With a sense of gratitude to previous generations and a desire to spread the glorious history of the nation, General Director Le Hai Yen successfully staged a grand musical about the history of the city named after President Ho Chi Minh.
Grand Opera “"The Legendary Train"” The opening ceremony of the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival on the evening of May 31st attracted tens of thousands of domestic and international viewers who watched live and online.
Even though the program has ended, on social media and in the media, the public continues to share about the spectacular scenes that took place for the first time at Saigon Port, such as the reenactment of the "Admiral Latouche Tréville" ship carrying the young man Nguyen Tat Thanh. Crossing the ocean to find a way to save the country. The year 1911, or the scene of the special forces soldiers of the Sac Forest sinking enemy ships…
Immediately upon returning from Ho Chi Minh City, General Director Le Hai Yen spoke with a reporter from VietnamPlus online newspaper about the undiminished emotions she felt while staging this spectacular art program.
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Tell history with all your heart.
– With a vast stage on Saigon Port, in the air, and on a replica of the "Admiral Latouche Tréville" ship, along with thousands of actors participating, I think it's not an exaggeration to call the grand musical "The Legendary Ship" a "blockbuster" art program“. How did you start brainstorming ideas for the program?
General Director Le Hai Yen: At the request of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, I developed the script and served as the overall director for the art program. “"The River Tells Stories Season 2 - The Legendary Train"” It reflects the history of the struggle, construction, and development of Ho Chi Minh City, igniting the flame of love and pride for the city, and promoting the beauty of the city and the country.
The story begins with the narration of a grandfather and grandson – played by Meritorious Artist Mạnh Dung, the "old man from Southern Vietnam," and young Gia Huy – demonstrating that history will be passed down and continued between generations.
During a period of approximately 90 minutes, “"The Legendary Train"” The story recounts modern history, set on the Saigon River, including major scenes such as: the launching of the first ships from the Nguyen Dynasty, marking the beginning of the shipbuilding industry in Vietnam; the 1925 strike of Ba Son shipyard workers, led by revolutionary Ton Duc Thang; the voyage of Nguyen Tat Thanh, a ship whose fate was intertwined with the journey of the Vietnamese nation, as he set out to find a way to save the country; and the river battle fought by the special forces soldiers of the Sac Forest…
To develop the script for the program, I spent months researching historical documents, meeting with experts and historical witnesses – management staff of the Ba Son Corporation, former commandos of the Sac Forest… I also studied very small details such as the uniforms, lifestyles, fighting methods, techniques and combat tools… of the commandos so that I could… Recreating history as authentically as possible.
– To put together such a spectacular show, you must have faced quite a few challenges, right?
General Director Le Hai Yen: We encountered so many difficulties during the production. Just one day before the show, there was heavy rain and strong winds, blowing away all the props. I stood there, suppressing my emotions, telling myself that I was lucky to still have one more day to remake the props.
With such a grand script featuring numerous chapters, scenes, and sequences, we strived to execute everything with extreme meticulous planning. And indeed, we have been working with 500% of energy these past few days.
Perhaps the most difficult part was the large-scale scene of sinking enemy ships on the river. We successfully executed the explosion and fire effects, something we hadn't had the opportunity to do during training. This scene was extremely risky and challenging, and moreover, it involved movement, dependent on the constantly changing tides.
The scene of Anh Ba boarding the "Admiral Latouche Tréville" ship was extremely challenging. We rented a ship about 70 meters long and redesigned it based on the French ship's design. We had to calculate how to position the ship so close to the main stage area at Saigon Port, creating a harmonious artistic space for the overall stage while ensuring a safe distance according to waterway traffic regulations. The transition from the Saigon Port stage to the ship's deck was meticulously planned and tested many times to ensure it perfectly matched the music and lighting.
– How have you been feeling following the public's reaction in recent days?
General Director Le Hai Yen: I was overwhelmed with happiness because a long-cherished dream had finally come true. I dreamed of telling stories about great historical figures. I deeply love and admire the stories about Uncle Ho. I wanted to tell those stories with emotion, inspiring the younger generation so that they would also love history as I have, as if it were ingrained in their blood. I spent a whole year researching history, writing scripts, and searching for techniques and methods to tell the story in a way that was compelling enough, because this is a difficult subject.
I am deeply grateful to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and the Department of Culture and Sports for their groundbreaking, bold, and decisive thinking in trusting me and giving me the opportunity to undertake this important mission.
I am also grateful to those who have accompanied me in realizing this dream. This is not just the story of Ho Chi Minh City, or of the Saigon River, but the story of the entire nation. We are proud that so many great historical events have taken place here.
Using entertainment methods to enhance educational effectiveness.
– As a female director born in the 1980s who wasn't born and raised in Ho Chi Minh City, why did you choose such a difficult path?
General Director Le Hai Yen: I love Vietnamese history and the historical figures of our nation. Our cultural and historical heritage is immense, both in length and breadth. I enjoy being a storyteller, bringing to life those historical and cultural stories of Vietnam.
As long as I can contribute, I will continue to tell stories, to delve deeper into the layers of earth and dust of time to recount the timeless values of our ancestors, so that today's younger generations will love history even more and be proud of our traditions, our stories which are no less significant than those of other countries in the world.
One day, these stories will transcend geographical boundaries and reach an international audience. I think festivals are the easiest way to convey those stories. Let's build festivals that can evoke pride and inspire journeys back to history and our roots.
Many people say that I'm making things difficult for myself by choosing history as the foundation for my artistic program, and using musical theater to tell the story, which might be hard for the public to understand and empathize with. I think that those working in culture shouldn't be afraid of difficulties or mistakes, but should boldly try new things, explore their own potential, and elevate the audience's awareness and appreciation, especially that of young people.
I belong to the 80s generation, which can be seen as a transition between the generation of revolutionary heroes and the younger generations of Gen Y and Gen Z. Later generations may not have the opportunity to meet and talk with historical witnesses like those of the 80s generation. Therefore, I believe it is my mission to recount these historical stories.
– With such a meaningful program, do you plan to develop smaller versions to create cultural tourism products for Ho Chi Minh City?
General Director Le Hai Yen: Large-scale live performances require a dedicated film studio, fixed props, and a fixed cast in order to be performed regularly. I would love to be able to spread the program more widely, but for now, that's not possible.
For now, I'm suggesting cutting chapters of “"The Legendary Train"” To be shown in schools, making learning and appreciating history easier and more engaging.
I aim for an edu-tainment model (combining education and entertainment) to honor historical and cultural values and national pride among young people through modern art forms. Many children sat in the audience, enjoying the program while reviewing historical stories they had learned in their textbooks, especially the story of Uncle Ho (Brother Ba) leaving Nha Rong Wharf to seek a way to save the country.
– Thank you for sharing, Director./.
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Source: Vietnam+
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