Vietnamese cai luong (reformed theater) Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long will hold a live history-themed show in Ho Chi Minh City next week, the artist announced at a press conference on Monday.

The 3.5-hour show, to be held on October 18, is expected to cost Long nearly VND900 million (US$42,361) and is expected to include 80 performers.

Long said he has picked the scripts under the theme of Vietnamese history to create the show with a view to proving historical cai luong is still attractive if it is well-staged.

He also expressed confidence in his ability to create a show which is interesting, not boring, as people often think about the traditional art.

“This show will be a measurement of audiences’ love for me,” Long expressed. “If we cannot sell many tickets, it proves that the public’s love for me is over. If the show is sold out, it will be a big motivation for me to follow the profession, as well as to finish my ambitions with the art.”

“However, the most important thing is this is a chance for me to say thank you to people who have always supported me, even in my dark times,” he added.

A performance by Kim Tu Long

In August, Long was charged with illegal gambling in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long.

Provincial police raided a gambling ring and arrested 27 people who were illicitly playing cards for money on a barge on June 26. Long said he happened to be on the scene at the time.

“I didn’t receive a penalty in accordance with the court’s final decision,” Long said. “But after that incident, I was down, and some television stations stopped working with me.

“Now things are getting better. Whether I was inadvertently or deliberately involved in the scandal, I feel guilty toward my audience.”

Kim Tu Long’s show will take place at Ben Thanh Theater at 6 Mac Dinh Chi Street in District 1.

Cai luong is a form of modern folk opera that blends southern Vietnamese folk songs, classical music, and modern spoken drama.

Most popular in southern Vietnam, it is now promoted as a national theatrical form.

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