Shedding tears together with characters

This year's National ‘Cheo’ Festival draws the participation of 16 units with 26 plays. The plays are all made of domestic scripts, exploring the issues of history, daily life, culture and people of Vietnam.

A scene at the play “Rong phuong” (the Dragon and phoenix).

Right after the opening night, the Vietnam ‘Cheo’ Theater performed the play "Rong Phuong" (the Dragon and phoenix) written by Le Duy Hanh, turn into a ‘cheo’ script by Tran Dinh Van, and directed by People's Artist Nguyen Bich Ngoan.

Taking the context of the Kinh Bac countryside during feudal times when foreign invaders were invading, making people miserable, the play "Nguoi con gai Kinh Bac" (The girl of Kinh Bac) by scriptwriter Huy Co and director Meritorious Artist Ta Quang Lam has made viewers go through many levels of emotion.

As one of the cradles of the ‘cheo’ singing, the Thai Binh ‘Cheo’ Theater has brought to this year’s festival two plays: "U van doi con ve" (I (mother) still wait for you (her child) to come back) and "Tron nghia non song" (Dedicating to the country). 

The audience enjoy the play "Nguoi con gai Kinh Bac" (The girl of Kinh Bac) performed by the Bac Giang ‘Cheo’ Theatre.

With the thorough preparation and excellent performance of actors and actresses through smooth, deep ‘cheo’ songs, the plays received the warm welcome from the public, confirming the characteristics of the ‘cheo’ singing of Thai Binh, which was famous for five tonnes of rice harvested during the war time.

Preserving and promoting the ‘cheo’ art

As scheduled, from now until September 28, the theaters and cultural-art centers of provinces will continue to serve the audience with many special ‘cheo’ plays. 

After a week of performance, I am very happy because people of Bac Giang city, not only elderly but also a large number of young people, are eager to watch ‘cheo’. During the shows, everyone was watching with concentration. Especially they knew how to "enjoy" ‘cheo’ when applauding to encourage the artists in the climaxes or at the end of a scene, thereby helping the artists, actors and actresses more sublimated on stage. If we have any opportunity, we will definitely come back here to perform to serve the people. People's Artist Vu Ngoc Cai, Director of Thai Binh ‘Cheo’ Theater.

There will be two shows a day: the morning show from 9am and the evening one from 8pm. The big hall of the province’s Convention Center (Square 3-2) with a capacity of about 800 seats is always full. Many people even sit on the stairs and the lobby.

Pham Thi Tuong (71 years old) from Ngo Quyen ward (Bac Giang city) said: “I have come to see ‘cheo’ plays every day and haven't left any show. Each ‘cheo’ play has its own interesting things plus a unique performing style bearing the characteristics of each ‘cheo’ troupe. I hope there will be more performances like this, not only serving the public but also contributing to preserving the value of this traditional art form. ”

Sharing the response of Bac Giang's public to the ‘cheo’ art, People's Artist Vu Ngoc Cai, Director of Thai Binh ‘Cheo’ Theater, said: “After a week of performance, I am very happy because people of Bac Giang city, not only elderly but also a large number of young people, are eager to watch ‘cheo’. During the shows, everyone was watching with concentration. Especially they knew how to "enjoy" ‘cheo’ when applauding to encourage the artists in the climaxes or at the end of a scene, thereby helping the artists, actors and actresses more sublimated on stage. If we have any opportunity, we will definitely come back here to perform to serve the people”.

Within the framework of the festival, the performance of special ‘cheo’ plays not only brings the ‘cheo’ stage closer to the public but also contributes to honoring and preserving the cultural value of this traditional art.

The plays attract a lot of audiences.

In Bac Giang, implementing the project "Preserving and promoting the heritages of ethnic groups in Bac Giang province in the 2011-2020 period" of the provincial People's Committee, for many years, the Bac Giang ‘Cheo’ Theater has collaborated with functional units to organize classes to teach ‘cheo’ singing; while establishing and maintaining ‘cheo’ singing clubs, teams, and groups in some districts.

“Through the shows at the festival, we can see a big need of the local audience for exploring and enjoying ‘cheo’. So, in the coming time, we will coordinate with the districts and city to organize 1-2 performances per month to serve the public who love the ‘cheo’ art for free. In addition, the Bac Giang ‘Cheo’ Theater also advised the provincial People's Committee to implement a programme to bring ‘cheo’ singing into schools in order to educate traditional culture for the younger generation, ”Meritorious Artist Ta Quang Lam, Director of the Bac Giang ‘Cheo’ Theater, said.

Teaching Cheo and Quan ho folk singing

(BGO) – The Center of Culture, Information and Sports of Bac Giang city joined hand with the Center of Culture and Cinema in Bac Giang province and the People’s Committee in Hoang Van Thu ward to organize the course to teach Cheo (traditional opera) and Quan ho (Love duet) singing to the grass root art talents in 2019.

4 districts and city granted A prizes at provincial cheo singing festival

(BGO) – The Bac Giang Provincial Cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera) Singing Festival 2019 was held on July 10 – 11 at Song Thuong Cinema (Bac Giang city) by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, drawing the participation of more than 300 artists and musicians in the community art troops from 10 districts and city.

Promoting role of grassroots artists in preserving cheo art

(BGO) - Mentioning Bac Giang, people have long remembered the reputation of the ancient Chieng Bac cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera). Social development is putting this traditional art in danger of being lost. In this context, many grassroots singers have made efforts to find ways to preserve and promote the value of the cheo art.

Cheo singing echoes in rural villages

(BGO) - Cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera) singing is a traditional art activity which has been present in Yen Dung land of Bac Giang province from ancient times. Over the past years, the district has paid due attention to preserving and promoting this type of art, thereby contributing to improving the cultural and spiritual lives for the people.

Teaching Cheo and Quan ho folk singing to the art talents

(BGO) – The Center of Culture and Cinema in the northern province of Bac Giang cooperated with the Center of Culture and Information in Tan Yen district on May 8 kicked off the course to teach Cheo (traditional opera) and Quan ho (Love duet) singing to more than 70 art talents in Phuc Hoa commune (Tan Yen district).

Tuong Vi - Khoi Nguyen