Meritorious Artist Thien Hue pours her heart and soul into folk melodies.
(Baonghean.vn) - Thien Hue was exposed to folk music from a young age, even sneaking away to listen to folk songs... This somewhat difficult but determined starting point has helped Thien Hue become a talented and dedicated artist on the traditional arts stage of Nghe An province.
Childhood with folk songs
Thien Hue was born in Dong Thuong village, Dong Van commune (Thanh Chuong district). She vividly remembers the first time she secretly went to see a folk opera performance on a bitterly cold early winter day in the 1990s.
The young girl, Thien Hue, was thin and frail at the time, standing by the cooperative's fence and looking in, but her love and admiration for the artists on stage completely captivated her heart and mind. Hue said that her great love for folk music didn't come about by chance: "In my hometown, the whole village sings folk songs; everyone knows how to sing and improvise folk songs for work, production, and daily life."
From then on, her desire to sing grew stronger. When Thien Hue was in middle school, the provincial folk music troupe came to recruit performers. She secretly went to the audition without her parents' knowledge, but it was unsuccessful. When Thien Hue's father found out, he resolutely forbade his daughter from pursuing a singing career. She reluctantly obeyed, though she was heartbroken.
From then on, Thien Hue focused on her studies, aiming to become a teacher or a clerk as her father wished; but her love and passion for folk melodies continued to burn brightly. During the day, she went to school, and at night, she studied while practicing singing. She collected beautiful melodies and folk song styles from radio and television broadcasts and learned from the elders in her village. After graduating from high school, Thien Hue once again asked her parents for permission to pursue her dream: to enroll in the Provincial College of Culture and Arts. Her father, despite years of dissuasion, secretly followed her, knowing his beloved daughter couldn't give up this passion, and finally agreed.
Thien Hue studied Traditional Music at the Provincial College of Culture and Arts. She is considered to have a talent for singing folk songs and a keen and profound understanding of traditional melodies.
“There’s something I only understood much later about why my love for professional theater was so great, even though there were times when I was tired of the difficulties in the profession. It was when I was still in school, I went to the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe Tinh Folk Songs (now the Provincial Traditional Arts Center) at the invitation of the leadership. As soon as I stepped inside, I heard the melodious sound of the flute and the zither playing the heartfelt, gentle melody of the four-flower tune. Suddenly, my heart began to sing, and I felt I belonged here,” Thien Hue recounted.
Even while still in school, Thien Hue was invited by the Center to perform in many musical plays. Although she only played supporting roles, it was a valuable stepping stone for her to gain experience and learn many important lessons. In 2005, Thien Hue officially became an artist of the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe Tinh Folk Songs and Traditional Music.
Roles that define a lifetime.
Having been accepted by the Provincial Traditional Arts Center in 2005, Thien Hue only landed a leading role in 2010. One might think her path would be paved with roses from then on, but she still had to work tirelessly, shedding sweat and tears on stage. Getting the role was difficult enough, but touching the audience's emotions and earning their applause was even harder.
Thien Hue still vividly remembers playing Huong Ly in the play "The Race in the Darkness," which won the National Gold Medal at the 2016 National Professional Traditional Opera and Folk Drama Festival, and Linh in "One Tree Cannot Make a Forest" (Silver Medal in 2010). She had to research these character archetypes both in literature and in real life, meticulously stylizing the roles to make them authentic and vibrant. From pronunciation and intonation to dialogue delivered through folk songs, she poured her heart and soul into every detail, carefully crafting and refining each line.
Commenting on Thien Hue's portrayal of Huong Ly in "The Race in the Darkness," People's Artist An Ninh, who adapted the play's script, said: "This role was tailor-made for Thien Hue. She performed effortlessly. Therefore, the role was warmly received by both the audience and the art council, and the Gold Medal was well-deserved."
The role of Lady Le Quoc in the play "Cuong Quoc Cong Nguyen Xi" (Gold Medal in 2019) presented a different kind of character that caused Thien Hue considerable anxiety. She had to portray a character outside of historical records, yet simultaneously bring the essence of the character's life to the stage. This was no easy task for an actress who usually plays tragic roles with complex inner lives. Therefore, Thien Hue spent countless hours researching and studying the life of Cuong Quoc Cong Nguyen Xi. With the guidance of the director and the playwright, People's Artist An Ninh, Hue delivered an outstanding performance, earning high praise from the art council.
Speaking about her roles and her journey under the spotlight, Thien Hue believes that only hard work and continuous effort can lead to desired results. "Many people say I have a natural talent and a bit of innate ability, but if I don't observe and learn, I can't sing perfectly, breathe life into the songs, and embody the roles I play," Thien Hue said.
She also secretly thanked the hardships she faced in her childhood, and was grateful to her father for being the first person to teach her about the spirit of overcoming difficulties. "There is no smooth road, especially the road of art. To reach the end on that road requires not only the artist's efforts but also a complete connection with the profession," Hue confided.
For Thien Hue, her father's words of advice years ago before she left for the provincial capital to study art are always deeply etched in her mind: "Acting is a very difficult profession, full of pitfalls and jealousy; you must try to adapt and overcome them."
Although her father didn't encourage her to pursue this path, his love and silent support always gave Thien Hue motivation and new goals on her journey. And the title of Meritorious Artist that Thien Hue was awarded by the State at the end of 2023 is a new milestone of success, a testament to the tireless efforts of an artist who is wholeheartedly devoted to the melodies of her homeland.