HÀ NỘI — About 75 people will take part in a traditional art competition in southern Đồng Nai Province from November 4 to 11.

Titled National Young Cải Lương (Reformed Theatre) and Dân Ca Kịch (Folk Singing) Artist Competition, the event will present extracts from popular stage works by young artists from about 20 professional theatres and troupes throughout the country. Each performance will last about 25 minutes.

The competition will be held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s Department of Performing Arts in co-ordination with Việt Nam Theatre Artists Association and Đồng Nai Province.

It aims to give young actors an opportunity to exchange performing experiences and to encourage others. 

It will also allow cultural managers and heads of art units to review the development of arts and artists to create policies to boost Vietnamese traditional art genres. Gold and silver medals will be awarded to the best actors.

The opening ceremony will be held at 8pm on November 4 at Đồng Nai Conference and Event Organisation Centre at No1 Nguyễn Ái Quốc Road. Participants will include young actors from traditional art theatres and troupes, such as Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre, Huế Folk Singing Theatre and Hà Nội Cải Lương Theatre. 

Playwrights, directors, musicians and choreographers will be honoured at the competition. 

Cải lương originated in the south in the early 20th century. It is a blend of southern Vietnamese folk music and songs and modern spoken drama. It reached its peak around the 1930s and became popular throughout Việt Nam. — VNS