Spiritual Singing of Tuong in Vietnam

For hundreds of years, audiences have been moved and enthralled by Vietnam’s traditional B???i Operas. As time went by, B???i Singing evolved to become one of the most scholarly and classical art genres in Vietnam.

B???i Singing, better known as “tu???ng”, is a unique genre of opera designed to express spirituality. The B???i stage is a mirror of life. The art form has contributed to preserving Vietnam’s cultural essence through many generations. Researchers agree that the genre is at least a few hundred years old and develop in two parallel forms: folk and royal. In the folk genre, B???i singing was a form of entertainment and recreation. In the royal genre, B???i singing was accompanied by proper plays featuring sophisticated costumes. The performers expressed subtle emotions.

B???i singing was imported into Vietnam by a Chinese singer. However, the true father of the genre was Dao Duy Tu (1572-1634), from Dao Son Commune, Tinh Gia, Thanh Hoa. Raised in a family of singers, he was banned from taking national exams. Disaffected by the Le Kings and the Trinh Lords, Dao Duy Tu entered the service of the Nguyen Lords and became a gifted poet, artist, tactician and diplomat of Cochinchine. Dao Duy Tu taught the natives of Binh Dinh, Cochinchine some B???i melodies in the local dialect with lengthened rhyming that differed from the interrupted beat “ví ??, í ??” of the Le – Trinh realm in the North. Binh Dinh is regarded as the cradle of B???i singing.

A play of Vietnamese traditional Tuong performed on the stage

During the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), B???i singing flourished in the royal court and evolved into a distinct genre called “Hue Court Tu???ng”. The Nguyen kings ordered the construction of a number of tu???ng theaters in the royal complex, including Thông Minh Hall, or the Viewing Hall. A theater was even built in the mausoleum complex of King Tu Duc. Nguyen aristocrats wrote some notable plays, including “Good Heralds from All Directions” and “Myriad Subjects in Attendance”. Consisting of dozen of acts, these plays were performed year-round. Under the reign of King Tu Duc, Dao Tan (1845-1917), a mandarin known for his fairness and integrity, helped to develop B???i singing with a focus on intellectual and royal themes. He founded a B???i opera workshop in Binh Dinh called “The Pavilion of Theatrical Studies” and composed many famous B???i plays that are still performed today, including “The Incense”, “The Ancient Fortress” and “The Lady and the Hero”. Sadly, after the fall of the Nguyen dynasty, royal Tu???ng faded into obscurity. It is only recently that the art form has been revived in the former Hue Citadel.

The stage backdrops, costumes, makeup, gestures and vocal styles featured in B???i singing are highly symbolic. The background is simple, conventional and suggestive of a time and space. The stage is just a pedestal backed by a curtain and flanked by two smaller curtains used as entrance doors by the actors. The artists??? gestures must comply with certain rules of expression to help the audience to imagine the characters and their situations as real. Performers must be adept at singing, acting and dancing.

As time went by, B???i singing evolved to become one of the most scholarly and classical art genres in Vietnam. The art goes beyond singing, dancing, fine arts, music and literature to convey historical, social, cultural and religious values, reveal aesthetic and philosophical aspects, express different human emotions and portray the present and the future. Literary scripts and highly symbolic performances allow B???i singing to reflect the complicated inner world of human beings. This art form is part of Vietnam’s cultural essence.
(Source: Le Hieu Duc - Heritage Magazine)

Tourists staying in Hanoi can join tour on being a Tuong performer at Vietnam National Tuong Theatre