCM City-based cải lương (reformed opera) stars will gather in a new version of Gánh Cải Trạng Nguyên (The Laureate), a historical play that premiered in the 1990s, on March 7.

The play is produced by the Đại Việt Cải Lương Theatre, one of the region’s leading private traditional art troupes. It is written by Huỳnh Thủ Trung, Đào Việt Anh and People’s Artist Thanh Tòng.

Directed by female director Hoa Hạ, the work highlights love, studiousness, respect and gratitude.

The story centres on Hoàng Phi Học, a poor student in feudal society who sells leafy greens to raise funds to travel to the citadel to take the imperial examination.

He has an encounter with Trương Mỹ Chi, a daughter of a fortune teller, and Hà Tố Nga, a lady’s maid, on his journey.

Thanks to their support, Học passes the examination and becomes the laureate.

The play will feature famous names, including Meritorious Artist Võ Minh Lâm as Học, People’s Artist Quế Trân as Chi and Meritorious Artist Tú Sương as Nga, and other distinguished theatrical artists.

All three artists have left a deep impression on the city’s audiences with their performances in two other historical plays, Câu Thơ Yên Ngựa (Poems on the Saddle) and Bức Ngôn Đồ Đại Việt (Pictogram of Đại Việt).

Director Hạ, who has worked in theatre for 28 years, said that in the new version of Gánh Cải Trạng Nguyên, the artists’ performances promise to provide lots of laughs and bring the traditional art closer to the audience.

Gánh Cải Trạng Nguyên was first performed in the early 1990s to raise funds for the renovation of the HCM City Theatre's traditional house.

The play has been restaged several times, featuring famous artists such as Vũ Linh, Thoại Mỹ, Thanh Hằng, and Kim Tử Long.

Gánh Cải Trạng Nguyên will begin at 8pm at the Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre, 136 Trần Hưng Đạo Street in Bến Thành Ward. — VNS