NS Ngoc Thuong: Daughter of People's Artist Thuong Huyen, quitting singing to go to Europe as a worker

Artist Ngoc Thuong is the daughter of the late People's Artist Thuong Huyen - the first famous singer in Hanoi, the teacher of many generations of People's Artists, Artists, and vocal lecturers. She is currently living and settling in Europe.

Recently, Japanese and Cambodian Youtuber visited the house of artist Ngoc Thuong (real name Ngoc Minh). The house of artist Ngoc Thuong in Europe is quite small and simple. Artist Ngoc Thuong hangs in the house many photos of People's Artist Thuong Huyen and the years of cultural activities in Vietnam, singing for the choir. She proudly showed off the third-class resistance medal, which was solemnly hung on the wall of her house.

Artist Ngoc Thuong shared: "In the past, I used to sing for the Dance Theater, there was only one Dance Theater in Vietnam. I was the first to work there. Later, I gave up all my passion to go to Europe to work as a worker because my family's economy was too poor. I am married to a German husband.

Currently, I live in this house, which is provided by the state here, and they give 500 Euros per month for electricity and water, so it doesn't cost anything, I don't have to pay anything. They even gave me 500 Euros to eat. How can a person like me eat 500 Euros a month. I only eat 200 Euros a month, the remaining 300 I use to pay for the phone, electricity, and comfort. My husband has to stay in the hospital all year round, so I live in this house alone.

I am a native of Hanoi, I have been married to a German husband for 30 years, so I have been here for 30 years. At home, I buy all my own things to cook Vietnamese dishes to eat. Every day I go out, I eat rolls. My life here is very peaceful. Their state raised me more than my parents, taking care of everything.

But my daughter didn't bother to come here, still in Hanoi. He works as a teacher, teaches at an international school, so the salary is also high. If you just come here, you will be very sad, you can't stay anywhere because you don't know the voice, it is considered both dumb and deaf."

Talking more about artist Thuong Huyen, her real name is Nguyen Thi Huong, born in 1923 in Dan Phuong, Hanoi and since childhood has been imbued with folk songs as well as the culture of the Northern countryside, with songs and lullabies.

Before coming to Revolution music, People's Artist Thuong Huyen was a big name, a bright star of Vietnamese new music in the early days. She went to sing very early, before 1945.

People's Artist Thuong Huyen is also the muse of musician Pham Duy (before Thai Thanh). Specifically, in his memoirs, Pham Duy has repeatedly mentioned Thuong Huyen. He described Thuong Huyen as "a talented woman like polyamorous, bohemian, with a careless personality". Pham Duy even revealed that he and Thuong Huyen used to be lovers and loved each other deeply.

Along with Kim Tieu and Thai Thanh, People's Artist Thuong Huyen was one of the first artists to sing Van Cao's music, through songs such as Suoi Mo, Thien Thai, Vietnamese Birds...

After the August Revolution, Thuong Huyen was one of the first singers to follow the Revolution. At the Hanoi Opera House, she sang 2 songs Suoi Mo and Thien Thai at the opening ceremony of the Golden Week and Rice Jar for Hunger Relief launched by President Ho Chi Minh.

Thuong Huyen quickly became the leading female singer in Hanoi at this time. She sings many genres, from lyrical songs such as songs by Van Cao, Trao Heart (Nguyen Van Khanh), Conqueror Hoai Khuc (Le Xuan Ai), Hon Vong Phu 1 (Le Thuong), Message to the Soldier (Doan Man)... to new revolutionary compositions such as Remembering the war zone, Con Dao, Son La (Do Nhuan), The call of students, Ascending (Luu Huu Phuoc),... With good technique and skillful and delicate song handling, Thuong Huyen easily masters many difficult songs in different genres.

After the resistance war against the French broke out, Thuong Huyen joined the Liberation Drama Troupe, along with many other great trees such as Song Kim, Luu Bach Thu, Pham Van Don, Hoang Oanh, Pham Duy, Pham Dinh Viem, Van Cao, Mai Khanh.

She accompanied the delegation to perform in many places on battlefields and evacuation areas. In 1947, she was invited to work at the Voice of Vietnam Radio in the Viet Bac war zone.

Here she has recorded and broadcast many songs such as Hanoi People (Nguyen Dinh Thi), Suicide Army (Hoang Quy), Dream of a Soldier's Life (Luong Ngoc Trac), National Guard Corps (Phan Huynh Dieu), Song Lo, My Village, Praise of President Ho (Van Cao), Thao River Guerrillas (Do Nhuan)... During this time, Thuong Huyen was a star at the Voice of Vietnam, with a historic voice and covering the public.

After 1954, Thuong Huyen returned to Hanoi to work. She and the Hoa Binh choir went to China to record the first Vietnamese records. In 1957 during the 6th Congress of the Youth and Student Festival held in Moscow, she won the Silver Medal in the International Folk Song Competition. This is also the first time a Vietnamese singer has won an international award. This shows that although Thuong Huyen is not well-trained in school, she sings quite technically and has high expertise.

Not only successful in her singing career, People's Artist Thuong Huyen is also the teacher of many generations of singers. With solid expertise and pioneering singing experience, she has trained many generations of excellent students such as People's Artist Le Dung, elite teacher Ho Mo La (one of the teachers and lecturers who has made great contributions to classical vocal training).