Nam and Linh worked together in the award-winning film Me Thao – Thoi Vang Bong (Once Upon A Time in Me Thao Hamlet) in 2002.— File Photo

HCM CITY (VNS)— Theatres have begun rehearsing new plays to stage for the year, including Thien Thien, a romance to be scheduled at the city's Opera House on Valentine's Day.

Directed by film directors Viet Linh and Pham Hoang Nam, the drama will feature artists Minh Trang and Quoc Thao, both of whom were well-known in HCM City in the 1990s.

Linh, who lives in France, occasionally returns to Viet Nam to make films.

"This is the first time Nam and I have staged a drama. We hope audiences will like it," Linh said.

Nam and Linh worked together in the award-winning film Me Thao – Thoi Vang Bong (Once Upon A Time in Me Thao Hamlet) in 2002.

The film won the Golden Rose Award at Bergano Film Festival in 2003.

Thien Thien will be staged from February 14-16.

Also performing in the drama will be many HCM City artists including Hong Anh, Quy Binh and Van Trang.

After obtaining huge success with several plays featuring fairytales during Tet holidays, artists of IDECAF Theatre are busy working to prepare for their first performance tour to Da Nang.

IDECAF is one of the most well-known theatres in HCM City.

Many performances of Bi Mat Vuon Le Chi (Secrets of Le Chi Garden) and Hoang Tu Gau Va Hat Dau Than (A Bear Prince and A Miracle Bean) will be staged by IDECAF at Trung Vuong Theatre in Da Nang, beginning March 21.

"Proceeds from the shows will be donated to the Fund for Children Cancer Patients in central provinces," said Huynh Anh Tuan, IDECAF director.

After the Da Nang tour, IDECAF will re-stage several historical dramas at HCM City's Ben Thanh Theatre.

Phu Nhuan Theatre's artists are rehearsing for the comedy Binh Ruou Hoang Duong (An Unreal Wine Decanter) directed by young director Hai Yen who graduated from the city's Stage and Cinematography College last year.

Well-known cai luong (renovated opera) artists this week began rehearsing for two old cai luong dramas, Ben Cau Det Lua (Weaving Silk by a Bridge) and Tieng Trong Me Linh (Me Linh Drums).

The first is about the love between a husband and wife, and the second is about the Trung Sisters, national heroines who fought the Chinese aggressors in 40CE.

Performing in the dramas will be many veteran cai luong artists, including Ngoc Giau, Le Thuy,Thanh Sang, Hung Minh and Ut Bach Lan who are in their 60s and above.

Overseas Vietnamese artists Phuong Lien, Thanh Hang and Phuong Hong Thuy will also perform in the dramas which will be staged at Ben Thanh Theatre in District 1 on March 1, 2,8 and 9.

The performances of these two cai luong dramas will be part of artists Bao Quoc and Huu Chau's activities to celebrate the 64th anniversary of their family's Thanh Minh – Thanh Nga Troupe, one of the most well-known cai luong troupes in then Saigon, now HCM City, in the 1960s.

Works are underway by the city's Stage Arts Association for the organisation of the prestigious Tran Huu Trang Cai Luong Award 2014.

People interested in the competition can apply until February 20 at the HCM City Stage Arts Association, 5B Vo Van Tan Street in District 3.

Besides discovering young talents, the competition aims to keep cai luong alive in the community and foster a love for traditional opera among young people in the South.

The awards ceremony will be held on April 24 in Bac Lieu Province in the Mekong Delta. — VNS