In this second return to France, the troupe includes People’s Artist Trieu Thuy Tien, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Van Tho, artist Nguyen Van Bach and artists To Dinh Hieu, Chu Van Minh, Pham Thi Thao and Trinh Thi Nguyet with excerpts from Then singing performances of the Tay, Nung, and Thai ethnic groups in the Viet Bac region.
The stage space is decorated with traditional artefacts and symbols.
Compared to the 2017 programme, this year’s programme has more actors and Then melodies from more regions.
In addition, the troupe met many Tay audiences living and working in France. Along with the applause, there were also tears from those who were far away from home.
Nguyen Thi Kim Vien, a Tay woman from Cao Bang, has settled in France for nearly 40 years. She still contributes to her homeland through charity activities during her trips back to her hometown.
This time, Vien was always the first to arrive at the auditorium in both Nice and Paris. She shared: "Hearing the sounds of 'Then' singing and the 'dan tinh' (gourd lute), I was very moved as if my homeland was right here, right now."
The programme was also attended by To Bich Hai, a Tay from Lang Son who settled in France in 1963. Like Vien, Hai always serves her homeland through charity activities and exhibitions of her paintings in Vietnam and France.
As the leader of the Then troupe from the 2017 programme until this year, People's Artist Trieu Thuy Tien confided: "We had to go through so many difficulties that several times we thought we had to stop. However, with the love for heritage and the help of many people who care about cultural heritage, we finally succeeded. The programme was carefully and elaborately invested, aiming to introduce to the public an extremely unique heritage of Vietnam".
The project to bring Then singing to France has a great contribution from artist Dominique De Miscault, President of the L’Association Parfums du Vietnam in France, who has organised dozens of photo exhibitions in France, as well as Vietnam, and Dr Hoang Thi Hong Ha, Vice President of the association, currently an officer of the Paris Institute of World Culture.
Born and raised in Hai Phong, studying and growing up at the Hanoi University of Culture, Ha came to France decades ago and is considered the "midwife" of Then singing in France. She shared that France is a country that loves culture and appreciates the diversity of cultures in the world.
The Then singing performance programme in France is also a practical activity to strengthen solidarity and friendship, opening up opportunities to continue promoting Vietnam's cultural heritage.
