'Lam River Girl': A play from Soviet memories becomes a symbol of Nghe An's stage
The Girl of the Lam River - a work considered a milestone that brought local stage art out of the borders of Nghe An, becoming a phenomenon throughout the country. Today, when traditional stage has made great strides, the play "The Girl of the Lam River" is still a play that attracts a large audience...
From the script page to the revolutionary stage
In 1959, the Nghe An Art Troupe was established. At that time, author Nguyen Trung Phong - a cultural officer from Dien Minh village (former Dien Chau district) was assigned the important task of writing a script to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Nghe Tinh Soviet movement. In just 1 month of hard work, he completed ""Lam River Girl"with the setting of a village along the Lam River in Thanh Chuong district (old), where the people steadfastly rose up against colonialism and feudalism.
It is worth mentioning that Nguyen Trung Phong has never attended a drama school. He writes with the simplicity of a farmer, with historical memories and with the revolutionary fire burning in his heart. And it is this simplicity that creates a soulful script, imbued with the Soviet spirit: Loyal, indomitable, and deeply attached to the homeland.
In 1960, ""Lam River Girl"It was first performed on the occasion of the anniversary of the Nghe Tinh Soviet. Two years later, the work participated in the Northern Theater Festival in 1962 and made a miracle with 4 Gold Medals and 4 Silver Medals for script, direction, music and actors.
This event marked a turning point: For the first time, Nghe An stage was on par with the major art troupes of the North, and was mentioned by the press and experts as a phenomenon. The characters in the play: Ms. Nghe, Mr. Vinh, the village chief, and the village chief became typical artistic models, clearly depicting two opposing fronts: the steadfast revolutionary spirit and the brutal feudal forces.
In particular, on the evening of May 27, 1962, Nghe An Art Troupe was honored to be invited to the Presidential Palace to perform ""Lam River Girl"serving Uncle Ho. After the play, Uncle Ho kindly met, gave candy to the actors, and reminded them about the costumes to match the period of 1930 - 1931. Uncle Ho also directly presented the author Nguyen Trung Phong with the Uncle Ho badge - a sacred reward, which made him extremely moved. That moment was not only a source of pride for Nguyen Trung Phong, but also a milestone for Nghe An artists to affirm: Local theater is completely capable of creating works of national stature.
After success on the Cheo stage, in 1974, ""Lam River Girl"continued to be adapted into Nghe Tinh folk opera. This adaptation was performed by Meritorious Artist Thanh Luu, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Dinh Bao and musician Van The, bringing the work closer to Nghe An audiences through familiar Vi and Giam melodies. If Cheo brings stylization and convention, Nghe Tinh folk opera gives the play a new breath - simple, rustic, closely linked to the soul of Nghe An people.
From here, ""Lam River Girl"Traveling throughout the countryside, there were hundreds of performances, each night packed with audiences. People knew every character and every lyric by heart. The play became an artistic “fever”, arousing pride in the Soviet movement.
According to Meritorious Artist Nguyen Dinh Bao, the success was not only due to the art, but also because the play touched the character of Nghe people: resilient, straightforward, and rich in revolutionary spirit. "In addition to the artistic element, the success of ""Lam River Girl""It is also close to the soul and personality of the Nghe people," he commented. Theater critics also affirmed that Nguyen Trung Phong skillfully applied the technique of realistic description, combining narrative - convention - metaphor - comparison, creating a character that is both general and lively, rich in inner life. It is this creativity that makes ""Lam River Girl"both artistic value and mass appeal
Sustainable value and current vitality
Nearly half a century has passed, many artists who were associated with the play have now passed away. Typical artists such as Artist Minh Ngoc (later Artist Song Thao) in the role of Ms. Nghe, Artist Dinh Tan in the role of the Chief, Artist Viet Cu in the role of the Village Chief... are no longer active on stage, some have passed away. However, memories of them and of ""Lam River Girl"still intact in the hearts of the audience.
Not only in Nghe An, many art troupes in the North also re-staged this play, showing its strong vitality. Up to now, ""Lam River Girl"mentioned as one of the typical theatrical works of the whole country, proving that a play from the countryside can still reach the peak of national art.
On the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the Nghe Tinh Soviet, ""Lam River Girl"continues to be re-staged. People's Artist Trinh Hong Luu shared: "When playing the role, the artists all acted with all their heart. On the evening of September 10, the play was only at the preview stage, but the audience was moved and amazed by each scene." That shows that, after so many years, the work still retains its value and still has the ability to touch the hearts of today's viewers.
Once an artist who played the role of Ms. Nghe in "The Girl of the Lam River", People's Artist Trinh Hong Luu said: The first time I played the role of Nghe, I was very nervous and worried because at that time I was too young, and the big shadows of famous artists who came before me covered the stage.
Through historical research and learning from role models who have played the role of Nghe in the Cheo stage genre, I have gained confidence when playing the role. The role of Nghe that I perform both embodies the character of a generous and kind Nghe person and the spirit of a Vietnamese woman, passionately patriotic, ready to sacrifice her family's interests for the benefit of the country.
People's Artist Trinh Hong Luu
Today, when Meritorious Artist Thien Hue was assigned the responsibility of playing this role, she was also under pressure because there were so many veteran actors who had been so successful with Ms. Nghe. Thien Hue shared: "Ms. Nghe" in each actor will have the task of conveying separate personal values. Each artist will find for themselves a way of acting so that the audience can see the deepest value of the girl from the countryside of Nghe Tinh, who can be gentle and tactful, but very strong, ready to sacrifice herself for a greater cause. Therefore, in addition to studying and learning from previous actors, I also have to find for myself a way of acting that is not stereotyped in the way of expressing the character's inner thoughts, but must exude the personality of Ms. Nghe, a typical character in The Girl of the Lam River".
"Lam River Girl"is not only a successful play, but also a testament to the strong relationship between art and national history. When art is associated with the desire for independence and freedom, it is not only entertainment but also becomes a memory, a source of pride, a flame that nurtures the spirit of the generation. Looking back over the past 60 years, we can see the lasting value of ""Lam River Girl"is the fusion of folk art and revolutionary spirit. The play shows that Nghe An artists know how to exploit traditional cultural capital, elevating it to become a symbol of the times, so that today, each time it is staged again, the work still has enough power to move the public.
In the flow of integration, when new forms of entertainment are overwhelming traditional stages, ""Lam River Girl"reminds us that: Preservation is not only about keeping, but also about renewing and reviving memories. Because a work of art can only truly live long when it originates from the national soul, reflecting the soul, character and aspirations of the people.
