People's Artist Kim Cuong is one of 7 outstanding artists who made outstanding contributions to the play "Durian Leaf" composed by her, honored in "50 outstanding literary and artistic works of Ho Chi Minh City".

Reporter: Looking back on your artistic journey and dedication, what do you appreciate?

People's Artist Kim Cuong. (Photo provided by the character)

- People's Artist KIM CUONG: That is to live, to work, to contribute in peacetime. Before 1975, artists were divided into the North and the South. When the country was unified, artists from both regions were able to meet, exchange, perform, learn together, and contribute to erasing the gap and healing the wounds of war through art.

How do you feel about the solidarity of artists in Ho Chi Minh City in the process of nation building?

- Over the past 50 years, artists in Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country have had the opportunity to live fully with their profession. We are free to create, to express our perspectives on society, people, history, status... on stage without being hindered by war or prejudice. In particular, Kim Cuong Drama Group is honored to be the first art unit to light up after April 30, 1975 with the work "Durian Leaves". The spirit of solidarity of artists in the early days of unification and until now is simply because we understand that art is the emotional bridge between people, between the past and the present.

People's Artist Kim Cuong attended the ceremony "Honoring outstanding individuals in the cause of building, protecting and developing Ho Chi Minh City (1975-2025)" at the City Theater on April 23 (Photo: KIM NGAN)

After 1975, many artists faced a challenging choice: to stay or to leave. What do you think about this?

- Like many artists, I chose to stay because I cannot live without the stage and the applause of the audience. In my opinion, artists must live with their audiences. Love for the profession is irreplaceable and Ho Chi Minh City is where stage artists feel creatively satisfied, together with artists across the country, showing responsibility for national art.

What are your concerns about the current appearance of Ho Chi Minh City's theater scene and the next generation?

- "The stage is alive but weak" - this is the concern of veteran artists, not only because of the shrinking audience, but also because the creative spirit, professionalism, and traditional stage identity are gradually fading. What makes artists more worried is the successor force. Although there are many young, promising faces, they are still not mature enough in thinking, so today's stage, although beautiful in form, still lacks a deep "soul".

However, I have high expectations for decent stages such as: 5B, Tran Huu Trang Theater, IDECAF, Thien Dang, Hong Van, Hoang Thai Thanh... The stages of these places are always lit up, still the place to nurture young theater talents.

In order for the national stage in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular to develop sustainably and make an impression, what do you think needs to be done?

- Looking back on the 50-year journey of national reunification, the HCM City artists - including the stage force - cannot help but be proud of having contributed to creating a vibrant spiritual life, truly reflecting the consciousness and changes of the times. However, in the long term, a systematic and synchronous stage development strategy is needed. Young artists are the future of the stage, but currently they lack playgrounds and opportunities to practice and demonstrate their talents. It is necessary to invest in programs to discover, train and support young artists systematically through scholarships, art projects, creative camps and even preferential policies.

The current training is still academic, far from the reality of the stage. Back then, Kim Cuong troupe trained behind the scenes, learning while doing. Performing in a theater is different from performing on the field, there are practical lessons right away to "catch up" with stage handling skills, understand the script and naturally transform into a role. Nowadays, socialized theaters are the places that directly nurture young artists but do not have the financial means to "shoulder" the training.

What advice do you have for training young actors?

- In my opinion, there should be special training support policies for young artists and stages with training models associated with real performances. For example, tuition exemptions and scholarships for students studying traditional performing arts in Ho Chi Minh City; training linkages to form a closed chain between "school - theater - socialized stage" to ensure that students have a place to work after graduation.

Without young actors, there will be no future for the stage. Building a specific mechanism for training young actors in Ho Chi Minh City is not just a suggestion, but an urgent requirement. Investing in legacy resources is investing in the sustainable vitality of the stage in the future.

People's Artist Kim Cuong, former founder and Head of the Kim Cuong Drama Troupe, is one of the pioneering artists who brought drama closer to the Southern audience after 1975. She is not only a talented actress but also an excellent director and screenwriter, with many immortal works such as "La dua rieng", "Duoi hai mau ao", "Bong hong cai ao"...

She also served as a member of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (2009-2024), Vice President of the Association for the Support of Poor Patients, the Disabled and Orphans in Ho Chi Minh City. Her contributions are not only in the field of art but also in social work. She was awarded the "Lifetime Artist for the Community" award by the Lao Dong Newspaper in 2023.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nsnd-kim-cuong-lam-nghe-si-cua-dat-nuoc-hoa-binh-that-hanh-phuc-196250426202304802.htm