Winners of Bông Lúa Vàng (Golden Rice), a traditional music contest that aims to revive cải lương (reformed theatre), have gone on to work as professional artists working for leading traditional art troupes. Photo courtesy of organisers

People aged 16 to 35 in Vietnam are encouraged to compete in the Chuông Vàng Vọng Cổ (Golden Bell), a national traditional music contest launched by the HCM City Television.

The participants will perform vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) songs and cải lương (reformed opera) plays, two of the south's most popular forms of traditional music.

Ten finalists will compete for different prizes, including first prize Golden Bell, Favourite Performer and Youngest Talent.

The contest’s performances will be aired live on HTV9 channel to serve millions of viewers, mostly farmers, around the country.

The audiences will vote for the winners.

This year, organisers will invite previous Golden Bell winners to train the contest’s candidates during the semi-final rounds on August.    

Cải lương stars such as Kim Tu Long, Phuong Loan and Vo thanh Tam will join the jury.

The four-month contest’s selective rounds will begin next week in Hanoi, HCM City and provinces such as Binh Duong, Khanh Hoa, Soc Trang and Long An.

“Our contest began in 2006 and it has brought together new talents and fans of cải lương music,” said Minh Hai of HCM City Television, a member of the contest’s organising board.

“Many Golden Bell winners have become professional artists working for leading traditional art troupes in the region.”

According to Hai, vọng cổ is an art form native to southern Vietnam, and is part of cải lương theatre, both of which are part of the region’s spirit.

“Although facing challenges, we have worked to keep Chuông Vàng Vọng Cổ contest popular because the art should be expanded to young people who should learn more about traditional music," he said.  

Hai believes that finalists of Chuông Vàng Vọng Cổ this year will become more confident to develop a career on stage after the contest.

Bông Lúa Vàng (Golden Rice) 2020 contest, launched by the Voice of HCM City People (VOH), will begin its selective rounds in HCM City, Dong Thap and Bac Lieu on June 28.

The event attracts people, aged between 15 and 55 years old, who love singing cải lương.  

The participants will send their clips or videos to the organiser before singing live at the semi-final rounds aired at the VOH.

“I will sing at Bông Lúa Vàng 2020. I decided to join the contest because it encourages amateurs and the elderly ,” said Phan Thi Thu Hoa, 52, a resident of Ca Mau’s Ngoc Hien District.

Hoa loves singing vọng cổ and cải lương and she has more than five years performing for the Ngọc Hiển Cải Lương Club—one of 60 traditional music clubs in Ca Mau. Her club attracts 30 members, mostly farmers.    

Bông Lúa Vàng was organised in 1993 and has attracted more than 20,000 contestants in the past 27 years.

Professional artists of cải lương theatres around the country are working to prepare for two contests, Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Talented Performers 2020 and National Cải Lương Contest 2020 for Young Performers.

Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Talented Performers 2020 is organised by the HCM City Department of Culture and Sports in co-operation with its partner, Vietnam Theatre Artists’ Association.

It will open in the city on August 2.  

National Cải Lương Contest 2020 for Young Performers, launched by the Performing Arts Department, will kick off on September 4. VNS   

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