Bringing Cai Luong out of the theater, closer to the audience
At the end of August, Nguyen Hue walking street (HCMC) became a special "outdoor stage" for thousands of people and tourists to enjoy the Golden honor doing bell Gala 2025. The open, unhampered space has brought Cai Luong closer to the public, especially young people who rarely step into the theater.
Meritorious artist Nguyen Ngoc Doi emotionally shared that performing in the city center on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the contest was a great happiness. Meanwhile, veteran judge - Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long affirmed that bringing Cai Luong to the walking street is not only an artistic initiative but also a testament to the concern of the leaders and organizers for preserving this traditional stage type.
If the Gala on the walking street is a way to spread, then The Golden bell of the Ancient Apple is the place to nurture and train the next generation of artists. After 20 years of organization, the contest has become a "cradle" to discover a series of promising young voices, contributing to renewing the cast for the cai luong stage.
The 2025 final night 2 will be broadcast live on HTV9 on September 14 with the competition of excellent faces. After that, the 5 best contestants will draw lots to choose coaches to prepare to enter the 3rd final night, taking place on the evening of September 21.
Along with creating a new playground, the cai luong stage still persistently recreates classic works. In early September, Meritorious Artist Hoa Ha started staging the play "Dai Viet Speech" - an ancient song praising the spirit of the people's army during the Tran Dynasty against the Mong. The play not only honors the heroic history but also affirms the enduring vitality of the ancient cai luong in the hearts of the audience.
The presence of famous names such as People's Artist Que Tran, Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam, Meritorious Artist Tu Suong... is a testament to the determination to maintain the quintessence of traditional art. This is also an opportunity for the younger generation of artists to learn and inherit a standard performance style from their seniors. People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau - Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association - emphasized: Cai Luong is both a traditional art and a means to reflect the breath of the times.
To bring salary reform closer to young people
The biggest challenge for Cai Luong today is how to reach a young audience familiar with pop music, movies and online entertainment platforms. Pioneering artists such as People's Artist Bach Tuyet have boldly combined Cai Luong with youth music, creating new arrangements that still retain the traditional soul. It is this harmonization that has opened up a feasible direction so that salary reform is not "locked" in the memories of the previous generation.
Many artists participating in the Golden bell Gala in Nguyen Hue also believe that only when Cai Luong becomes a part of today's life, will it really have the opportunity to continue to be cherished and preserved.
Looking back at the past half century, Ho Chi Minh City's Cai Luong has gone through many ups and downs, but still left a golden mark with plays such as Queen Duong Van Nga, The Drum of Me Linh, and Rang Ngoc Con Son. The generation of talented artists such as People's Artist Trong Phuc, People's Artist Thanh Ngan, People's Artist Que Tran, Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam... have been continuing to innovate their performance methods, bringing Cai Luong to the public more.
However, to ensure sustainable salary reform, it is necessary to have the cooperation of many sides: State investment, creativity of artists, the support of businesses and most importantly, the acceptance from the audience.
With the efforts of the ancient Golden bell Gala, traditional pipes, constant research and creativity, Cai Luong is proving that it is not "old-fashioned", but still capable of accompanying modern society. Preserving and developing Cai Luong is not only the responsibility of the artists, but also a common mission of the community, so that this precious heritage will forever resonate in Vietnamese cultural life.
