The project is a collaboration with the Dai Viet stage, directed by Hoa Ha, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Minh To cai luong family. In April, the group collaborated on the play "Cau tho yen ngua," which was well-received by the audience.
Que Tran spoke of her commitment to continuing the artistic legacy of her father, People's Artist Thanh Tong (1948-2016). Recently, she and her family decided to revive several classic plays, hoping to preserve the beauty of traditional opera and introduce it to younger audiences.
"Buc ngon do Dai Viet," written by artists Ha Van Cau, Loan Thao, and Thanh Tong, celebrates the Five Tiger Generals of Tran Hung Dao in the war against the Yuan-Mong invaders, including the famous general Nguyen Dia Lo and his son Nguyen Phuc.
To allow the audience to fully appreciate this classic, the team decided to stage the entire three-hour play, rather than just excerpts. "The audience will see many new aspects of the performance by renowned artists," said playwright Hoang Song Viet, who is in charge of the Dai Viet stage.
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Actors Vo Minh Lam and Que Tran at a press conference about the project, 28/8 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tan Cao |
Actors Vo Minh Lam and Que Tran at a press conference about the project, 28/8 in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tan Cao
The trio of Vo Minh Lam, Que Tran, and Tu Suong promises to surprise the audience. While the public is accustomed to Vo Minh Lam in the image of a handsome young character, this time, he has been assigned the role of the elderly Nguyen Dia Lo - one of Tran Hung Dao's five talented generals. During his lifetime, artist Vu Linh took on this role after being persuaded by artist Thanh Tong.
Director Hoa Ha noted that the character presents a challenge for Vo Minh Lam due to its required emotional depth. Nevertheless, she believes the younger generation will bring a "breath of fresh air." Vo Minh Lam said, "Re-enacting a role that artist Vu Linh performed so successfully puts pressure on me. The role is demanding and requires a lot of practice."
Que Tran plays Bao Tram, the wife of general Nguyen Phuc and daughter-in-law of Nguyen Dia Lo. Artist Tu Suong will play the male role of Nguyen Phuc. "Que Tran and I are first cousins, we grew up together and have a deep understanding of each other both in life and on stage, so it's easy to communicate and have good chemistry when acting," said Tu Suong.
The play also features a cast including Dien Trung, Minh Truong, Nha Thy, Le Thanh Thao, Kim Ngan, Thanh Son, Pham Vu Thanh, Lam Minh Nghiem, and Huu Tai.
Makeup artists Cong Minh and Yen Phuong spent months collecting and comparing historical documents to recreate the atmosphere of Dai Viet during the Tran dynasty and prepare the costumes. The music will be handled by Meritorious Artist Minh Tam. Artist Thanh Son said the choreography will combine classical elements with powerful movements, suitable for the epic nature of the work.
Article, video: Tan Cao
