HÀ NỘI – The first ever live show of chèo (traditional opera) presenting artist Xuân Hinh as a folk comedian will be held at the National Conference Centre on October 5.

Titled Xuân Hinh-Kẻ Chọc Cười Dân Dã (Xuân Hinh-A Folk Comedian), the live show is a retrospective performance highlighting Hinh’s contribution to traditional chèo.

“The live show will bring both laughter and tears to spectators. It is very difficult to me,” artist Hinh said.

He wants not only to introduce the essence of chèo, but also several other traditional genres, such as văn singing (a folk art of the north that combines trance singing and dancing) and quan họ (love duet).

Hinh will perform with colleagues such as Thanh Thanh Hiền, Hồng Vân and Vân Dung and some 20 established comedians at the show. He will also perform with two A-list pop singers Tùng Dương and Bằng Kiều.

Người Ngựa-Ngựa Người (Horse Human-Human Horse), the most favourite repertoire of Hinh’s career, will also be restaged. It is a short story written by Nguyễn Công Hoan, a Vietnamese writer from the early part of the 20thcentury, famous for his tragicomic literature.

The piece has been performed for the past 12 years by Hinh and actress Hiền.

The highlight of the show will be the hầu đồng (trance ritual) performance with a combination of light and colourful costumes.

Hinh will also show his ability to change costumes and enact five roles, each and all of them helped him building a name with Vietnamese audience,  in a 10-minute performance.

The show will be staged by three renowned directors Lê Hùng, Phạm Hoàng Nam and Đỗ Thanh Hải. Veteran Hùng has worked closely with Hinh and has directed all Hinh’s repertoires since the early phase of Hinh’s career.

“The live show must be interesting and beautiful. It will have to be emotional and memorable,” Hùng said.

“I want Hinh to shine at his live show. He deserves to be honoured after 40 years of entertaining the audience.”

Hinh was born in 1960 in the northern province of Bắc Ninh, the cradle of quan họ (love duet) singing. His passion for folk art developed at an early age and he joined the provincial art troupe as a singer in 1977.

The live show Xuân Hinh-A Folk Comedian will take place at 7.40pm at No. 57 Phạm Hùng Street, Hà Nội. -- VNS