Australian girl obsessed with “Tuong”

For months, Eleanor Clapham has studied Cheo ­– Vietnamese reformed opera – with meritorious teacher Thanh Tuyet. The summer heat can not burn out the enthusiasm of both teacher and student. First starting with Tuong, Eleanor now continues with Cheo, another special type of Vietnamese opera.

Eleanor is very proud of her Vietnamese name – Hoang Lan. Her Tuong teacher named her after the special yellowish flower Ylang Ylang. She was lucky to have many teachers, who were enthusiastic and experienced, helping her in her first encounter to the very difficult form of art, even for locals.

Eleanor’s decision to study Tuong was made after she witnessed a piece of Tuong art performed by a group of Overseas Vietnamese in her hometown, Canberra, Australia. Eleanor was introduced to teachers at the University of Theatrical Art by teacher Dinh Thi when he was doing a Master of Art degree in Australia, and she decided to head to a country she knows nothing except her love for its Tuong art.

Eleanor poses a challenge for teachers at the University of Theatrical Art, because she was the first student of Tuong whose mother tongue was not Vietnamese. Although Eleanor started learning Vietnamese together with Tuong, her desire and strong will has helped Eleanor in learning Vietnamese and the art of Tuong even quicker than a normal Vietnamese student.

“Learning Tuong is difficult because you have to adjust your tone while following the rhythm. But the more I study, the more I love Tuong”. Eleanor confided. She can even explain the meaning of different tones, and ways of singing the same sentence. She especially like Tuong’s dances, which is both highly symbolic and aesthetic.  And she was successful in learning four of Tuong’s famous pieces.

Eleanor returned home in the last Christmas and performed the four pieces to Australian audience in various places and received the public appreciation, including that from overseas Vietnamese in Sydney and some other cities. Her former teacher and family advised her to return to Vietnam to learn professional Tuong so that she would be able to perform more difficult pieces.

Upon returning to Vietnam, Eleanor turned to her former tutor, Meritorious Teacher Thanh Tuyet, for her special assistance. Tuyet has had over 40 years of singing Cheo, and has compiled a special curriculum to teach her Cheo skills to the foreign student. Although Cheo singing is easier than that of Tuong, its dances and body movements are much more complicated.

Over three months of learning Cheo, Eleanor has learned several pieces, and has advanced to a new level of difficulty. Julia Steward, Eleanor’s friend was surprised to witness her friend’s skill development after a short period of time.

Eleanor expects to finish her Cheo course in 4 months, then move o­n to Cai Luong – Reformed Opera. She is proud to say that she has already secured a place at the Sydney Opera House after she finishes the course thanks to her advancement in learning Tuong and Cheo. And she also share with us her utmost dream – setting up a group of Tuong and Cheo lovers and artists, to bring this special art forms to all corners of the world.