Red Detachment of Women (ballet)
The novel was based on the true stories of the 100+ member strong all-female Special Company of the 2nd Independent Division of Chinese Red Army, first formed in May 1931.
As the communist base in Hainan was destroyed by the nationalists, most of the members of the female detachment survived, partially because they were women and easier to hide among the local populace who were sympathetic to their cause.
After the communist victory in China, the representatives of the surviving members were taken to Beijing and personally inspected and praised by Mao Zedong.
The 1970 film version of the ballet made Xue Jinghua (as Wu Qinghua) and Liu Qingtang (as Hong Changqing) superstars along with a dozen other artists who were cast as protagonists in other model plays of the time.
Many numbers were based on the folk songs of Hainan Island, a place that, with its coconut trees rustling in tropical wind, evokes much romantic ethos.
On 25 December 2015 Chinese Choreographer Wen Hui, the German Director and Dramaturge Kai Tuchmann, and the author Zhuang Jiayun premiered their work RED at the Power Station of Art in Shanghai.
[2][3][4] Main Characters: In his dungeon, Nanbatian, the despotic landlord, has imprisoned his tenants who are unable to pay their exorbitant rents.
Major numbers: In the camp of the Red Army beside the Wanquan River, a newly formed Detachment of Women is being trained.
Mountains of gifts are brought in; visitors are arriving, Li girls are driven in with whips at their backs to dance for the guests.
Hong Changqing, disguised as a wealthy merchant from Southeast Asia, arrives on the scene, calm and dignified, to congratulate Nanbatian on his birthday.
It has been agreed that Hong is to fire his gun at midnight as signal for the Detachment to break in to wipe out the Tyrant and his gang in one fell swoop.
Suddenly, the sound of cannons is heard and Xiao Pang, the Messenger, arrives on horseback with the information that Nanbatian has assembled a large number of troops, and they are on their way to attack the base of the Red Army.
Hong gives his portfolio to Wu Qinghua and orders her and other members to retreat while he and only two other soldiers stay behind to fend off the enemy.
A memorable moment in the entr'acte is the precisely synchronized grand jete of the Red Army soldiers crossing the stage in a seemingly endless line, vividly suggesting they are as fast as an arrow flying in the air.
At the end, Hong is burnt in a horrid fire under the giant banyan tree amidst a chorus of the Internationale, and he dies a martyr's death.
[5] From Jiang Yun's story, the French author Maël Renouard borrows the name of a fictional character, Tang Meiyu, in his Peking Opera Reform.
[6] Images of dancers performing The Red Detachment of Women appear as a theme in the work of visual artists Hung Liu, who grew up in Changchun China but settled in Oakland California.
