A cultural asset for public enjoyment at the grassroots

Dong Nai Arts Theater staged online performances of excerpts from Cai luong (reformed opera) excerpts in 2025, attracting widespread attention and appreciation from audiences both within and outside the province.

Beyond online shows, the theater actively brings these Cai Luong excerpts to the grassroots for public enjoyment. The new excerpts are infused with humanistic values and reflect contemporary life, helping bring Cai Luong art closer to the public.

More Cai Luong excerpts staged

Among the newly released excerpts, Xuan Nay Ta Co Nhau (This spring, we are together), written by Thuy Duong, adapted to Cai Luong by Vu Thuan, directed by Thanh Luu, stands out as a highlight. The excerpt depicts the loneliness and absence of family bond experienced by fathers and mothers in rural areas while their children pursue livelihoods in the city.

Nuong (played by artist Thu Huyen) is a widow living quietly in her rural home, with children busy in the city who do not return even for Tet. Quan (played by artist Hoang Viet Trang) works as a deliveryman and has raised his child alone for over 20 years through university, yet his child remains distant and indifferent toward him. The two lonely individuals meet by chance through an online order, which sparks a small journey: they talk together, take spring outings together, and share the warmth of human connection.

A scene from the cai luong excerpt Xuan Nay Ta Co Nhau, performed by artists Thu Huyen and Hoang Viet Trang.

Artist Hoang Viet Trang emotionally shared: “The story of Quan and Nuong is not a grand tale, but stems from the simple realities of everyday life around us. Through the Cai Luong excerpt Xuan Nay Ta Co Nhau, we hope the audience, especially young people, can better understand their parents’ feelings and cherish family bonds and their homeland.”

The Cai Luong excerpt Cuoc Tinh Buon (A sad love story), written by Le Trung Dung, adapted to Cai Luong by Nguyen Luu Thanh, directed by Thanh Luu, centers on the historical story of Ho Thi Chi (played by artist Phuong Thao), her daughter Ho Dac Trung (played by artist Thanh Vinh), who was denied marriage by the king. The excerpt delicately explores the character’s psychology, highlighting the conflicts between love and social status, as well as between personal desire and the feudal etiquette under the Nguyen Dynasty.

As a young lady of noble birth, gifted in both talent and beauty, Ho Thi Chi’s “unfortunate” fate nonetheless brought many hardships and challenges to her life. She first met King Duy Tan at the age of 12, when the king was 14 and had been on the throne for six years. During this time, Ho Thi Chi and her three siblings had the honor of accompanying their father, Minister of Education Ho Dac Trung, to escort the king to the seaside for rest. At their first meeting, her youthful charm, beauty, and grace immediately caught the young king’s eye.

At the end of 1915, King Duy Tan invited Minister Ho Dac Trung for a private meeting and withdrew the marriage proposal with Ho Thi Chi without providing any reason. This left the Ho Dac Trung’s family, especially Ho Thi Chi, deeply disappointed and saddened. In the Cai Luong excerpt, Ho Dac Trung tries to console and advise his daughter while retrieving the betrothal token to return it to the king.

Preserving and promoting Cai Luong art

Le Thi Tra My, a member of Dong Nai neighborhood in Bien Hoa ward, shared: “On weekends, sitting at home with my family to watch online music, dance, and Cai Luong programs is just as moving as watching them live at the theater. The story in Xuan Nay Ta Co Nhau makes viewers reflect on family matters, family bonds, lifestyle choices, and even some societal habits today, such as smoking which not only harms health but can sometimes be fatal, and the superficial or showy lifestyle adopted by some young people today.”

According to Nguyen Viet Bac, Deputy Director of the Dong Nai Arts Theater, the unit develops new Cai Luong excerpts each year and stages performances to serve political objectives and meet the cultural needs of various segments of the population. The Cai Luong excerpts are elaborately staged, with durations ranging from 15 to 30 minutes each; the stage design is kept simple, suitable for mobile performances at schools and cultural institutions. Particularly for online performances, the unit focuses on applying technology, using LED screens to give the stage a fresh, more engaging, and vivid appearance, allowing viewers to “relive” the artistic space imbued with Southern Vietnamese culture.

In addition to staging Cai Luong excerpts, the Dong Nai Arts Theater has recorded and is broadcasting several Cai Luong plays, such as Cai Quoc Chan Hung, Hao Khi Hoan Chau, Khoi Nguyen, Dong Chi, and Anh Nhat Nguyet, on its Facebook and YouTube channels. This initiative allows audiences across the country to easily enjoy the art form, helping Southern Vietnamese Cai Luong reach a wider audience in contemporary life.

“Staging Cai Luong excerpts not only meets the public’s demand for artistic enjoyment but also serves as a cultural bridge, helping people, especially the younger generation, appreciate and understand the traditional artistic values of the nation. Whether in urban areas, rural regions, borderlands, or ethnic minority communities, every audience member can enjoy each lyric, each vong co (nostalgic tunes) or Cai Luong verse imbued with the love of the land and people of Dong Nai,” said artist Nguyen Viet Bac.

In addition to the excerpts Xuan Nay Ta Co Nhau and Cuoc Tinh Buon, the Dong Nai Arts Theater has recently staged and performed dozens of Cai Luong excerpts, providing the public with both online artistic experiences and offline enjoyment at the grassroots. Notable excerpts include Ong Sau Rung Sac, Lang Nha Cong Chua, Sac Hoa Mau Nho, Oai Hung Su Ca, Ngan Thu Guong Nu Liet, Cuoc Tinh Oan Trai, Hon Vong Phu, Quy Vuong, Tieng Thet Noi Phap Truong, and Khi Tiet Tran Binh Trong. The excerpts cover diverse topics and themes, conveying humanistic messages and educating the younger generation about patriotism, love for homeland and family, and moral values.

By bringing Cai Luong art to the public through both online platforms and local tours, the Dong Nai Arts Theater has been spreading traditional art to the people, contributing to building a rich and humanistic cultural and spiritual life in the dynamic, creative and affectionate land of Dong Nai.

 By My Ny - Translated by Huyen Trang, Thu Ha