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On September 27-28, the Hanoi Museum became a meeting place for heritage lovers, where traditional music was no longer a luxury but came alive in contemporary life. Without the need for a lavish stage, the performances took place in a simply arranged space, yet with just the right amount of resonance. The deep, resonant sound of the đàn đáy (a type of lute), the rhythmic clapping of the phách (clappers), and the lingering voices of the female and male singers created a rhythm that was both solemn and intimate, prompting viewers to listen attentively to each sound and beat.
The Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club performed four pieces, allowing the audience to directly experience the essence of traditional Ca Tru: Hat Giai, Hat Ru, Sam Hue Tinh, Hat Noi Anh Gia Diec, Goi Hac, and Chi Nam Nhi by Nguyen Cong Tru.
In front of each troupe was a jar containing wage cards. Ms. Thanh Thuy, head of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, recounted that in the old days, singers lived off 'wage cards' – audience members would place cards to reward the female and male performers; the number of cards counted determined the number of performances that day.
“As an artist, I'm always curious about old things. Listening to Ca Tru live, I realized how subtle it is – just a single clapper sound is enough to evoke a feeling of touching a memory I can't quite name,” shared Dan Phuong (1996), an actress, after the opening ceremony.
Ms. Dan Phuong (in white shirt) and her friends pose with Ms. Thanh Thuy, Head of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, at the Hanoi Ca Tru Festival 2025.
The 4th Hanoi Ca Tru Festival, organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, brought together 21 clubs, 105 individual contestants, and 16 group performances. More than just a competition, the festival was also an opportunity for interaction between generations of artisans – where young people learned from masters, and older generations saw that their heritage was still cherished and continued.
Experienced artists still maintain the rhythm, pass on the passion, and guide the younger generation, demonstrating the enduring continuity of ca trù.
Hanoi is considered the heart of Vietnamese Ca Tru (traditional singing) for no reason. The city currently boasts the highest number of awarded artisans in the country and is proposing that the State award an additional 8 People's Artisans and 23 Distinguished Artisans in this field. From preservation policies to support for regularly operating clubs, Hanoi is transforming Ca Tru into an integral part of community life, not just a nostalgic memory in museums.
Young people came to watch and admire Ca Tru singing, and interacted with Ms. Thanh Thuy (third from the left), the head of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club.
Ms. Thanh Thuy, Head of the Xuan Dinh Ca Tru Club, shared: “We want Ca Tru not to be outside of life, but to blend in with today's rhythm. Each performance, each rhythm, is our way of sending back to the audience a part of the traditional essence, so that they can hear and feel it directly, not just through remote viewing.”
The participation of many young clubs has brought a breath of fresh air to the performance space – where heritage is renewed with the spirit of the times, while still retaining the traditional "essence" in structure, rhythm, and spirit.
The final classic Ca Tru ensemble performance: "Hat Noi Doi Tuoi Thu" and "Dung Huynh Noi Huynh" – a performance by an independent contestant – energized the entire hall with its rhythmic beat.
The festival also serves as a bridge between those who maintain the rhythms of the past and today's audience. From the sounds of the zither and the clappers, viewers can feel the echoes of a heritage being passed on, where each note and each beat contains the essence of a thousand years of culture. And amidst the increasingly noisy urban environment, there are still those who quietly "keep the rhythm and preserve the soul," so that ca trù is not just a memory, but a part of the breath of modern Hanoi.
The 4th Hanoi Ca Tru Festival – 2025 is living proof that heritage can coexist with contemporary life, where culture is not detached from life but is heard, seen, felt, and loved. The sound of the zither, the clappers, and the melodious voices of today's female singers serve as a bridge, connecting the past to the present and opening up opportunities for the younger generation to receive, appreciate, and continue to pass on a thousand-year-old heritage of the capital city.
