The 'turbulent' childhood of People's Artist Tu Long

People's Artist Tu Long was moved when sharing his difficult childhood: "My uncle made me a styrofoam box, which could hold about 100 ice cream sticks. I would sell them from 9 am to 4 pm. I gave all the money I earned during the three summer months to my grandmother so that when I went to school I could buy books, clothes... Back then I was small, thin, and dark-skinned, and I was constantly bullied while selling ice cream."

People's Artist Tu Long at the Weekend Rendezvous.

People's Artist Tu Long's childhood was as mischievous as any other child's. Tu Long was so naughty and eager to play that his uncle had to chain him up, forbidding him from going out because every time he went outside, "trouble" would arise. A day without neighbors coming to complain about Tu Long's mischief was considered "abnormal."

"That was a rather sad childhood for me. Because my parents pursued art, I lived with my grandmother from the age of nine months until I was 15. We were very poor; when my grandmother went to the market, I would stand at the edge of the village waiting for her to come home. Only those who experienced a deprived childhood can understand the meaning of the phrase 'Waiting for mother to return from the market.' I remember very clearly the leaky roof, the copper basins my grandmother used to catch rainwater on rainy nights. The house was covered with layers of raincoats, and when there was a lot of water, she would use a stick to poke it so it would drain into the copper basins. When the house next door caught fire, my grandmother, with her arms around her two grandchildren, ran outside, fell, and lost her mouth. She passed away in 2012, but as promised, I built her a five-room wooden house, bought her a car to take her out for trips, and purchased a wooden bed for her to sleep on," People's Artist Tu Long emotionally recounted his childhood, considering his grandmother as his mother.

People's Artist Tu Long and People's Artist Doan Thanh Binh - his teacher who had an influence on his career.

Born into a Quan Ho (traditional Vietnamese folk singing) family, People's Artist Tu Long chose to pursue Cheo (traditional Vietnamese opera). Speaking about this path, he shared: "Every time I visited my father, I got to interact with the uncles and aunts at the Ha Bac Cheo troupe. I watched them rehearse the 'Ly Truong Me Dop' (a traditional Vietnamese opera performance)... and I was captivated. When I got home, I would perform it for my friends; it seeped into my blood without me even realizing it. My parents initially forbade me from pursuing art because they thought it was a 'squeeze the lemon and throw away the peel' profession. My family told me to study at a vocational school for construction so I could work abroad. My first diploma was a level 3/7 carpenter's degree in civil carpentry. But I waited and waited and never got called for overseas employment, so my uncle, seeing I had too much free time, suggested I join the Bac Giang Cheo troupe. There, I studied at the provincial vocational school for arts. After that, I went to Hanoi to study at the Cheo vocational school of the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Film."

While childhood stories reveal a deep-seated passion for art in general, and traditional Vietnamese opera in particular, the appearance of People's Artist Doan Thanh Binh – Tu Long's teacher during his time at the Hanoi University of Theatre and Film – showcases his exceptional talent, demonstrating that he learned everything he could think of.

People's Artist Tu Long also revealed that although his work as an artist and manager – Deputy Director of the Army Cheo Theater – is very busy, in his free time, he is happy to cook for his wife, children, and especially the "Tao" characters (characters in the traditional Vietnamese New Year's Eve comedy show). "I can cook dishes like fried fish with pineapple, braised pork cheek with persimmons, braised fish, braised pork, jellied pork, pickled vegetables, sweet and sour ribs...", People's Artist Tu Long shared.

At nearly 50 years old, People's Artist Tu Long only desires stability. The male artist says that only stability can bring peace.

Tinh Le