Directed by People’s Artist Nguyễn Hoài Huệ and written by playwright Văn Trọng Hùng, the production is adapted for hát bội by artist Đoàn Thanh Tâm. The creative team features Meritorious Artist Hoàng Thanh Bình as assistant director, Meritorious Artist Đào Trung Nghĩa for music composition and direction, artist Nguyễn Văn Sáu for stage design, and artist Đỗ Thị Kim Tiển for choreography. Performers from the Đào Tấn Tuồng Troupe are joined by supporting artists from the Bình Định Bài Chòi Opera Troupe.
The tuồng opera pays tribute to the life and legacy of patriotic scholar Tăng Bạt Hổ (real name: Tăng Doãn Văn, born 1858 in An Thường village, Hoài Ân district, formerly part of Bình Định province). A leading intellectual at the turn of the 20th century, he was among the earliest advocates for national independence and modernization.
The play traces Tăng Bạt Hổ’s nearly 30-year journey to liberate his homeland, spanning Central and Northern Vietnam and extending abroad to Thailand, China, Russia and Japan. His story reflects a steadfast aspiration for national unity and self-determination.
The main cast includes artist Thái Phiên as Tăng Bạt Hổ, artist Thanh Vân as Xuân Mai, Meritorious Artist Ngọc Nhân as Lê Nam, artist Quốc Hòa as Emperor Meiji, and artist Thái Anh as Nguyễn Thân. Their performances bring depth to both heroic and antagonistic roles, enriching the opera’s dramatic power.
With meticulously crafted music, choreography, and stage design, the production blends tradition and innovation, delivering a vivid and emotionally charged retelling of history through the art of traditional hát bội theater.
According to Nguyễn Trọng Quỳnh, Director of the Gia Lai provincial Traditional Arts Theatre, Khát vọng non sông is not only an artistic achievement but also “a heartfelt tribute to the forebears who dedicated their lives to the cause of independence and freedom”.
The production is part of the theater’s annual cultural program, aimed at preserving and promoting the heritage of tuồng (hát bội) and enriching the repertoire for contemporary audiences.