Going to see traditional Vietnamese opera this weekend.

Every two weeks, the historical and cultural site of the Le Van Duyet Mausoleum, located at 1 Vu Tung Street, Ward 1, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, is filled with the sounds of music and singing, along with elaborately costumed characters in theatrical performances. What's special is that, beneath the backdrop of those with hair tinged with age, one can easily spot the innocent faces of young people, enthusiastically immersed in the atmosphere of a traditional art form: traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi).

Phan Thanh Dat (a freelance photographer in Ho Chi Minh City) shared: "As someone who loves traditional culture, I often look for performance schedules of art forms like <i>hat boi</i> (classical Vietnamese opera) and <i>ho quang</i> (traditional Vietnamese theater) to watch and learn about them. I happened to find out that the Ho Chi Minh City <i>hat boi</i> Art Theatre performs weekly at the Ong Ba Chieu Mausoleum, so I decided to go see it. Partly to better understand the ancient stories in <i>hat boi</i> art, partly to sneak behind the scenes to see how the artists prepare and get dressed, and to learn about the arduous process of a <i>hat boi</i> performance. And moreover, I wanted to capture beautiful photos of the performance and the artists to share with everyone."

From court art to folk culinary delights

Hát bội, also known as hát bộ or hát tuồng, has a history spanning over a thousand years. From a popular art form in the royal court and noble residences, it quickly spread throughout the land from North to South Vietnam.

The word "bội" in "hát bội" (traditional Vietnamese opera) has several interpretations. In the "Đại Nam quốc âm tự vị" (Vietnamese National Language Dictionary) by scholar Huỳnh Tịnh Của, "bội" is explained as a theatrical performance or a theatrical troupe. However, scholar Trương Vĩnh Ký suggests that "bội" refers to a group of performers participating together in a performance.

From an artistic perspective, traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) is highly conventional and symbolic, built upon profound language and containing deep philosophical meaning. Opera performers not only express their emotions through their footwork and gestures, but also through pointing to the sky or the ground, all adhering to strict principles to convey specific meanings.

Traditional Vietnamese opera (Hát bội) places special emphasis on every aspect, from the storyline to the performance gestures, movements, lyrics, and costumes. During the makeup process, artists must ensure that the expression and colors on their faces fully reflect the character's personality. Using colors like red, yellow, black, and white... is not only part of the costume but also expresses the psychological characteristics or personality traits of the character, such as whether they are a "villain" or a "virtuous" character.

From the 11th century, the form of opera began to appear in the royal court during the Early Le Dynasty, becoming popular in the 13th century during the Tran Dynasty and reaching its peak in the 19th century during the Nguyen Dynasty. In the history of Vietnamese opera, two prominent names that cannot be overlooked are Dao Duy Tu and Dao Tan. Dao Duy Tu was the first to introduce opera to the Nguyen Dynasty, laying the foundation for opera in the early 17th century.

When traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) flourished in the 19th century, Dao Tan (1845-1907) made significant contributions, creating many outstanding works and sustaining the art form to this day. He focused on developing hat boi in a literary direction, catering to the intellectual class of the royal court. Overall, hat boi is not only a form of theatrical art but also a cultural heritage with symbolic, profound, and philosophical characteristics.

As it spread southward, traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) became increasingly integrated into folk life. A passionate hat boi enthusiast, General Le Van Duyet (1764-1832) brought this art form to the South. With a liberal spirit, he did not limit hat boi to the intellectual or upper class, but returned it to the common people. He removed the complex, scholarly rituals of the court, while simultaneously absorbing performance styles and music from the Chinese community in Southern Vietnam. Combining this with the open-minded spirit of the new land, Southern Vietnamese hat boi gradually developed its own unique characteristics: powerful, colorful, vibrant, and more cheerful in style.

Throughout various historical periods, while <i>hat boi</i> (traditional Vietnamese opera) sometimes lost its place in the royal court, it has maintained its position among the common people. Especially in the South, where there are many temples and pagodas, <i>hat boi</i> has become an important part of rituals and daily spiritual life. During each temple ceremony, the entire village eagerly flocks to watch <i>hat boi</i> performances, creating a joyful atmosphere like a festival.

Traditional Vietnamese opera (Hát bội) often reenacts ancient stories, glorifies heroes, and conveys messages about the five virtues: benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness. This reflects a part of the prevailing social ideology, as Phan Kế Bính described in "Vietnamese Customs," that Hát bội "intends to commemorate the meritorious deeds of the ancients in governing the people and defeating enemies, to serve as an example for future kings, and to fully portray the character of both loyal and treacherous individuals, to serve as an example for the world..."

To bring the art of traditional Vietnamese opera closer to young people.

As someone interested in traditional Vietnamese art forms, this wasn't Thành Đạt's first time attending a traditional Vietnamese opera performance. Previously, he had the opportunity to hear a performance organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Opera Theatre at the Saigon Zoo. Being able to go backstage to take photos and interact with the artists left Thành Đạt with many new and exciting experiences. Although the plays were lengthy and complex, sometimes making it difficult for viewers to fully understand, the more he watched, the more curious, intrigued, and eager he became to learn more.

"As far as I know, the art of traditional Vietnamese opera (hat boi) currently has a rather niche audience, especially among young people who are no longer very familiar with this traditional art form. As someone who loves folk culture, I don't want hat boi to be forgotten. I feel a responsibility to preserve it, even if it's just a small part, so I want to learn more about it to understand its unique values," Thanh Dat confided.

The performance of "Thành Đạt" at the tomb of General Lê Văn Duyệt was adapted from Nguyễn Du's *Truyện Kiều*, a literary work he greatly admired. Sharing with reporters, he said that the artists' makeup was very meticulous and elaborate, and their acting was immersive, whether the roles were big or small, making the audience feel the artists' dedication and commitment to their roles. In particular, the performances also included interactive sessions with the audience through mini-games and quizzes. These included information about the art of <i>hát bội</i> (traditional Vietnamese opera), along with instructions on some basic movements from the artists, so that young people could learn and understand more about this art form.

Sitting amidst the sounds of music and singing, watching the artists dedicating themselves day and night to their passion and art in preserving this cultural form, one can truly appreciate and understand even more the spiritual and cultural values ​​that traditional Vietnamese opera brings.

Thành Đạt expressed: "In an era of increasing forms of entertainment and information, traditional Vietnamese opera (Hát Bội) is gradually fading away and receiving less attention. Therefore, the next generations need to appreciate it and support those who practice this art form. Young people who love it can come and watch the performance to show their support for the artists. If possible, please share this with your friends so they can come and watch and spread the love of Hát Bội to everyone."

Ha Mai Trinh - Photo: Phan Thanh Dat