Unforgettable "historical footage" on the stage of Nghe An's traditional theater.
The Nghệ An Provincial Center for Culture and Arts has always prioritized investing in recreating the image of patriotic figures throughout history. This is a challenging subject, but it is also an endless source of inspiration for many generations of directors and actors.
The "films" about historical figures such as the commoner king Mai Hac De, Phan Boi Chau, Phan Dang Luu, General Vo Nguyen Giap, General Secretary Le Hong Phong, and the Secretary of the Saigon-Chợ Lớn City Party Committee Nguyen Thi Minh Khai were created by generations of directors and actors at the Nghe An Provincial Traditional Arts Center with passion and gratitude. These performances have won numerous national-level professional awards, but what remains most significant is the indelible impression they leave on the audience. Through these performances, the audience once again gains a clearer understanding of the immense contributions and sacrifices of these historical figures to the Vietnamese nation throughout different periods.
In 2000, the play "Everlasting Faith" (directed by People's Artist Lê Hùng; written by Lê Duy Hạnh; adapted by People's Artist Hồng Lựu; music by Hồ Hữu Thới) officially premiered, helping viewers understand the lives, careers, and revolutionary activities of comrades Lê Hồng Phong and Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai. Notably, in the same year, the play won a Silver Medal at the National Professional Theatre Festival, affirming the position of Nghệ An folk music in the hearts of the public and colleagues nationwide. The love, unwavering loyalty, and indomitable revolutionary spirit of the two revolutionary fighters, Lê Hồng Phong and Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai, are vividly and engagingly recreated through the dramatic scenes.
The play features emotionally impactful scenes that deeply resonate with the audience. To pressure the revolutionary Le Hong Phong, the French colonialists tortured his wife, Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, hoping she would reveal the secrets of their revolutionary activities. However, unwavering loyalty to the Party, Le Hong Phong remained silent and watched as they brutally tortured his wife. The scene also depicts the passionate love between Le Hong Phong and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, conveying the message that happiness requires struggle, and their love is inextricably linked to the struggle for national independence and freedom.
The play "Everlasting Faith" has participated in numerous national professional theater festivals and competitions. Every year, to commemorate the birthday of General Secretary Le Hong Phong, the play is rehearsed by the center's artists as a tribute to the disciple of the great President Ho Chi Minh.
Another performance that deeply moved the audience was "General Vo Nguyen Giap, the General of the People's Hearts," directed by People's Artist Le Hung. People's Artist Tran Minh Tue, who played the role of General Vo Nguyen Giap, said: the idea for this play stemmed from deep affection and was a tribute to the General. General Vo Nguyen Giap was not only a son-in-law of Nghe An, but during his lifetime he was also very fond of Nghe An folk songs. The play is a deeply moving story about a man with immense influence on the army, a man who made historical decisions that led to glorious victories for the army and people of the whole country. The life, background, and career of the General, who prioritized public interest above all else, following the teachings of beloved President Ho Chi Minh, were successfully and movingly portrayed by the staff and actors of the Nghe An Drama and Opera Troupe.
The play also portrays the simple yet noble feelings of the General. In his personal life, he sacrificed his family, leaving behind his young wife and child to follow the revolutionary cause until victory. These poignant details, conveyed through the dialogue and vivid acting of the folk opera genre, left viewers deeply moved. Many audience members wept while watching this opera.
There are many plays that portray the image of patriotic and loyal revolutionary soldiers throughout various periods, such as "Dawn" by Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen The Ky - former Central Committee member of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Chairman of the Central Council for Literary and Artistic Criticism. "Dawn" recreates the life and career of revolutionary Phan Dang Luu (1902-1942) - a son of Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district. The play was meticulously staged by the Artistic Steering Committee of the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage, with bold and innovative forms of expression. The work combines elements of both opera and modern dance, while also utilizing some folk music melodies, especially the traditional folk songs of the "vi" and "giam" styles. The combination of lighting, LED screen imagery, modern musical instruments, and the actors' performances, along with the cultural settings of Nghe An, Hue, Hai Phong, and Southern Vietnam, has been recreated authentically and vividly. This allows viewers to feel the atmosphere of the country's history in the early 20th century, while also creating associations in their minds with many scenes that carry a tragic and heroic tone, reflecting the country's history before the August Revolution with many sacrifices and losses, but containing profound humanistic and ideological meanings.
That was also the play "Nguyen Xi" directed by Le Hung, depicting the image of Grand Tutor and Duke of Cuong Quoc Nguyen Xi. During his life serving four Le dynasties for 37 consecutive years, from 1460 to 1497 (Le Thai To, Le Thai Tong, Le Nhan Tong, and Le Thanh Tong), Grand Tutor and Duke of Cuong Quoc Nguyen Xi was not only a talented military general but also an outstanding official. The excellent performances by Meritorious Artist Minh Thong, who brilliantly embodied the character of Nguyen Xi, showed the image of the Grand Tutor sacrificing his fatherly love, feigning blindness to demonstrate his unwavering loyalty, and his noble heart towards the villagers where he retired…
All the performances depicting historical figures are meticulously invested in by the Nghe An Provincial Traditional Arts Center and embodied by generations of actors with passion and dedication, contributing to the great and enduring values of Nghe An folk theater; as Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen The Ky once shared: Stage adaptations of historical films are how we are nurturing the longevity of Nghe Tinh folk theater, while also contributing to educating the younger generation about historical values through the recreation of the portraits of national heroes throughout history.