Thanh Duoc: "The king without a throne" of Cai Luong, a sad love story with a sad woman and an unfulfilled wish

Artist Thanh Duoc passed away in the US on November 16, at the age of 89. Throughout his artistic career, he was fondly called "the king without a throne" by the audience.

According to information from his family, artist Thanh Duoc passed away in San Jose, California, USA. In the last days of his life, his relatives took care of him when he was old and weak.

Passionate about Cai Luong since childhood

Artist Thanh Duoc's real name is Chau Van Duoc, born in 1934 in Soc Trang.

After finishing primary school, he followed his uncle, the Cai Luong troupe impresario Thanh Can, to learn singing and performed on stage for the first time in 1954 in his uncle's theater troupe.

Two years later, he stood out in the role of To Dien Son (play "When the cherry blossoms bloom").

In 1957, when the Kim Thanh impresario quartet including Ut Tra On, Kim Chuong, Thuy Nga and Thanh Tao disbanded and disbanded the reformist troupe Kim Thanh - Ut Tra On, female artist Thuy Nga gathered a number of artists. Kim Thanh's ex to form the group Thuy Nga - Phuoc Trong. Thuy Nga invited artist Thanh Duoc to take on the dual role.

The reformed troupe Thuy Nga - Phuoc Trong opened with the play Nguu Lang - Chuc Nu by composer Kien Giang. In this play, Thanh Duoc plays the role of Nguu Lang, while female artist Bich Son plays the role of Chuc Nu. However, the opera only achieved relative success.

After that, the troupe performed the reformed play "When the Cherry Blossoms Bloom" by Ha Trieu Hoa Phuong, with the participation of lead actor Thanh Duoc as the swordsman To Dien Son. This opera has achieved great artistic and financial success.

Thanh Duoc is considered a talented singer, a mature actor and an artist who inherits the "beautiful and real" acting style of artist Nam Chau.

In 1958, artist Thanh Duoc returned to Kim Chuong Doan, then to Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga Doan, then returned to Kim Chuong.

Thanh Duoc and Ut Bach Lan were fortunate to learn the art of singing from famous master Kim Chuong right from the moment they entered the profession.

Kim Chuong's theater troupe, known as "Touring Heroes", has skilled actors such as Thanh Duoc, Ut Bach Lan, Kim Nen, Mong Thu, Truong Xuan, Nam Hung, Thanh Son and He Minh.

The couple Thanh Duoc and Ut Bach Lan left a strong impression on the audience through many plays such as: "The fire has not been extinguished", "On the old moon hill", "Boat to the sea gate"...

A few years later, Thanh Duoc and Ut Bach Lan left the Kim Chuong troupe to join the Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga troupe. Their troupe toured the Central region to practice the play "Half a Life of Fragrance".

In the opera, Thanh Duoc plays the role of Tung, Ut Bach Lan plays the role of Huong (named The in the countryside), and Huu Phuoc plays the role of Hai Cang - Huong's older brother.

The opera "Half a Life of Fragrance" set a "popular" record at that time thanks to the excellent performances of Thanh Duoc, Ut Bach Lan, Huu Phuoc, Viet Hung and Ngoc Nuremberg, along with good singing performances. .

A short marriage with the sad daughter Ut Bach Lan

It is known that while performing in the same troupe, artists Thanh Duoc and Ut Bach Lan fell in love. After that, they got married. People's Artist Phung Ha was invited to be the host of the man's wedding, while pregnant woman Kim Chuong was the host of the woman's wedding.

At the time of their wedding in 1961, the couple was congratulated by a series of artists and journalists.

At that time, the press published a reportage on the wedding of Ut Bach Lan - Thanh Duoc because of the couple's popularity.

During her lifetime, artist Ut Bach Lan once confided that the moment that made her flutter in front of artist Thanh Duoc was the time she went to record at Hong Hoa record label.

At that time, composer Vien Chau, who was the editor and technical director, wrote a song called Vong Co and invited the two of them to record it together. After recording, artist Thanh Duoc joked with composer Vien Chau that after listening to this song, he didn't want to leave Ut Bach Lan. From this statement, she was moved and fell in love with artist Thanh Duoc.

However, the couple's marriage did not last long. In 1964, the two broke up after 3 years of marriage.

Artist Ut Bach Lan, after breaking up with artist Thanh Duoc, joined the Long An Cai Luong troupe, serving as the troupe's leader for a while. Here, she contributed to the training of many young artists who today have become famous such as: Ngan Vuong, My Thu, Phuong Hong Thuy... As for artist Thanh Duoc, he settled in the US and married a man. next wife.

According to People's Artist Ngoc Giau, despite the divorce, artist Ut Bach Lan still loves artist Thanh Duoc.

Even though the couple is no longer together, for the audience who loves the play "Half a Life of Fragrance", it is impossible to forget the two artists who made a strong impression right from the first day this play debuted to the public.

Unfulfilled wish

Artist Thanh Duoc is a talented artist, he won a gold medal at the Thanh Tam Award in 1966 for his role as bandit Thi Dang (the play "The Sound of a Crane in the Moon").

After settling abroad, he followed a restaurant career in Germany and in 1995 came to the US to open Thanh Duoc restaurant in Milpitas, California, a small street near San Jose, California.

In 2007, his family wanted to organize an anniversary program of artist Thanh Duoc in his hometown, but then due to health reasons, the program could not take place.

During his later years, he lived a reclusive life and had poor health, so he gradually left the stage.

Theater-loving audiences still remember the roles he left behind for life.

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