(TVU) – The second Southern Du Ke Theatre Festival in 2023 opened on April 1st and closed on April 7th at Tra Vinh University. It was organized under the coordination of the Vietnam Association of Theatre Artists and the People’s Committee of Tra Vinh City. The Khmer Art Troupe of Tra Vinh University participated in the competition with the play “Bài học đắt giá” (Priceless Lesson).
The festival attracted 13 public and private professional art units from Tra Vinh, Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, and Bac Lieu provinces, with the attendance of more than 500 actors.
This event had 13 plays, such as Hoàng tử Vê Son Đo, Tướng quân Rit Thi Sắc, Chuyện tình giữa tiên nữ và người phàm, Giữ vững biển đảo quê hương, Hoa cau tình thắm, …
More than 30 actors who were students and lecturers of the Southern Khmer School of Language – Culture – Art and Humanities participated in the competition with the play “Bài học đắt giá” (Priceless Lesson), by Author Son Cao Thang as composer and choreographer.
Mr. Son Cao Thang said: “The play’s content emphasizes the role of educating people, inculcating the teachings of the previous generation, criticizing the selfish, pragmatic, and unfaithful lifestyle, admonishing each person to cultivate morality, love each other, and especially caring for family members.”
According to Mr. Son Cao Thang, the work is an educational message for students with social knowledge, life skills, and the tradition of respecting teachers and morals. It is a lesson to help learners become more stable in the future.
On the closing night, the Organizing Committee presented awards for different prizes to the excellent individuals and groups, including the best actor, best band, and best performance. The Khmer art troupe of Tra Vinh University has 03 students achieving silver medals, including Son Kim Ha, Thach Thi Dieu, and Thach Mi Thu Na.
The bronze medals of the competition were awarded to the play “Tướng quân Rít Thi Sắc” (General Rit Thi Sac), by the authors Thach Mu Ni and Thach So Phi and Directors Thach Mu Ni and Thach Nhut, from the Art Troupe of Svay Siem Thmay Pagoda; the play “Pho tượng tam đầu và bí mật bảo bối” (The statue of the three heads and the treasure‘s secret), by author Mai Chanh Thol and director Bo Sung, from the Private enterprise of Ron Ron Khmer collective Dù Kê Art Troupe, Soc Trang province. The silver medals were given to the play “Hoa cau tình thắm” (Areca Flowers with Love) by authors Da Ra (Ngo Khi) and So Kha Phap and Director. Meritorious Artist. Tran Hoang Dong, from Khmer art troupe in Soc Trang province; the play “Chây SôRa Vông” by author.Meritorious Artist.Thach Sung – Dao Chuong and Director.Meritorious Artist. Kim Ly Met, from Kien Giang Khmer Art Troupe; the play “Giữ vững Biển – Đảo Quê hương” (Keeping the Sea – Homeland Island), by author Thach Mu Ni and Director Huu Trung, from Khmer Art Troupe of Ca Mau Province. The play: “Hoàng tử Vê Son Đo” (Prince Ve Son Do) by Author – Composer Thach Khône and Director – Meritorious Artist. Thach Sung and Meritorious Artist. Thach Thi Ha, from Anh Binh Minh Khmer Art Troupe, Tra Vinh province. The Gold Medal Award belonged to the play: “Huyền thoại tình yêu “(Legend of Love), by Author Thach Thieu and Director. MSc. Meritorious Artist. Thach Mo Ly, from Cao Van Lau Theater, Bac Lieu province.
In addition, the Organizing Committee presented many outstanding individual awards.
The Du Ke is a theater that combines traditional art forms such as singing, dancing, music, martial arts, costumes, makeup, painting, and food… with unique characteristics of the Khmer people in Soc Trang, Ca Mau, An Giang, and Tra Vinh provinces. The work often has the same structure as Cai luong with its content of expressing the love for the homeland and the intimacy of the ethnic groups. As the spiritual food of the ethnic minorities in the West, Du Ke is sung in Khmer language, accompanied by dances, and often performed at pagodas, weddings, and festivals of cultural activities.
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By My Nhien
