VietNamNet Bridge – Artists from around the country participated in formulating a long-term strategy for the development of cai luong (reformed opera) at a recent conference in HCM City.

Fading colours: Artists fromthe Dong Nai Cai Luong (Reformed Opera) Troupe perform. Artists throughout the country are planning a long-term development strategy for the art form. (Photo: VNS)
Cai luong is a form of modern folk opera that blends southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, hat tuong (a classical form based on Chinese opera), and modern spoken drama. It originated in the southern region in the early 20th century and blossomed in the 1930s as the theatre of the middle class during the French colonial period. It maintained its popularity into the 1980s but is now in decline.

The recent conference, timed to coincide with the centenary of cai luong, aimed to devise approaches from the grassroots to the central levels to reinvigorate the faded artform in modern times, focusing on infrastructure for performance, e.g., new theatres equipped with modern lighting and sound systems, encouraging new script writers, professional training for young artists, and encouraging young cai luong critics who could link the art with contemporary life in their writings as well as introducing the art into schools.

The strategy would also inculcate a sense of duty in cultural workers and cai luong enthusiasts to help the artform reach young audiences, especially intellectuals and students.

Artist Tran Minh Ngoc complained that the art had been negatively affected by the popular entertainment market.

"The slow rhythms of the art are no longer suited to present tastes," Ngoc said. "Performing skills have also regressed in the face of the current media explosion."

The roles of cai luong musicians were also dulled on stage due to outdated equipment, she said.

Other participants in the conference noted that the artform was now failing attract young playwrights, directors, musicians or scenic designers.

"Creativity requires new elements, which can hardly be found in this artform," Ngoc said.

Cai luong, which broadly falls into two styles – cai luong tuong co (classic drama) and cai luong xa hoi (social) – generally praises Vietnamese moral values in a sort of play set to vong co (a nostalgic libretto) and background music most often featuring dan tranh (zither) or guitar. In a typical cai luong play, the performers use a combination of spoken dialogue and vong co.


VietNamNet/Viet Nam News