"Love Story," a journey back to the stage memories of Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen.

Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen

She said it was a way for her to reflect, appreciate, and engage in dialogue with her own artistic memories. And on March 29th, at the No Name Tea Room, the minishow "Love Story" will take place as a special glimpse into the 42-year career of Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen.

Ngoc Huyen's program structure promises surprises.

"This isn't just a simple entertainment program; the show is structured as a 'return' to the roles that were once beloved by the public, including the readers of Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper who voted for me to win the Mai Vang award. The art performance will be told through the emotions of an artist who has gone through many ups and downs," shared Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen.

The noteworthy aspect of the "Love Story" program lies in its structure: instead of chasing superficial novelty, it delves into the roles that have been integral to Ngoc Huyen's artistic career.

Meritorious Artist Vu Luan said: "Audiences will meet Lan again – one of the most tragic characters in Cai Luong (Vietnamese traditional opera) – in the excerpt "Lan and Diep," where Ngoc Huyen stars alongside Vu Luan. There, the pain is no longer about acting technique, but about the depth of experience."

Furthermore, another nuance emerges when she transforms into Mạnh Lệ Quân – a character possessing both intelligence and power, acting alongside Bình Tinh. The contrast between these two images is Ngọc Huyền's way of "telling" about her artistic range.

Artists participating in the "Love Story" art performance by Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen.

New combinations also appeared in Ngoc Huyen's show.

The performance also featured Meritorious Artist Vo Minh Lam in the scene "The Silk Threads of Tay Son" and with singer Jack Long in an excerpt from "Tam Cam". This was not simply a change of co-performer, but also a transfer of emotions between generations.

The theme "Love and Destiny" was explained by Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen herself as an expression of gratitude. But what's noteworthy is the way she expressed that gratitude: not through speeches, but by recreating memories of her professional life.

Behind each excerpt is the presence of mentors. One such mentor is the late artist Bach Mai – the person who laid the first foundation for her artistic journey.

These also include pioneers in the field of music such as the late composer Thanh Son and composer Vy Nhat Tao, who contributed to shaping the performance style.

"Time that has passed cannot be recovered," Ngoc Huyen shared. That's why every year she wants to hold a concert as a way to preserve this milestone.

This concept gives the "Love Story" art performance the feel of a theatrical diary, where each role is a page of memory.

Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen

The pressure behind a night's performance

Few could have imagined the rigorous preparation process behind a "reminiscence" program. During her time in America, the artist had to practice and refine each scene herself.

Upon returning to Vietnam, Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen immediately began rehearsing with her co-stars to perfect the overall performance. The time difference, the packed schedule, the pressure of staging… all posed significant challenges.

However, Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen frankly stated that for her, passion is the deciding factor, while funding is something that must be accepted.

She shared her financial story in a very down-to-earth way, revealing years of breaking even and years of losses. She even still "owes" her daughter some money from a previous project. But what keeps her going is the need to pursue her profession in the most fulfilling way possible.

The absence is intriguing.

One detail that caught the audience's attention was the absence of Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long, a familiar co-star of Meritorious Artist Ngoc Huyen, from this performance.

According to the artist, the reason was simply scheduling conflicts. With only March 29th being available at the tea house, she was forced to decide to go ahead with the show, even though she couldn't have the participation of her beloved stage partners, Kim Tu Long and Ngoc Huyen.

This inadvertently creates a new structure for the program; instead of focusing on a familiar couple, the "Love Story" art night promises to expand into a meeting space for many generations of artists.

"Without fanfare or chasing trends, Ngoc Huyen chooses to let traditional values ​​speak for themselves through emotion and depth in her acting. Congratulations on her 42nd anniversary in the profession," said Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long.