A scene of Coi thieng (The Ideal), a new cai luong (reformed opera) play about soldiers and their life in the postwar period will be staged in HCM City to mark the 71st anniversary of the Viet Nam People's Army on December 22. — Photo m.newsen.vn

HCM CITY (VNS)— A new cai luong (reformed opera) play about soldiers and their life in the postwar period will be staged in HCM City to mark the 71st anniversary of the Viet Nam People's Army on December 22.

The play, Coi Thieng (The Ideal), is staged by the private drama troupe Sen Viet, composed of a group of young and veteran performers.

It was written by Vuong Huyen Co, one of the few female scriptwriters in HCM City.

The play featured Meritorious Artist Huu Quoc, Thanh Ngan and Thanh Phong, offering a new style of performance.

The 150-minute work Coi Thieng features Sau, a soldier of the Liberation Special Forces in Sai Gon during the American war. To complete his mission, he faces danger and death.

It features Sau and his life after war, when he works as a forester.

"Through my performance, I gained valuable lessons about love for country and respect for unknown soldiers," said Quoc, who played the role of Sau.

Quoc said he and other performers spent more than two months practising their singing and dance skills to provide theatre fans "a great show with our strong and melodic voices and appealing and powerful stage presence".

Le Nguyen Dat, the play's director, said: "We want to attract young audiences who should know more about the country's history and how the older generations lived and worked. We promise a great spectacle of music and images."

Coi Thieng will be staged at 8pm every night from December 19 to 22 at the Hung Dao Theatre in District 1. — VNS