Khanh Ly returns to perform across Vietnam: 'I will not watch the movie Em va Trinh'

At a press conference in Hanoi on the afternoon of June 16 during her return to Vietnam to organize her final cross-Vietnam tour, Khanh Ly received many questions related to the film.Me and Trinhis causing a stir in public opinion because of the controversial image of Trinh Cong Son. She said: "I already have a real Trinh Cong Son in real life, so why do I need to see a fictional image? I heard that the film is beautifully shot and has good music, but there are also many negative opinions. People have to accept watching a fictional film."

Khanh Ly (middle) and representative of the organizing unit (left) with singer Quang Thanh when returning home.

She believes that audiences can absolutely go to the movies to support the country's cinema. According to Khanh Ly, the producer encountered many difficulties when building the movie based on a real prototype, and he was a person with great influence. "I affirm that the movie does not affect the image of Mr. Trinh Cong Son. When people love a musician, nothing can change that love. The filmmakers want to pay tribute to the musician, want him to live forever in people's hearts. But each person loves Trinh Cong Son in a different way. If this yearMe and Trinhnot good yet, we will do it again next yearTrinh and me", the witty singer said.

Khanh Ly said that Bui Lan Huong - the singer who plays her in the play - once sent an email and called her to ask for advice about the role. During the call, which lasted about three minutes, the famous singer mainly talked to Lan Huong about how she dressed. "When I was young, I was simple and poor. I didn't have money to buy clothes, my clogs were old and shabby, and I didn't wear makeup or jewelry. After that, I didn't see anyone asking for my opinion," Khanh Ly said.

When asked about Bui Lan Huong's image of herself being a bit polished on screen, the famous singer did not answer directly, only recalling the memory of her first performance at the Saigon University of Letters in 1967. At that time, because it was her first time singing in front of so many people, Khanh Ly was shaking so she decided to take off her old closed-toe shoes to stand firmly. At that time, she held musician Trinh Cong Son's shoulder to regain her composure, but he pushed her hand away and said: "Stand up and sing properly". "After that moment, I told myself that I no longer needed to know what to sing, who to sing for, just sing for myself first. The performance was more successful than expected", Khanh Ly recalled.

Khanh Ly kept smiling when telling memories with Trinh Cong Son.

In real life, Khanh Ly never dared to act on the same level or "joke" with Trinh Cong Son. "To me, the musician is not a genius or a saint. He is an ordinary person but knows how to preserve valuable things. I consider him as a father, and have been scolded by him many times. In my memory, the musician never used bad language or cursed. He was thoughtful and preferred to listen to people talk rather than join in the fun. When he was angry with someone, he did not say anything. If that person came to visit, he ignored them and did not receive them," Khanh Ly said.

Taking a long flight from the US the day before, the famous singer was still in good health. At the age of 77, she polished her image when appearing in public, choosing to wear a purple ao dai and youthful makeup. The singer jokingly joked that she did not dare to take photos close to the lens, for fear that her face would show signs of time. She spoke slowly, constantly bowed to the audience and acquaintances, and stood chatting for a long time despite suffering from leg pain.

Trinh Cong Son and Khanh Ly with the transformation of Avin Lu and Bui Lan Huong in the movie "Em va Trinh".

She will perform many of the musician's famous Da Vang songs on her final cross-Vietnam tour, recalling her and Trinh Cong Son's traveling days.The anti-war songs were written by the composer for male voices and sung in chorus, but she insisted on singing them. Many times, she sang them wrongly, Trinh Cong Son knew but did not give any comments because her performance was good and reflected the spirit of the work.

During the conversation, she also explained her feelings for the musician. Khanh Ly said: "I have loved Trinh Cong Son for more than 50 years, remaining faithful to Trinh's music because I fell in love with his soul. When we first became a musical couple, I was so poor that I wore torn clothes and tattered shoes. However, Mr. Son did not look down on me, and I was not ashamed of him. At that time, people needed food and clothing, not heart. However, we kept going and singing, weaving many memories together. Now, when my heart is still turned towards someone worthy like him, I feel warm and happy."

Over the years, every time she heard rumors about her relationship with Trinh, Khanh Ly rarely explained, just smiled. A poet once said: "They definitely loved each other." Later, that author wrote a whole collection of poems inspired by Khanh Ly and Trinh's love. Another friend questioned Khanh Ly about the photo of Trinh Cong Son placing his hand on her thigh, asking: "If they didn't love each other, why did they do that?"

During the talk, photographer Duong Minh Long revealed some never-before-published photos of Khanh Ly and Trinh Cong Son in the same room, their last meeting. She recalled the memory of 1992, when she went to Canada to meet the musician at his brother-in-law's house. At that time, Khanh Ly's husband did not go with her to save money. That evening, Khanh Ly was shocked when, after entering the room arranged by the musician's brother, she saw him lying in another corner.

"Even though we slept in separate beds, I was restless all night. I never thought I would ever share a room with Mr. Son. If it were my lover or ex-lover, I would be comfortable. But we never loved each other. The next day, I asked the landlord to find another place to sleep, partly because I was shy, partly because I couldn't stand the smell of Mr. Son's cigarettes. When I got home, I didn't dare tell my husband about this," Khanh Ly said.

After the press conference, the singer plans to visit some places in Hanoi and film a promotional video for a concert at the Opera House on July 9. A few days later, she will travel to prepare for a show in Da Lat on June 25.