(VOVworld)- Tuyet Mai was the first announcer of Radio the Voice of Vietnam having been honoured with the titles Emeritus Artist in 1984 and People’s Artist in 1993. She was also honoured as the Golden Voice on Radio by millions of listeners throughout Vietnam.
The famous announcer is now 84 years old. Though I have been working with her for several years at radio, I never realised she is now 84. Time flies so quickly. But for Bui Thi Thai, Tuyet Mai’s real name, the milestone in her life dating back 50 years ago remains memorable. The life of the announcer who is loved by millions of people when she announced: “This is Radio the Voice of Vietnam”, came to a “turning point” due to two major events: becoming an official presenter of the Radio the Voice of Vietnam with the penname Tuyet Mai, and getting married to composer Phan Phuc at the age of 33.
Bui Thi Thai was born on Cai Hai island in the northeast of Vietnam. She joined the revolution in early August 1945. When Radio the Voice of Vietnam was established on September 7, 1945, she participated in the live broadcasts of revolutionary songs at the temporary station in Pham Ngu Lao street, Hanoi. Thai sang several French songs beautifully. She was the first and might be the only one singer at that time that was accompanied by a military orchestra. The orchestra was conducted by the famous Captain and famous composer Dinh Ngoc Lien, who later fell in love with the beautiful singer Bui Thi Thai. Within 10 years, they had three children whose smaller families all now live together at their house at No 5 Tran Phu street. Mrs. Thai’s son, Dinh Thang Loi was a military General and her third daughter was named Tuyet Mai, whose name Ms Thai took as her penname on Radio.
When peace was restored in the north, Radio the Voice of Vietnam moved from the resistance base to 58 Quan Su street, Hanoi. At that time, Thai quit her singing career to become an announcer. From 1958 announcer Tuyet Mai became popular on broadcasts by the Voice of Vietnam thanks to her soft, smooth, and emotional voice and standard Vietnamese accent. Many generations of Vietnamese listeners throughout Vietnam agree that poem recital artist Tran Thi Tuyet and announcer Tuyet Mai had the best voices.
Being blessed with a beautiful voice, but to gain the honourable title, the announcer practiced patiently for days, months and years. For her, “physical exercises” should also be done in an organized way. In the morning, after doing her morning exercises, she practiced her vocals for a while before going to the Radio station.
During the anti-US war, in current and political affairs broadcasts, announcer Tuyet Mai, together with announcers Viet Khoa, Kien Cuong, Nguyen Tho and Tran Phuong, inspired soldiers and the public throughout the country. Tuyet Mai’s reading in the “Night story telling”, “Poem recital” and “Overseas Vietnamese’ programs, broadcast on radio in the evening kept listeners from southern Dong Thap province to soldiers along the Truong Son range and millions of people in the north, remote islands and mountain areas stay close to the radio and they considered radio as their closest friend.
Announcer Tuyet Mai is always eager to learn and tries to improve herself. Though she is a famous announcer, she is never haughty. She is modest and gentle. Once, she read an article about Cheo traditional theatre and misread the word “chieng cheo” (cradle of cheo) with “chieu cheo” (Cheo stage). I interrupted her and explained to her the difference between the two concepts and that she had misread the word. Mai smiled and admitted that she didn’t know about “chieng cheo” and then reread the story. That’s it. She was very sincere. She loves learning and reading. Though she is more than 80 years old now, she continues reading. Besides her bed, there are numerous books. Mai says she doesn’t need glasses to read. Most of her books are literary works. She has said previously that she read a lot of novels and short stories for her listeners in the “Night Story Telling” program and now reads books for herself.
As I mentioned earlier, Tuyet Mai got married for the second time in 1958. That year, composer Phan Phuc was only 23 years old and still single. Phuc was born in 1935 in Hanoi. He was an elegant man. He used to be a violin soloist in the Voice of Vietnam Orchestra and the Dance and Drama Orchestra. After graduating in Sofia, Bulgaria, he returned to work for the Radio and from 1972 to 1988, when he retired, he was the Conductor of the Orchestra of Radio the Voice of Vietnam. Phuc was also a violinist in the orchestra under the baton of Conductor Ho Chi Minh, as we see in President Ho Chi Minh’s famous picture.
Phan Phuc said he and Tuyet Mai had known each other for a long time and then fell in love. They got married despite the disapproval from both families and silent rumours among friends. Their wedding was very simple. After their marriage was certified at the People’s Committee with two friends as their witness, artists Kieu Mien and Minh Phung, the newly-married couple invited their friends out for noodles and then went back to their house at No 5 Tran Phu street, Hanoi. That’s it, said Phan Phuc. They then had a daughter who is now musician Phan Thi Tuyet Minh, former Director of VOV3 Channel of Music, Information and Entertainment.
Though announcer Tuyet Mai has been retired for nearly 20 years, her voice is still heard on the signature tunes of several programs including the Arts and Literature Program, the Poem Recital Program on Sunday evening, the Radio Drama Program on Saturday evening and everyday “Night Story Telling” program.