The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Bac Lieu is carrying out a plan to turn the province into the cai luong (reformed opera) centre of the region.
SOUTHERN MUSIC - Bac Lieu Province strives to become the cai luong (reformed opera) centre in Mekong Delta. VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Su
Tran Thi Lan Phuong, director of the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, “cai luong plays a very important role in the life of people in Bac Lieu. So the community needs to join with authorities and artists to develop the art into the province’s specific cultural trait.”
The plan will focus on educating the community, especially young people, about cai luong in order to raise their awareness of preserving the art.
Talk shows and cai luong performance will be held regularly in local community sites and schools to provide basic knowledge about the art to people and stimulate their interest in the art.
The province will invite cai luong gurus to offer training for young artists and clubs to improve their skills, and host exchange programmes for artists in Bac Lieu and neighbouring provinces to share their skills and experiences.
In addition, the province will increase investment in the Cao Van Lau Theatre, a leading cai luong troupe in the region.
Phuong said, “the first thing to do now is improve singing and acting skills for artists and performers of the troupe to prepare for three major national contests this year”.
The contests include the National Cai Luong Festival, the National Dance and Music Festival, and the Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Talented Performers.
The director added the province was mobilising financial support from organisations and businesses to upgrade and install modern equipment for the theatre.
The theatre also plans to premiere a new cai luong play every quarter, and work with local TV stations and tourism sites to bring the plays to serve audiences and visitors.
“The province is striving to build Bac Lieu to become a cai luong centre of the region," Phuong said. "The Cao Van Lau Theatre aims to become one of the best venues for enjoying cai luong in the country with the Musician Cao Van Lau Memorial Site the most visited attraction in the province, attracting more and more tourists.”
MUSIC LEGEND - The Musician Cao Van Lau Memorial Site is the most visited attraction in Bac Lieu. VNA/VNS Photo Tuan Kiet
The memorial site, where guru of cai luong Cao Van Lau was buried in 1976, was recognised as a national historical cultural site in 2014.
Bac Lieu is also a birthplace of Lau’s most famous vong co song Da Co Hoai Lang (Night Drumbeats for the Absent Husband), which was composed in 1919. It tells of the love, anguish and pride of a young woman who awaits her husband’s return from the battlefield as she listens to the sounds of war drums.
Da Co Hoai Lang was known as the first vong co song, which quickly became popular across Viet Nam.
Vong co songs are sung by southern farmers after working in the fields. The songs, which feature the feelings, dreams and hopes of people, are often used in cai luong.
Da Co Hoai Lang has been performed by generations of singers. Its title is also used for a cai luong play, drama and movie, in which the song is used to highlight nostalgia.
The plays and the film have impressed local and foreign audiences, especially Vietnamese living in other countries.