11:07 PDT TUEsday, 27/10/2020

Play featuring Cai Luong artists' life, career to make its debut in May

Play featuring Cai Luong artists' life, career to make its debut in May

A cai luong play adapted by Nguyen Phuong from the work titled “Eclipse” by scriptwriter Le Duy Hanh will premiere at Cong Nhan theater in HCMC’s district 1 on May 4.

Online : 5

•Search engine : 1

•Guest : 4

Today : 298

This month : 23374

Total : 865211

» News » Art

sn 15

Send article by email to friends
Print
Save

THE ORIGIN OF THE VONG CO SONG “SẦU VƯƠNG Ý NHẠC”

Posted at: SUNday - 01/03/2015 12:00 - Viewed: 1474

THE ORIGIN OF THE VONG CO SONG “SẦU VƯƠNG Ý NHẠC”

THE ORIGIN OF THE VONG CO SONG “SẦU VƯƠNG Ý NHẠC”

Many members of the www.cailuongvietnam.com Website are loyal fans of the famous singer Minh Canh. While most of them would agree that the song “The Mournful Sound of Music” (Sau Vuong Y Nhac), written by Vien Chau, the King of Vong Co songs, is one of the songs that greatly contributed to the success of that legendary singer, probably only a few of Minh Canh’s fans know that this song was written based on a real and tragic life of a Cai Luong troupe’s owner, Mr. Hoang Van Quynh.

Mr. Hoang Van Quynh was the founder of the troupe “Sao Ngan Noi”, whose performers included a young and beautiful actress named My Huong. A high-ranking official in a village took advantage of My Huong when she and her troupe were performing there. After she became pregnant by him, he quickly abandoned her. Feeling deeply for her plight, Mr. Quynh wrote a play called “The illegitimate baby” to tacitly condemn that unfaithful lover.

On the first night of the play, while the audiences were enjoying the moving story, a terrible explosion occurred. It caused a lot of deaths and injuries. Mr. Quynh could not escape the explosion, either. Tragically, he lost the sight in both of his eyes. His pregnant wife, who was out-of-town on the night of the show, thus unharmed, had left him after turning over their newborn baby to him. Consequently, the only way for a blind man with a newborn baby to survive was to become a beggar.

Mr. Tran Trung Quan, the author of the book “Hau Truong San Khau Cai Luong"(Cai Luong Backstage), recalled: “Eight years later, there was a boy holding a bag in his hands and guiding his blind father to beg for spare change from passer-by near the Ben Luc bridge. The sorrowful sight of the blind man and the soulful sound from his guitar deeply touched the audiences, one of whom happened to be the famed composer Vien Chau. So moved by Mr. Quynh’s plight, composer Vien Chau then penned the famous song “Sau Vuong Y Nhac” as a gift for his destitute colleague and also to remind the audience about the sad life of a despondent artist living in the war zone. And, of course, this song would later become very famous by the legendary voice of Minh Canh.

A young fan of Cai Luong, probably born abroad, wrote on her Web site after listening to this song and learning about its origin: "After reading the story above, my heart goes out to Mr. HOÀNG VĂN QUỲNH and the song TAN CỔ SẦU VƯƠNG Ý NHẠC của SOẠN GIẢ VIỄN CHÂU, not only helps to advance NGHỆ SĨ MINH CẢNH 's reputation (for it was HIS song), but it also enables us to get the glimpse into the tragic lives of cải lương actors during the war time.”

Written by Tancogiaoduyen, the Administrator of the Website Cailuongvietnam.com.
Translated by Khai Nguyen,
Michigan, Winter 2007

Source: khoi @cailuongvietnam.com

Note: The above article reprinted at the website or other media sources not specify the source http://cailuongvietnam.com is copyright infringement

Newer articles

Remembering one of the greatest actors in Cai luong arts – the People’s Artist (NSND) Ut Tra On (15/10/2015)
Thang Long Royal Citadel and heritage promotion (17/12/2015)
Ao Dai of days gone by (02/01/2016)
Quang Binh welcomes massive jade Buddha (22/03/2016)
New cave discovered in Phong Nha (03/10/2015)
10 Vietnamese food you need to try (02/06/2015)
Unforgettable play : Mau Nhuom San Chua (05/04/2015)
Remembering a hick (hai lua) named Sen (14/04/2015)
Painting exhibition celebrates German-Vietnamese diplomatic ties (12/05/2015)
Vọng Cổ : Sáu Câu (Six Phrases) (24/03/2015)

+ View comments - Send a comment

Reader Comments

You must login to use this feature

Quang cao giua trang

snweb15

CMX

clvncom

Spotlight
New comment

Activities Drama highlights cai luong art
Stars Le Thuy – 45-Year Career in Performing
Art Unforgettable play : Mau Nhuom San Chua
Idols Actress Bich Hanh’s biography and memories
Culture Don Ca Tai Tu Nam Bo receives UNESCO Award