“Cheo” singing

Cheo singing (Traditional operetta) is originated in the northern delta of Vietnam. It firstly began as parody, then became folk music and dances since the eleventh century, and finally became the particular theater form of people in the northern delta.

Cheo singing is one of the precious heritages of the national culture. Hung Yen has many talented and well-known Cheo singers such as Nguyen Dinh Nghi (1886-1954), a native of Thuy Loi village of Tien Lu district, who experienced Cheo singing in Communal house, civilized Cheo, and made successes in Cheo Cai Luong (Renovated cheo), which marked a new improvement in the history of Cheo singing. Other figures are people’s artist Vu Thi Dinh, also known as Hoa Tam, (1906-1986), a native of Mai Dong of Kim Dong district and people’s artist Hoang Lan, a native of Pho Giac of Tien Lu district.

In the old time, Cheo groups led by a chief went to perform in all villages during festivals. One of the famous chiefs was Chief Chau of Kim Dong district. The stage of Cheo singing in the past time was made by two mats placed in the middle of the communal house. The audience sat crowdedly in three sides of the mats so that it is called Cheo mats or Cheo singing in Communal house.