Eminent Artist Thanh Tram and the young actresses, Van Quyen, An Chinh, and Hoai Thu. On an early spring day in 2002, they assembled for cheo fans.
During her career, Thanh Tram played Thi Mau thousands of times, skilfully conveying the character's aspiration for love-and a free life. At the age of thirty-two, she received the great honour of perfqrming Thi Mau in India for the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Her acting deeply impressed the Indian audience. Although for many years Thanh Tram's admirers have not 'seen her on stage performing the familiar dance of Thi Mau in her colourful costumes, they still hold her lively interpretation of this character fresh in their memories. Now, Thanh Tram spends most of her time teaching young artists.
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| Eminent Artist Thanh Tram |
Except for Thanh Tram, each of the other assembled actresses performed famous scenes featuring Thi Mau: Thi Mau at the Pagoda (Thi Mau len chtia) and Thi Mau and Her Servant NO (Thi Mau vai anh NO). It was difficult to determine the best performance. However, Van Quyen's ten years of experience (which include winning the Young Talent title at the 1991 National Stage Festival) accounted for the maturity of her portrayal.
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| Eminent Artist Van Quyen |
An Chinh seemed to be better suited to play the role Thi Kinh, who is Thi Mau's opposite. However, she acted skilfully and earned the honour of Young Talent. After finishing the scene in which Thi Mau goes to the pagoda to flirt with the monk, An Chinh changed into a fashionable black dress. Seeing her out of costume, it was hard to believe that she had just been Thi Mau, a classical character of the cheo stage.
Of those performing, Hoai Thu, was the youngest to succeed as Thi Mau. Born in Thai Binh, a cradle of cheo art, Hoai, Thu has had a passion for cheo since she was very young. In 2001, just one year into her career, Hoai Thu won the gold medal at the Traditional Stage Festival in her role as Thi Mau. Using the traditional dance structure, she developed a new style with a faster tempo. With her dimpled cheeks, the young Thi Mau-Hoai Thu quickly impresses an audience.
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| Artist Hoai Thu |
These young artists, who mesmerised spectators as Thi Mau, are only some of the faces of the cheo stage. One day they, too, will pass their mantle to a new generation and keep the image of Thi Mau alive.