Cai Luong

Cai Luong (Vietnamese: Cải lương), widely known as "renovated theatre," is a captivating form of modern folk opera that originated in Southern Vietnam in the early 20th century and gained popularity during the 1930s as a theatre form embraced by the middle class during the French colonial era.

It represents a harmonious fusion of southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, tuong (a Chinese-based classical theatre form), and contemporary spoken drama. Cai Luong has two types: ancient and modern. The modern type tells love stories with family and social elements, exploring Vietnamese cultural and social norms. Ancient Cai Luong is based on tales and legends from the feudal system. While Vong Co plays incorporate reused melodies with changed lyrics.

With its enchanting melodies and profound lyrics, Cai Luong serves as a vessel for praising Vietnamese moral values. By now, it has been cherished and preserved as a treasured national theatrical art form, cherished by both local audiences and visitors from abroad.

a traditional stage performance originating in the northern countryside of Vietnam, encompasses the essence of folk ballads and proverbs

a traditional Vietnamese theatrical form that combines songs, dances, and dramatic actions, characterized by stylized gestures and the use of rhyme and storytelling techniques

a genre of Vietnamese folk music originating from Bac Ninh province, is characterized by alternating groups of female and male singers engaging in musical challenges and responses