'Cải lương' guru performs in TV programme

People’s Artist Lệ Thuỷ (left) has worked to preserve 'cải lương' (reformed opera), a 100-year-old form of Vietnamese theatre in the South. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre Association.

HCM CITY — People’s Artist and cải lương (reformed opera) guru Lệ Thủy is working in a special TV show produced by the Hồ Chí Minh City Television (HTV) and its partners.

Thủy performs in the latest show of Bước Chân Hai Thế Hệ (The Two Generations), a TV programme featuring cải lương and tuồng (clasical drama) – two traditional genres of Vietnamese theatre in the southern and central regions that began more than 100 years ago.

In the show, with themes of the New Year and Spring, Thủy performs famous extracts from popular cải lương plays about southern women and their characters.

Vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) songs in praise of life and love are also included.

Thủy is working with young talents from the Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre to perfect her art.

She spent several days in studio to record and film her performance.

“I’m very happy to perform with young artists. I hope our art will help people learn more about Vietnamese culture and lifestyle,” said the People’s Artist, who has more than 50 years in the industry.

Thủy has performed in more than 300 plays, videos and films. She also organised mini solo shows and concerts in Australia, France and the US.

She won several top prizes at national traditional theatre competitions and festivals.

In 2020, Thuỷ released a web series featuring her life and career, called Hồi Ký Một Kiếp Cầm Ca - Sinh Ra Để Hát (Memoirs of a Performer - Born to be on Stage), on YouTube.

The work includes 32 episodes that tell many stories about Thủy’s career. It helps viewers, particularly young ones, learn more about cải lương and the art’s development in Vietnamese theatre.

The web series has attracted more than 3 million views.

FAMILY AFFAIR - People’s Artist Lệ Thuỷ and her son, theatre producer Đình Trí, were honoured at the Đào Tấn Awards for their contribution to the country’s theatre. Photo courtesy of HCM City Theatre Association.

According to Đình Trí, founder and producer of the programme Bước Chân Hai Thế Hệ, the new show featuring Thủy is scheduled to be released during New Year.

“We hope our show will bring best wishes to theatre lovers at home and aboard, and help artists to introduce their art to the world,” said Trí.

Trí is Thủy’s son. Both artists have worked to preserve cải lương and their contributions have helped to expand and develop the art.

They were honoured at the annual Đào Tấn Awards organised by the National Cultural Promotion and Preservation Research Institute in Hà Nội in September.

Thủy was awarded with the Life Achievement Award for her contribution to cải lương.

Trí was honoured in the individual category for his theatre programme, Bước Chân Hai Thế Hệ.

The programme began in 2009 featuring dozens of veteran and young artists who have worked to preserve traditional Vietnamese theatre.

Its shows have been released on HTV channels and YouTube, and have attracted several hundred thousand views.

The Đào Tấn Awards is named after late veteran performer and scriptwriter Đào Tấn of Bình Định Province who is recognised as a guru of tuồng. The prizes aim to honour and encourage individuals, groups and organisations to preserve and develop tuồng and cải lương. – VNS