Artists exist along with the plays. It is certain that they live on forever with their creativity in every film, in each role and song … But one day, that person has gone. That figure has stopped making a shadow. Though thousands of works leave his good name, the loss and disappointment was so painful.

People’s Artist Thanh Tong’s passing touched the hearts of his family, colleagues and the public. It seems Chuong Vang Vong Co is taking place. Further, there are Tran Huu Trang contest, and Moc Quan Nguyen Trong Quyen contest … Is it true that he has actually departed from being a judge, an adviser or from playing a support role for young artists?

There came a day when a string went slack, no sound came out of song loan (castanets), and cai luong became quiet … In the rehearsal of the 1984 performance tour in Europe – the first trip of Northern and Southern artists together – artist Thanh Tong took the role of Man Dat – Kim Anh’s husband (People’s Artist Le Thuy) in the play Life of Ms. Luu.

He delivered the character easily, and successfully portrayed the character’s imitation and being affected by enslavement of culture. He served as the foundation to inspire People’s Artist Ngoc Giau’s character and for her to show the sense of humor and weirdness. He was sharp, fragile but cool. It was like he was playing and watching Man Dat at the same time. The audience got pulled into every single dialogue between Man Dat and Miss Bay Can Va.

There was a mishap to the 2-84 while travelling abroad. The situation did not allow us to contrive. Immediately, artist Thanh Tong took on the role of artist Thanh Duoc. He was responsible, pleasant and earnest. He kept all pressure within himself. He always carried the play note with him everywhere he went in Paris on those cold days. He read, studied and … was in deep thinking.

On the first performance day, he made everyone applaud with admiration. If Vo Minh Thanh of Thanh Duoc was elegant and sophisticated, then Vo Minh Thanh of Thanh Tong was exemplary and deep. In each phase of Ms. Luu’s life, I always received the warmth, protection, generosity, and security from my co-actor Thanh Tong. In the last scene of meeting our son, all fine gesture laid within the exchange between two characters with the scarf.

Actor Thanh Tong faultlessly polished and nurtured the emotions for me to finish the song. Another point to mention about People Artist’s Thanh Tong is that for a master of ancient cai luong to play a role in modern cai luong, it was simply a continuing exploration. A mistake that not many people thinks is that good performance is to act … naturally.

Interestingly, the stage is the art of singing and acting like real but not real. In between the two ends, it brings an amazing feeling of illusion and real, which gives the audience once stepping into the theater the sense of “being sedated”.

People’s Artist Thanh Tong applied movements of ancient cai luong into modern cai luong finely and talentedly. The root was kept strong, but the branches were well nurtured and rose up. With his talents, even in a role of a bad character, such as Dinh in Nua Doi Huong Phan, he performed quite methodologically. His movements, standing and sitting, head turning, shoulder dodging between him and me were planned in each second. If there were a sudden inspiration, then it was a mere coincidence of throwing and catching between two of us.

I appreciate Thanh Tong because of his thoughtful attitude. My fine latest memory with People’s Artist Thanh Tong was the plot in Empress Duong Van Nga. I knew he had severe arthritis, standing and sitting would be difficult for him. But because of me and the audience, he thrived and made sure the traditional dance part was majestically performed.

Sometimes, looking at his movements and concentration on the sword from the upper stage, my mind was filled with respect and that … I owed him a lot. Being an inherent actor, who preserved the treasures of cai luong Ho Quang, the most admiration about People’s Artist Thanh Tong was that he had a huge contribution in transforming cai luong Ho Quang into ancient cai luong, which incorporated Vietnamese traditional cultures.

To change the gesture from cai luong Ho Quang to Vietnamese dances smoothly, I would assume behind the nature of an actor, Thanh Tong was also a researcher, who worked devotedly with an enduring work ethic.

Only one disappointment, there were many “secrets” about stage and acting and many aspirations that this talented person had … The treasures of magnanimous and traditional undaunted of the nation’s history throughout thousands of years is the endless topic for cai luong. But if there were no one, who has such passion as Thanh Tong, who would awake the inspiration … I thought about this years before the traditional arts in general and cai luong stage in particular turned into plots and segments.

He has gone. That “punch” now becomes hopeless … Sitting beside People’s Artist Thanh Tong throughout many contests as a judge, I saw the thoroughness in acting as well as in his life. He was strict, unrelenting discipline, and had high requirement in acting. However, in his comments and straightforward advice, one could feel his love. He was a teacher and also a generous father.

Sometimes he favoured someone and then felt uneasy. With his daughter Que Tran, he was even more strict. The night Que Tran won the gold medal in Tran Huu Trang contest at Hoa Binh theater, I remember, while she cried on the stage because of happiness and difficulties in career, her father in the audience seat could not hold his tears with love and belief in her for overcoming hardship, pressure and challenges to stay with her career.

Looking at Que Tran’s growing up, one could see the foundation of teaching and bringing up by Thanh Tong and his wife. Artist Que Tran is a worthy generation of People’s Artist Thanh Tong. I have seen remarks, and even more, a new finding in their works from Que Tran and other artists of the same generation such as Huu Quoc, Trinh Trinh, Tu Suong, Dien Trung, Thanh Thao, Binh Tinh …

I had many opportunities to perform on the same stage with Thanh Tong or Que Tran. I had a habit of observing a beautiful and caring woman waiting for them. The way home of the father and daughter would not be as smooth and sweet without her presence … Now, I am worry for the two women left behind. How would they survive with this loss and help each other move on for the rest of their life.

Coming home. I walked into the studio this evening. The melody of five traditional notes raised as it has been in my sixty years of singing. I felt a sudden silence. A star has fallen. A voice has gone. There was gloomy breeze in the air. The breeze saluted the cloud …

People’s Artist Bạch Tuyết – Phụ Nữ Newspaper (23/09/2016)