VietNamNet Bridge – Dozens of young and veteran actors performed recently at the Artists Pagoda, also known as the Nhat Quang Tu (Sunlight Pagoda), in HCM City’s Go Vap District, to lure fans back to traditional theatre.

Art heritage: Many young and veteran artists in cai luong (reformed opera) and tuong (classical drama) have performed at temples and pagodas in HCM City and southern provinces to lure fans back to the traditional theatre. - Photo Thanh Hiep

The singers staged extracts from cai luong (reformed opera) and tuong (classical drama) plays featuring historical events and national heroes, such as Trung Nu Vuong (Queen Trung), Bach Dang Giang (Bach Dang River) and Trong Dong Ngoc Lu (Ngoc Lu Bronze Drum).

The plays were staged to raise funds for the pagoda, the only one of its kind in the city that contains a cemetery for death traditional music performers.

"The Nhat Quang Tu is owned by the late People’s Artist Phung Ha, an iconic figure in cai luong theatre. It is the setting for cai luong and hat boi performances, starring younger singers from different theatres and art troupes in the region,” said Thoai My, one of many Ha’s students.

“We found it refreshing to perform for fans here. We tried to offer free performances monthly," she added.

My and her colleagues staged the performances at the pagoda early this month to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the death of Ha, their teacher. The show attracted hundreds of residents and visitors.

According to My, performances at temples were popular in southern provinces over previous decades. Artists performed outdoors for local people after a day of hard work.

“The activity is being lost because of modern life. We are working to recover the art to encourage young people to learn about the music,” My said.

Each show at the pagoda features at least 30 artists and musicians.  

The pagoda’s owner Ha began her career in 1923. She worked for the Tai Dong Ban, a leading cai luong troupe in My Tho Province, the cradle of cai luong art.

In the 1950s, Ha, known as Miss Bay, was at the peak of her artistry and fame. She performed in many serious plays such as Doi Co Luu (Mis Luu’s Life) and To Anh Nguyet, which are recognised as part of the cai luong canon.

In those plays, Ha depicted the tragedy of Vietnamese women under feudalism, focusing on beautiful and virtuous girls who suffered from the oppression of village officials and landowners.

Ha spent her savings to build Nhat Quang Tu in 1958, aiming to run it as a charity cemetery for traditional artists. The pagoda now serves as a place of rest for more than 1,000 traditional performers, who were often stars on the stage but were poor and unsupported in old age.

Working with the pagoda’s managing board, artists have offered free performances and collected donations from individuals and organisations to run the pagoda. Last year, their shows raised more than VND3 billion (US$180,000) for charity.

"The country’s spirit is based on traditional arts. Our children can’t grow up without love and respect for the arts,” said Nguyen Kien Phuoc, a member of the managing board of Nhon Nghia Temple in Ben Tre Province.

“We often invite hat boi and cai luong troupes to perform in traditional ceremonies and festivals launched by our temple, which I think is the best way to help residents and visitors learn about the Vietnamese folk art,” he said.

The HCM City Hat Boi Theatre, one of the region’s most prestigious theatres, has educated and sent young artists to perform at ceremonies and festivals launched by temples in the city and southern provinces such as Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Vinh Long, Can Tho, Tien Giang and Soc Trang.

To meet audience demand, next month, a series of cai luong and tuong plays will be staged at several temples, including Lang Ong Ba Chieu Temple in HCM City’s Binh Thanh District, Binh Thuy Temple in Can Tho Province, and Thuan Hoa Temple in Soc Trang Province.

VNS