HCM CITY — The HCM City-based private IDECAF Theatre has launched a new art programme aimed at students from secondary schools this week.

The event’s first show features Vietnamese history and is called Tả Quân Lê Văn Duyệt- Người Mang 9 Án Tử (General Lê Văn Duyệt - Nine Deaths). 

The show features theatre stars Đình Toàn, Mỹ Duyên and Đại Nghĩa. 

It attracted more than 1,400 students and teachers, who came from Trần Phú High School and Nguyễn Khuyến High School in districts 10 and Tân Phú, on Monday morning. 

“We began working with art troupes to offer quality shows for our students from seven years ago. Through theatre, we want to help students love learning Vietnamese history,” said literature teacher Lê Thị Tuyết Lan of Trần Phú High School.  

Lan said she believes theatre can help students improve their knowledge along with studying from books with teachers.

The show, Tả Quân Lê Văn Duyệt-Người Mang 9 Án Tử, depicts the life of General Lê Văn Duyệt under the Nguyễn Dynaty in the 19th century. 

Duyệt was the Governor of Gia Định Citadel (later Sài Gòn and now HCM City). He died in 1832. 

He instructed southern people to dig the Vĩnh Tế Canal linking the provinces of the Cửu Long (Mekong) River Delta region. The canal helped local people develop their farms and business. 

Besides working to build the dyke and irrigation systems, he was known for his military talent and fight against corrupt officials and sycophantic courtiers. 

Thanks to Duyệt’s management, Gia Định developed into a populous and prosperous area. 

“I studied about the Nguyễn Dynasty and its kings and traditional heroes in different periods. Thanks to IDECAF performers, all knowledge about the history I gained from textbooks and teachers became more lively and clear,” said Huỳnh Phúc Điền, a tenth-grade student of Trần Phú High School.  

Điền said he and his friends enjoyed both education and entertainment after entering the school art programme launched by IDECAF in co-operation with their school. 

The IDECAF is working with schools in Bình Thạnh and Gò Vấp districts to offer its new shows on Vietnamese history in November.

“Students and teachers from rural areas will receive free bus tickets offered by our partners to the theatre for entertainment,” said Trần Thanh Thảo, marketing director of IDECAF. — VNS