Vietnam folk opera cai luong play from 1970s restaged

Young talents from the Ho Chi Minh City-based Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theater, one of the region’s leading traditional art troupes, will perform a famous play from the 1970s.

Cai luong, a form of folk opera, originated in southern Vietnam in the early 20th century and blossomed in the 1930s as a theatre of the middle class during the country's French colonial period. Cai Luong is now promoted as a national theatrical form.

Actress Kim Luan plays Quynh Nga, a beautiful and hardworking woman, in Ben Cau Det Lua (Weaving on the Bridge), a story about love and life. The play depicts the life of Nga, who loves a poor student and works hard to help him get rich. Southern people, and their traditional culture and lifestyle, are also featured.

The original version of Ben Cau Det Lua was written by late scriptwriter The Chau of Binh Duong province. The play helped Chau, and talented performers from Thanh Minh-Thanh Nga Troupe to become famous in the industry after its release in HCMC in 1976.

The late theater star Thanh Nga was chosen to play Quynh Nga.

In the new version of Ben Cau Det Lua, Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Theater invited People’s Artist and theatre director Tran Ngoc Giau to guarantee its success.

“We will introduce cai luong in both old and new styles to attract young audiences,” said the play’s director Giau, who has worked in theater for 40 years.

Giau hired young talents Luan, Vo Thanh Phe and Nguyen Van Khoi because he wanted to “refresh the play,” he said.

“I will not follow in the footsteps of my idol, the late actress Thanh Nga. I will offer cai luong with modern performance techniques,” said actress Kim Luan, in an interview with local media before the premiere.

Ben Cau Det Lua will be staged on weekends starting on January 13 at 136Đ Tran Hung Dao street, district 1.

Guru

Late theater actress Thanh Nga (real name Juliette Nguyen Thi Nga) was born in 1942 in a traditional family in Tay Ninh province. Nga began her career when she was a child. She learned cai luong from her parents, Nam Nghia and Nguyen Thi Tho, owners of Thanh Minh-Thanh Nga Troupe.

She became a bright star after playing a leading role in Nguoi Vo Khong Bao Gio Cuoi (Unmarried Wife) staged by Thanh Minh-Thanh Nga Troupe. For her performance in the play, she won the Golden Medal for Best Theater Actress at the Thanh Tam Awards (now Tran Huu Trang Awards presented by the HCMC Theater Association) in 1958.

In 1971, she became involved in films. She performed in prize-winning films directed by talented artists such as Le Dan and Le Hoang Hoa.

She received the Best Film Actress award at the Asian Film Festival in 1973 in Taiwan.

Nga performed in more than 50 plays, including famous historical works Thai Hau Duong Van Nga (Queen Mother Duong Van Nga) and Tieng Trong Me Linh (The Sounds of Me Linh Drum). Her voice and dance skills left a strong impression on audiences.

She was assassinated in 1978 after a show in Ho Chi Minh City.

In 1984, Nga was posthumously honoured as a Meritorious Artist by the government. A street in District 6 was named after her.