Ancient opera artist Xuan Thu - sister of late artist Thanh Tong passed away after struggling with illness

Artist Cong Minh - artist Xuan Thu's brother, said she passed away after being treated at Cho Ray Hospital for diabetes. "Last night when I took my sister home, my brother passed away at home. Tho was 67 years old" - Artist Cong Minh said emotionally.

Artist Cong Minh said that the youngest sister in the family, artist Xuan Thu, breathed her last breath at 3:45 a.m. on December 18 at her home, after more than a month of diabetes treatment at the hospital. Cho Ray.

"My younger brother has had diabetes for many years, and recently had symptoms of fatigue. Even though he was sick, he always hid it from everyone and was afraid to bother everyone. When he got seriously ill and was treated at Cho Ray Hospital, it was too late. In critical condition. Last night when I brought her home, my brother passed away at home. Tho was 67 years old" - Artist Cong Minh said emotionally.

Artist Cong Minh said that Ms. Xuan Thu's real name is Nguyen Thi Thu Nguyet, born in 1957 in Saigon. She is the youngest daughter of artist Minh To and Mrs. Bay Su.

From a young age, artist Xuan Thu was trained by his father in the Minh To troupe to sing for children along with sisters in the family such as Bach Le, Bach Long... Artist Xuan Thu was trained in singing by People's Artist Thanh Tong.

Mr. Minh To wants his children to act in a variety of roles, so he teaches every role so Xuan Thu can act both tragic and comedic. She has performed roles such as Ngo Quoc Thai, A Pho...

She has the same singing and acting characteristics as her two older sisters in the family, Xuan Yen and Thanh Loan. Her acting skills were drawn from the performances in which she stood in the backstage to watch her two sisters act, thereby confidently taking on roles on the Minh To stage.

In the early years when the country was unified, the Minh To troupe organized a reformed program for children's audiences led by artists Bach Le and Bach Luu. She has been attached to this program, performing traditional Vietnamese historical operas to serve children's audiences, including the play "Tran Quoc Toan goes to war".

In addition to her family troupe, she also occasionally sings and tours with a number of troupes in the West and Central regions. Artist Cong Minh expressed that Ms. Xuan Thu is extremely passionate about her profession. However, among her siblings, she rarely sang later.

When Mr. Cong Minh wanted to rebuild the Minh To ancient opera troupe, Ms. Xuan Thu was an active participant.

In the play Liu Bei proposes to Giang Ta (script: Minh To - Thanh Tong, director: Truong Son) marking the debut of the Minh To ancient opera troupe at Sen Viet stage in 2021, people were moved to see her. Xuan Thu is the person who taught artist Tu Suong's son how to dance with the sword.

That is a beautiful image of a family with up to 100 years of family business, when Mrs. Xuan Thu, the fourth generation in the family, continues to teach Tu Quyen and Hong Quyen (the sixth generation).

"Now when I look back at the picture, I really miss my sister. All her life she was dedicated, loved her job, settled down, didn't hustle, only knew how to live with the opera troupe, take care of her siblings, grandchildren, and get married. is happiness" - artist Cong Minh shared when talking about artist Xuan Thu.

Ms. Xuan Thu's husband is artist Thanh Linh (youngest brother of the late artist Bach Mai, from the Huynh Long ancient opera family).

Mr. Thanh Linh passed away during the recent pandemic. Artist Cong Minh said that Mrs. Xuan Thu and Mr. Thanh Linh did not have children, and for a time, Kim Tu Long and his wife Trinh Trinh took her home to take care of her.

According to her family, Ms. Xuan Thu had been sick for the past month, but her death was too quick and sudden. In July this year, the Minh To family painfully said goodbye to artist Xuan Yen, and now it continues with the departure of artist Xuan Thu...

Her passing left a lot of grief for her fellow artists and the audience, who had always had special affection for the family of the ancient Cai Luong opera artist Minh To.