​Saigon street exhibition honors Vietnam folk opera

The photo exhibition, titled "Cai Luong art performance - The nation's soul" was on the Nguyen Hue walking street in Saigon's District 1. The exhibition was organized in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the first cai luong stage in 1918. 

Cai luong, roughly translated as "reformed theater", is a form of Vietnam modern folk opera tradition combining music and acting.

In 1915, a band named Nguyen Tong Trieu (Tu Trieu) was established in My Tho City in the southern province of Tien Giang with many famous singers and musicians. The band performed at the Cuu Long Giang theater located next to the Saigon market at the time. This event marked the first time this music-drama genre went professional.

These four cai luong artists received the Thanh Tam Award in 1960. Thanh Tam was a prestigious award for outstanding cai luong artists given from 1958 to 1968.

Artists from the Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga performing troupe, one of the most famous cai luong groups established in the 1950s, perform a play called "The rose pinned on the blouse" by playwright Hoang Kham.

Huu Phuoc and Thanh Nga, two cai luong performers, act in a play called "Wedding dress in front of temple gate" by playwright Kien Giang.

The Ut Bach Lan - Thanh Duoc singing group perform a play called "When the cherry blossoms bloom" by playwrights Ha Trieu and Hoa Phuong.

A scene from "Night stage", a play written by Nam Chau and performed by artists Thanh Duoc and Thanh Nga.

"Truong Han" (The long resentment), play by playwright Nguyen Thanh Chau, performed by artists Kim Cuc and Phung Ha.

Artists Thanh Be and Thanh Nga perform "Lan and Diep", a tragic love story by playwright Tran Huu Trang.

Vu Luan and Tu Suong perform "Luong Son Ba - Chuc Anh Dai," written by Duc Phu and directed by Vu Luan.

Besides the photo exhibition, people also enjoyed excerpts from famous cai luong plays performed in the open by artists acting, singing and playing traditional music instruments.

The exhibition closed Monday.