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Ngoc Nhan, artist of Dao Tan tuong theatre |
The traditional tuong (Vietnamese classical opera) festival will be organised from July 25th -30th in the central province of Binh Dinh with the participation of seven theatres with eight plays.
This is the first festival for traditional tuong art, especially, it will be held in the cradle of the art, Binh Dinh province. Reporters interviewed Professor Hoang Chuong, member of the tuong festival’s steering board.
* You are an expert in this art. Why will the festival be held at the same time with Tay Son festival?
As far as you know, Binh Dinh is one of the famous cradles of this art. This is also the homeland of Dao Tan, the ancestor of tuong art. Here, there is a tuong theatre name Dao Tan. Therefore, many festivals and seminars on the art were here in Quy Nhon city, Binh Dinh province.
Binh Dinh is also named the land of martial art and tuong. So, despite of diverse activities in Tay Son festival, it can not lack of tuong and national martial art. This festival is expected to be a big one.
* Why will we focus on classical tuong plays?
The festival will focus on traditional tuong. It means that artistic troupes participating in the festival will perform classical tuong plays, which are considered as a great challenge to artists, especially young ones. Recently, they have only staged plays with historical and contemporary themes while traditional plays are only preserved in files in museums.
* What are specific characteristics of traditional tuong in comparison with tuong in general?
Tuong has been existed for hundreds of years. Most of them feature the struggle between the good and the evil and the good will end up winning over the evil.
Acting in classical plays, artists must be very skillful in complicated dances and traditional martial art while singing and playing the flute. Traditional tuong art is seen as the most professional opera stage in Vietnam, being able to be compared with Chinese opera theatre or Noh art of Japan.
The festival is expected to bring audiences an imposing and diversified artistic image of classical art which has rarely seen on the stage as well as television for a long time.
* It is said that an artistic troupe participating the festival will not perform traditional plays but historical one. Is it right?
It can be. After the festival, there will be a scientific seminar for researchers and artists to share experiences.
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