‘Cai luong is my life’: veteran actress My Chau

One of a kind: Cai luong actress My Chau’s strong and melodic voice and powerful stage presence leave a strong impression on audiences. Photo from the artist’s Facebook

Chau, Chut Ta Tinh Tri Am (Chau, an Appreciation of Life), written by Thanh Thuy and published by Saigon Books in co-operation with the Culture & Arts Publishing House, features the development of cai luong, a genre of traditional theatre in the south between the 1960s and 1990s.

The book includes 268 pages and dozens of black-and-white and colour photographs of Chau and her colleagues by well-known artists living in Sai Gon before and after 1975.

The book features Chau’s memories of famous performers, including People’s Artist Phung Ha, a guru of cai luong, Minh Phung, Thanh Nga, Hong Nga and Minh Canh, who played an important role in developing the art.

“I talked and interviewed Chau many times before writing. However, in some cases, I felt that my pen could not feature the love and challenges that Châu had spent on cai luong,” Thuy said.

“Chau, Chut Ta Tinh Tri Am helps theatre lovers, particularly young people, learn more about cai luong and its status in Vietnamese theatre,” said Le Thi Hong Gam of Dong Nai Province.

In the 1990s, Gam and her family watched Chau in many shows aired on Ho Chi Minh Television.

“Through the book, readers can understand why and how cai luong is still alive after 100 years through the love and devotion for the art of Chau, one of the region’s favourite performers,” she added.

One of Chau and her fans’ favourite plays is Khach San Hao Hoa (Caravelle Hotel), a historical play about the victories of revolutionary agents in Sai Gon before 1975. 

The play was written by theatre scriptwriter and author Tran Ha after the historic victory on April 30, 1975 which liberated South Vietnam and united the country.

In the play, Chau played Hieu, a city agent of the Liberation Special Forces, who works as a dancing girl for a bar in the Caravelle Hotel in 1970. To complete her mission, Hieu faces danger and death. 

The play and role character are based on the life and work of heroine Nguyen Thi Minh Hien, featuring real stories about the secret agent and her colleagues who contributed to the liberation cause.

Born in 1953 in Ben Tre Province, Hien became a member of the revolutionary force when she was 17. For her contributions, the government conferred her tittle "Vietnamese People’s Armed Forces Hero" in 1976. 

In 2015, Hien was deputy director of the District 5 Police. 

To perfect her performance, Chau met Hien and many of her comrades to learn more about their work and victories.

Khach San Hao Hoa was first staged by the Sai Gon Cai Luong II Troupe in 1976 and was restaged many times on Liberation Day on April 30. 

"The character Hieu was performed by many generations of artists, including cai luong stars, but Chau’s strong and melodic voice and appealing and powerful stage presence left a very strong impression on audiences,” said actress Thoai My, who starred in the role of Hieu in 2016.   

“Chau featured the image of nameless fighters who sacrificed their life for the people’s peace and happiness," she added.  

Career

Meritorious Artist Chau has performed in several hundred plays and TV shows and recorded albums in praise of Vietnamese culture and lifestyle in both traditional and modern styles of cai luong.   

Now an ATLien: The cover of Chau, Chut Ta Tinh Tri Am (Chau, An Appreciation of Life), a biography on the life and career of Meritorious and veteran cai luong (reformed opera) actress My Chau, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia,US, has recently been released in HCM City. The book also portrays cai luong, a genre of traditional theatre in the south, through Chau’s career. Photo Saigonbook

"If cai luong is a temple of theatre, then I’m a believer in serving it," Chau said in a recent interview with VNExpress online before launching the book Chau, Chut Ta Tinh Tri Am in early April.  

"Take me away from the stage and I’m nothing," she said.

Born in 1950 in Thu Thua District of Long An Province, she fell in love with cai luong when she was a child.

She began her professional career when she was 14 after working for Thu Do Troupe in Sai Gon (now HCM City).

She later worked for Kim Chung Theatre, one of the region’s leading cai luong troupes, performed with actors such as Thanh Nga, Hung Cuong and Minh Canh, all of whom are recognised as some of the most talented cai luong performers in the country.

She played leading roles in famous plays, including Trinh Nu Lau Xanh (The Beauty) and Khi Rung Moi Sang Thu (Forest in Early Autumn).  

In 1967, Chau received the Thanh Tam Awards for Best Actress (Tran Huu Trang Awards, now awarded by the HCM City Theatre Artists Association).   

After 1975, she performed leading roles in the historical plays Thai Hau Duong Van Nga (Queen Mother Duong Van Nga), Tieng Trong Me Linh (Drums of Me Linh) and Cong Chua Ngoc Han (Princess Ngoc Han).

The plays featured the themes of loyalty and patriotism. Her voice and dance skills left a strong impression on audiences.

In the 1990s, Chau worked with Can Tho Television (THTPCT), HCM City Television (HTV) and Tay Do Film to produce TV shows, videos and albums featuring quality plays on social issues.

Through her productions, Chau found ways to win the hearts of people living in remote areas who enjoy theatre via TV or radio.

Chau and her colleagues worked hard to highlight the culture and lifestyle of southern people through their art. They made cải lương popular among fans.

For her contribution to the country’s theatre, Chau was honoured with the tittle "Meritorious Artist" from the Government in 1993.

In 2002, Chau and her husband, theatre actor Duc Minh, moved to the US. She has frequently returned to the country to perform in many TV shows.

"A theatre artist can still perform well without thinking of money and glory," said Chau, adding that her love for theatre has helped maintain her health. 

by Thu Anh

Source: VNS