Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long presents flowers to congratulate his two daughters competing in Hanoi.
In the hot and humid days of late June in Hanoi, when the 5th National Professional Stage Arts Festival on "The Image of the People's Public Security Soldier" - 2025 was entering its exciting phase, the capital's audience encountered a touching image at the Army Theater.
That is Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long standing next to his two daughters, Binh Tinh and Mai Ka, when they both went to the capital to compete in two roles: a police officer named Chau (Mai Ka) and investigation team leader Thuy Duong (Binh Tinh).
Behind the scenes, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long quietly sat down to do the makeup, adjusting every detail of the costumes for the two young actresses. The two were preparing to step onto the stage in the play "Emotional Reunion", a highly anticipated entry by experts at this year's festival by author Hoai Huong, director Le Quoc Nam, and art advisor People's Artist Tran Ngoc Giau.
From left to right: Mai Ka, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long and Artist Binh Tinh
Not just a father – also a co-star, director, and inspiration
Not participating in performances but still appearing behind the scenes, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long shows another side of a devoted father in art and in life. At the age of nearly 60, after decades at the peak of the cai luong stage, he now appears as a silent supporter for the next generation.
"I don't force my child to follow this career, but when I saw Mai Ka's passion and seriousness, I knew I had to accompany her on this challenging path, including Binh Tinh because this is the first time she participates in a play about a people's police officer" - the artist shared.
Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long does makeup for Artist Mai Ka before performing the play "Emotional Reunion"
Many times, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long traveled with his son to perform in the provinces, sitting in the dark of the theater to listen to each line and each song his son sang. For Binh Tinh - his adopted son who he had mentored since the "Sao noi ngoi" contest, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long was also a great spiritual support amid career and family changes.
Two girls - each on their own path to the stage - but sharing the same silent artist father.
Theatre Festival – where family love touches artistic ideals
Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long and Artist Binh Tinh
"I find the play "Emotional Reunion" to be a unique color in the overall festival, the play has a profound humanity. The play can sell tickets after attending the festival in Hanoi. This time the troupe had a very hard time traveling, more than 20 people going to Hanoi was a big expense, but Meritorious Artist Minh Nhi has made a great effort to let the young generation of actors rub shoulders with the profession and improve their own position when performing political plays" - Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long said.
From left to right: Artist Chanh Truc, Meritorious Artist Minh Nhi, Binh Tinh, Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long and Mai Ka after the performance of the play "Emotional Reunion" cheered by the audience in Hanoi
In that context, the presence of Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long - a cai luong artist not part of the participating troupe - stands out in a symbolic sense.
He does not stand on stage to perform, but stands behind the scenes to support the new generation, where young people are looking for a way to assert themselves in a colorful festival with much creative competition.
And when the play ended in applause, in the light shining down on the audience seats, the audience saw Meritorious Artist Kim Tu Long sitting silently - his eyes filled with tears as if he himself had just gone through an "emotional reunion" of his own.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/nsut-kim-tu-long-ho-tro-het-minh-cho-binh-tinh-mai-ka-tai-ha-noi-196250703062100219.htm
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