Change to survive.

(Baonghean) - For over 30 years, artist An Phuc has been an indispensable "soul" in many performances of the Nghe An Folk Song Heritage Preservation and Promotion Center, with outstanding roles such as Doctor Hai in "The Eyes"; Binh in "The Poem-Shaped Hat"; Lan in "Love Story in the Forbidden Forest"; King Khoru Sat in "The Persian Queen"; Director Dang Vinh in "Looking into the Past"; Doctor Nhan in "Round Footprints in the Storm"... He has a special connection with the image of President Ho Chi Minh and has been entrusted with portraying him many times. Speaking of him, many artists, especially young ones, cannot help but admire him, because despite his long career in professional acting, his passion for the craft remains burning brightly. Furthermore, he is also a skilled teacher and mentor to many generations of actors in the troupe.

At an age nearing retirement, not everyone has as many opportunities to perform on stage as artist An Phúc. Acting is a unique profession; some may start at 10-15 years old, but by around 40, they've already reached the end of their acting careers. This is also the reality for many performing arts troupes today: there are many artists past their prime, while the number of young artists is very small; or if there are, they are often contract employees with little commitment, commitment, or stability. Solving this localized "surplus-shortage" problem is a constant concern for these organizations. For the Center for Preservation and Promotion of Nghe An Folk Song Heritage, the best way to overcome these limitations is to give every artist, regardless of age, the opportunity to develop their strengths. In this process, experienced stage performers will take on the role of training, passing on their skills, and guiding young people in singing and stage performance techniques. In addition, the troupe also strives to create stage plays with characters of various ages. For example, the elderly artist An Phúc is well-suited to the role of President Ho Chi Minh in the play "The Words of the People, the Words of the Nation"; artist Nguyễn Quế Chung is currently very successful with his portrayal of General Võ Nguyên Giáp in the play "Võ Nguyên Giáp - The General of the People's Hearts"; artist An Ninh, after many years of dedication to the stage, has now become a skilled folk song adaptor; and People's Artist Hồng Lựu, after many years on stage, has also retired to the background, taking on a managerial role while also working more in the field of preserving and promoting the folk song heritage of Nghệ An province…

The Nghe An Folk Song Troupe rehearses the play "The Race in the Darkness". Photo: T. Hai

The Nghe An Ethnic Music and Dance Troupe continuously innovates its programs, developing diverse performances so that in addition to serving political objectives, it can also perform at other events such as conferences, inauguration ceremonies, anniversaries, and the establishment of various units, generating revenue and ensuring a livelihood for its members. Since 2012, after the troupe changed its name and expanded its functions, the artists, especially the experienced ones, have been assigned additional tasks such as researching, collecting, and developing the culture of Nghe An's ethnic minorities, and participating in performances for people in mountainous, remote, and border areas.

According to Mr. Pham Tien Dung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism: Currently, the province's art troupes have nearly 120 staff members, including more than 80 artists and actors receiving salaries from the State budget and nearly 50 contract actors whose expenses are covered by the units themselves. This is also beyond the wishes of the artists, because the performing arts industry is a unique sector, and when they get older, they are forced to "retire" even if they don't want to...

In response to this situation, in Plan No. 537.KH-UBND on "Implementing the plan for the development of civil servants and public employees in the period 2013-2015, with consideration to 2020," the Provincial People's Committee assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to draft a proposal to advise on some specific policies for public employees in the cultural sector, including artists. This will be a solution to alleviate the difficulties faced by art units regarding the surplus of artists; opening up opportunities for many young actors to contribute and develop. However, the essential thing remains that the units must "self-reliantly adapt," constantly striving to change, adapt, and survive.

My Ha