Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen (the 4th from left to right) received the title of “Typical Woman of the Capital” 2021 – Photo: PNVN
It is not wrong to say that Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen was born for Cheo, perhaps that’s why many people love to call her “Huyen Cheo”. Born in 1975 in Hanoi, no one in her family is engaged in art, but the love for music has brought Thu Huyen to cheo. She attaches and become famous with this traditional art form.
Loving singing since childhood, Thu Huyen was allowed by her mother to participate in musical activities at the Hanoi Children’s Palace. By chance, she learned that the Hanoi Cheo Troupe (now Hanoi Cheo Theater) enrolled, Thu Huyen took the exam and get admitted.
In 1991, at the age of 16, Thu Huyen made her first mark on the artistic path with a special prize at the Hanoi Young Theater Talent contest for the role of Thi Mau in the ancient cheo play “Quan Am Thi Kinh”. In the same role, in 1998, Thu Huyen again won the first prize of the National Young Theater Talent Contest. With a sweet voice, eyes as sharp as a knife, a charming smile, “slut” Thi Mau shown by Thu Huyen in Cheo stage makes the audience unforgettable once watching.
Photo: FBNV
After the role of Thi Mau, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen also succeeded with many roles on the stage of the Hanoi Cheo Theater: the roles of Cu Nho or Ms. Son in the “Ms. Son” Cheo play; Thi Phuong in the Truong Vien play; Hanh Hoa in Ly Thuong Kiet play; Ngoc Han in the Ngoc Han Princess play… These roles have helped her win many high awards in national Cheo shows and festivals; however, until now, Thi Mau has always been her most impressive role. When it comes to Thi Mau of the cheo stage, people immediately think of “Huyen cheo” and vice versa.
In 2007, Thu Huyen was a young artist who was specially conferred the title of Elite Artist with 13 years of professional experience while the standard for such title is that the artist must have at least 15 years of professional experience in addition to the number of medals achieved. Most recently, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen was proposed to be considered for the title of People’s Artist of the 10th time in 2021.
Not only successful as a performer, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen also assumes the position of Deputy Director in charge of professional activities of Hanoi Cheo Theater since 2017. Always aware of the role and responsibility for preserving and developing Cheo art – a precious capital of the traditional art of the nation, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen together with the Board of Directors of the Theater built plays and high-quality art programs to serve politics, island warriors, people in remote areas, domestic and foreign audiences… to introduce the uniqueness and quintessence of Cheo art and bring Cheo art closer to the audience.
Photo: FBNV
Over the years, many plays such as Dieu con lại, Kieu Loan, Quan de de quan net, Tinh su Thang Long… of Hanoi Cheo Theater have won high prizes in festivals and performances. The theater’s performances on the occasion of important anniversaries of the country and Hanoi city such as “Art program to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first general election”, “Art program to Welcome National Party Congress and the success of the 13th Party Congress”, “Celebrating the 90th anniversary of the founding of the Party, the 130th birthday of President Ho Chi Minh… are always highly appreciated and received many compliments.
In addition to her work at the Hanoi Cheo Theatre, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen also participates in teaching career transmission to young actors, many of which have won Gold Medals and high awards in competitions and festivals of National Cheo stage.
In addition, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen is also an active person, always responsible in mass and social work. She is an active member in many trade union activities of the Cultural sector, often participating in supporting charity activities of the funds of Rice with meat; supporting flood victims in the Central Region, aid programs during the Covid pandemic season…
Photo: FBNV
Passionate about acting, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen has won 6 Gold Medals and 3 Silver Medals at national professional Cheo festivals. In the role of manager, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen always successfully completes the assigned tasks and responsibilities. She is one of the artists of the Hanoi Cheo Theater winning the title of emulation soldier and good person with good deeds at the grassroots level for many years in a row. Most recently, on the occasion of the 91st anniversary of the establishment of the Vietnam Women’s Union, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen is one of 10 persons honored by the Hanoi Women’s Union as “Typical Capital Women” in 2021.
Successful in the artistic path, in life, Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen is also admired by many people because she has a warm and happy family with Meritorious Artist Tan Minh, her husband and two obedient sons. This is the support and motivation for Meritorious Artist Thu Huyen to continue to make more contributions to the cheo stage, a traditional art form that she has been passionate about and chosen.
Lan Huong