Young actress Nguyễn Quỳnh Như (central) of Bạc Liêu Province, winner at the national traditional theatre contest Bông Lúa Vàng (Golden Rice) 2023 organised by the People's Voice of Hồ Chí Minh City.

Young theatre actress Nguyễn Quỳnh Như is travelling around her homeland, Bạc Liêu Province, to offer cải lương (reformed opera) concerts for many villagers during the Lunar New Year or Tết holiday. 

Như and her colleagues introduce a very unique form of cải lương - a 100-year-old gerne of Vietnamese theatre in the South. 

They have performed in a series of plays on Vietnamese history and culture. The beauty of southern people and their lifestyle are also included. 

“I was a rural girl living in a small village of Bạc Liêu. I loved singing cải lương when I was a kid. I hope my art will entertain audiences, particularly youngsters, and bring best wishes to every family in Tết,” said Như, winner of the Bông Lúa Vàng (Golden Rice) Contest 2023, a national cải lương competition launched by the People’s Voice of Hồ Chí Minh City (VOH). 

The event closed in December and attracted 500 contestants aged 16 to 35 in Việt Nam. 

The participants performed vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) songs and cải lương plays in praise of the country and patriotism. Their performances aired live on VOH to serve millions of viewers around the country. Audiences voted for the winners.  

Như won the first prize titled Golden Rice worth VNĐ100 million (US$5,000) in cash after showing her wonderful singing and dancing skills. 

Her biggest competitor, 23-year-old Nguyễn Quỳnh Như of An Giang Province, received second prize.  

Third prize went to 37-year-old Huỳnh Thị Bé Nhiên, a professional actress from HCM City. 

The three were chosen from a field of 20 finalists. Their performances captured the hearts of judges and audiences during the four-month contest.

 "I will improve both my skills and creativity to advance the power of cải lương,” said Như, who added she wanted to bring her art to greater heights. 

Bông Lúa Vàng Contest began 30 years ago and has discovered many new talents in theatre. Many winners have worked for leading traditional art troupes in the region. 

It has aired more than 1,500 shows and has become the longest-running radio programme on VOH.  

The annual contest encourages young people to learn about cải lương, vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) and đờn ca tài tử (Southern folk music), which are the south’s popular theatre forms.  

The annual contest Bông Lúa Vàng (Golden Rice) encourages young people to learn aboit cải lương, vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) and đờn ca tài tử (Southern folk music), the south's popular theatre forms.

Đờn ca tài tử originated in southern Việt Nam 100 years ago. It is the prototype for cải lương and vọng cổ, which are often performed during festivals and special occasions such as weddings and death anniversaries in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces of Cần Thơ, Vĩnh Long, Bạc Liêu and Cà Mau.

In 2013, the music was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

“Our contest encourages young artists to develop their careers. Many Golden Rice winners introduce cải lương in a new and experimental concept to attract young people,” said general director of VOH Lê Công Đồng, a member of the 2023 contest’s organising board. — VNS