HCM CITY — Bình Tinh, a talented theatre actress of HCM City, will release two videos featuring cải lương (reformed opera) on YouTube this week. 

The videos feature dramatic plays, called Cô Gái Đồ Long (The Sword) and Giang Sơn Và Mỹ Nhân (The Country and the Beauty), written by actress Bạch Mai, a 40-year veteran in the industry.

The plays are directed by Tinh in co-operation with her colleagues from Huỳnh Long Troupe, a newly opened private cải lương troupe in HCM City.

Cô Gái Đồ Long features tuồng (classical drama), a genre of Vietnamese theatre that originated in the 12th century. It portrays women, love and betrayal, and stars young actors of Hùynh Long, such as Hoài Nhung, Thái Vinh and Bảo Ngọc. 

Giang Sơn Và Mỹ Nhân highlights patriotism and bravery.  

Talented theatre actress Bình Tinh of HCM City performs in two videos featuring cải lương (reformed opera), Cô Gái Đồ Long (The Sword) and Giang Sơn Và Mỹ Nhân (The Country and the Beauty). The works will be released on YouTube to attract fans. — Photo courtesy of the producer

 In the video, Tinh uses cải lương, a very old theatre form, to create a drama in the southern style. 

“I hope my videos on YouTube will help fans understand why and how tuồng and cải lương is the spirit of the Vietnamese people," said the 29-year-old Tinh, winner of the Chuông Vàng Vọng Cổ (Golden Bell) Awards 2016, a national cải lương contest presented annually by HCM Television., 

“I wanted each performance staged by Huỳnh Long actors to be a lesson with images, sounds and lights that provides young audiences with useful and fascinating things about their history and culture.” 

"We have faced difficulties in offering live shows amid the Covid-19 pandemic. However, we love to entertain people and YouTube is a way to meet them,” added Tinh, who has spent several hours daily in the studio to complete her videos. 

Cải lương actress and director Bình Tinh (left) began her career when she was a girl after training with her mother, Bạch Mai, who has more than 40 years of experience in the industry.  — Photo courtesy of the producer

 Tinh began singing cải lương when she was a girl. She was trained by her mother, actress, scriptwriter and director Mai, who has worked hard to develop the art and maintain her family’s artistic tradition. 

She also took part in Sao Nối Ngôi (Young Stars), a TV programme featuring young actors in cải lương, on Vĩnh Long Television’s THLV1 channel in 2018.  She and her colleagues performed vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes), cải lương and tuồng.

Through their performances, famous historical play, such as Thái Hậu Dương Vân Nga (Queen Dương Vân Nga) and Huyền Trân Công Chúa (Princess Huyền Trân) have been renewed. 

Actors of Huỳnh Long Troupe, a newly opened private troupe offering cải lương and tuồng in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of the producer

Cô Gái Đồ Long and Giang Sơn Và Mỹ Nhân will be released on YouTube on Saturday, January 17.—VNS