People's Artist An Ninh: I vow to spend my life as a 'silkworm spinning its thread'.

When people mention him, they also think of the silent dedication of an artist who devoted more than half his life to the art of folk singing and traditional music. Recently, he was honored by the State with the title of People's Artist - a well-deserved recognition and honor for those silent contributions.

Silent love, folk songs and ballads

An Ninh said, "I don't know why, but I've loved folk songs and melodies since I was a child. From a young age, I've had a burning desire to pursue this profession until my last breath!" He recounted that he joined the Nghe Tinh Folk Song Troupe in the 1980s and was sent to study with the expectation of becoming a leading actor. He studied and performed simultaneously, and was given challenging roles. At that time, he secretly thought he would follow the path of an actor to embody the lives and destinies of people through the folk songs and melodies of his homeland.

However, in his twenties, People's Artist An Ninh developed a deep passion for adapting plays. He often watched directors work on stage and adapted scenes and acts himself; sometimes for his own reflection, and sometimes to perform for friends. One day, a stroke of luck came his way when the renowned playwright and composer Vi Phong entrusted him with a 12-minute segment of the play "Nàng Mai tế chồng" (Lady Mai Sacrifices to Her Husband), requesting that he complete it quickly for public presentation. He poured all his heart and knowledge into creating the folk opera adaptation. Upon receiving his work, composer Vi Phong praised it profusely, and An Ninh's adaptation was immediately used, much to his surprise and delight.

In 1991, when Nghe Tinh province was divided into two provinces, An Ninh was transferred to the Ha Tinh Folk Song Troupe. In this new environment, he felt somewhat out of place. Around the same time, the Nghe An Cheo Troupe merged with the Nghe An Folk Song Troupe to form the Nghe An Folk Song Theatre, and the theatre's staff hoped An Ninh would return. He returned to Nghe An after only a year away, and from that point on, An Ninh was quickly given the role of regularly adapting scripts for substantial plays.

Regarding his decision to step away from the spotlight and quietly pursue a writing career, People's Artist An Ninh shared another reason: he is the husband of artist Hong Luu. "Luu's happiness is my happiness, and that's why I don't want to hone my acting skills anymore; I want to focus solely on writing to provide strong support for Luu," he confided.

The writing career of this man who loves folk songs and his wife was paved with the love of his multi-talented and demanding wife. Hong Luu was the first audience, and also the first "judge" for each of her husband's works and adaptations; only after passing the "hurdle" of People's Artist Hong Luu could the work reach the director and the theater's management, and touch the hearts of the public.

The fruits of frugality.

Despite lacking formal training, People's Artist An Ninh consistently surprises her colleagues with her ability to adapt major works with creative flair and a unique writing style. Her highly acclaimed works, both in content and artistry, include: "One Man, Two Women," "Family Heirloom," "The Sinful Item," and "A Fairy Tale in Everyday Life." Each work leaves its own distinct mark on life and the literary community. Notable examples include the Second Prize at the Ho Xuan Huong Literary and Artistic Awards for "The Sinful Item," and the Award from the Nghe An Provincial Association of Literature and Arts for "A Fairy Tale in Everyday Life."

Importantly, many plays he wrote and adapted received much love and admiration from the audience, a prime example being "One Man, Two Women" - a play with a distinctly Nghe An style, which was met with enthusiastic requests from the audience wherever the troupe performed. An Ninh said that in each play, he meticulously crafted every line of dialogue, every phrase carefully placed to suit the character's context and build the climax of each scene. In addition, he had to understand the strengths of each actor and choose melodies appropriate to each role. From there, the words and melodies he selected were concise, meaningful, and emotionally rich, helping the actors to feel inspired and inspired when embodying their roles.

"If, during rehearsals, the actors aren't moved or don't perform with genuine emotion, I immediately discard the script and start over," said People's Artist An Ninh. This constant concern fueled his passion for the profession, always reminding himself that each subsequent performance must be better than the previous one, and each act must be more perfect than the last.

40 plays adapted from literary scripts into folk songs over 40 years of his career represent the tireless and unwavering creativity of People's Artist An Ninh. Like a silkworm spinning its thread, he is the silent artist behind the scenes, bringing glory to the actors of the Provincial Traditional Arts Center. Dozens of works adapted by him have participated in national professional festivals and competitions, winning Gold Medals, such as: "Looking into the Past" (Gold Medal at the National Folk Song and Drama Festival in 2005); "One Tree Cannot Make a Forest", "The Executioner" (Gold Medal at the National Folk Song and Drama Festival in 2010); "The Race in the Darkness" (Gold Medal in 2013); "Teacher and Student" (Gold Medal in 2016); "The Case of the Buddha's Nest" (2020); "The Shining Light" (Silver Medal in 2022); “The Stork in the Storm” (Gold Medal 2022)…

Specifically for the two works "The Words of the People, the Words of the Nation" and "One Tree Cannot Make a Mountain," People's Artist An Ninh was selected and awarded the "Outstanding Adaptation Author" prize by the Art Council at the 2010 National Folk Song and Drama Festival and the 2008 Campaign to Study and Follow the Moral Example of Ho Chi Minh.

With a deep love for Nghe Tinh folk songs, People's Artist An Ninh has flourished even more in his songwriting career. He has achieved success with hundreds of songs based on the melodies of the Vi and Giam folk songs, making these songs deeply ingrained in the hearts of many artists and audiences in Nghe An. These include "Mother's Song," "The Vi and Giam Boat," "Beside the Lam Giang River," "Love Songs of the Homeland," and "The Sparkling Soul of Nghe An"...

People's Artist An Ninh also has extensive experience in staging programs for events and celebrations such as "Song of Sao Nam," "Soviet Nghe Tinh," and "The Love of a Communist," which have been highly praised. In 2022, two programs for which he wrote the scripts won Gold Medals at various festivals: "Colors" and "Sounds of the Vi and Giam Region."

Composition is his calling, while acting is his fundamental profession. Therefore, in 2016, the Provincial Traditional Arts Center offered him a role in the play "Teacher and Student," and he immediately demonstrated his mastery. This role won him a Gold Medal at the national festival. Similarly, in 2020, his role in the play "The 13th Person," and in 2022, his portrayal of Mr. Duc in the play "The Shining Light," also earned him prestigious Gold Medals.

To this day, People's Artist An Ninh has retired, but his passion and dedication to his craft still shine brightly. He is frequently invited to collaborate on many programs and activities of the Provincial Traditional Arts Center as a scriptwriter and adaptor. He says: "Writing is a deep urge within me; if I don't pick up a pen every day to write about folk songs and ballads, I would be very sad...!"