How does Cai Luong combine circus to tell the story of King Tran Nhan Tong?

When the character of King Tran Nhan Tong sings about the battle, behind him there will be circus artists performing movements simulating the king's spirit, strength and intelligence.

Buddhist monks and nuns from the Vietnam Buddhist Academy also staged a play about Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong - Photo: T.DIEU

That is how the artists combined reformed opera and circus to stage the play Tran Nhan Tong.

The show is being staged by artists from the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre in collaboration with the Vietnam Circus Federation as a tourism product order from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Opera and circus on the same stage

People's Artist Trieu Trung Kien - Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Traditional Theater - said that in recent years, the Northern Cai Luong theater has performed three times about the Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong, but this is the first time Cai Luong has combined with circus to portray the image of this wise and benevolent king.

People's Artist Tong Toan Thang (director of the play Tran Nhan Tong with Meritorious Artist Tran Quang Khai) said choosing the circus format was very convenient to convey the story to foreign tourists because circus overcomes language barriers.

But the question is how to combine cải lương and circus on the same stage and the circus language is suitable for the story of the most famous wise and benevolent king in the history of Vietnamese dynasties?

How will artists combine cải lương with circus without being "incompatible"?

Telling about Tran Nhan Tong in circus language, foreigners can also understand

People's Artist Tong Toan Thang explained that there are classes where the cai luong actors sing, and the circus performers illustrate. For example, when the character of King Tran Nhan Tong sings about the battle, behind him there will be circus artists performing movements simulating the king's spirit, strength and intelligence.

There are scenes of opera characters singing above, while below is the image of the king portrayed by circus artists.

"This way of presentation brings something new, helping the audience enjoy it with many senses at the same time, suitable for young audiences and tourists who want to learn about Vietnamese history and culture," said People's Artist Tong Toan Thang.

In addition, the circus team uses many circus techniques such as trapeze, acrobatics, juggling, net climbing, etc. to recreate the heroic battles of the Tran Dynasty's army and people.

Previously, the Vietnam Cai Luong Theatre (now the Vietnam National Traditional Theatre) also coordinated with the Vietnam Circus Federation to stage two cai luong plays combined with circus, including the play Thuong Thien Thanh Mau.

The play Tran Nhan Tong was staged based on the script by Dr. Bui Huu Duoc - former head of the Department of Buddhism under the Government Committee for Religious Affairs, adapted by Meritorious Artist Pham Ngoc Chi, co-directed by People's Artist Tong Toan Thang and Meritorious Artist Tran Quang Khai.

People's Artist Huynh Anh Tu is in charge of the play's music, planning to compose a theme song for the play, along with many background music pieces.

The Vietnam National Traditional Theater aims to have Tran Nhan Tong be a work performed regularly and periodically to serve tourists.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cai-luong-ket-hop-xiec-the-nao-de-ke-chuyen-vua-tran-nhan-tong-20251007220139691.htm