What Makes a Repertoire

(The success of some Chinese ballets is partly due to their beautiful music, which has impressed audiences so much they have become popular pieces in themselves. A very good example is the music from a well-known Chinese ballet, Red Detachment of Women. )

The Chinese ballet, the “Red Detachment of Women”, is considered one of the most successful contemporary Chinese ballets.

The ballet had its debut in 1964 and was inspired by a film of the same name. It was first staged in 1964 to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. It is based on a story set during the 1930s in south China’s Hainan Island. A poor farmer’s daughter named Wu Qinghua escaped the torture of a cruel landlord, and joined and later led the local detachment of the Red Army, which was composed of only women. The story focuses on the formation of the Red Army's female contingent, the first of its kind in China’s military history.

“Red Detachment of Women’ has had a major impact on the development of ballet in China. It is part of the permanent repertoire of the National Ballet of China, and the role of the heroine, Qinghua, has become much sought after in modern Chinese ballet. Since its debut, the National Ballet of China has presented five versions of the opera. The latest version was staged at the beginning of the year, and created great public interest. The women soldiers dressed in Red Army uniforms, dancing on their toes, left Chinese and international audiences with new impressions of ballet. There is even a statue of the Red Army woman soldier featured in the ballet on Hainan Island now, and it has become a popular tourist site.

The ballet successfully combines Chinese historical background with traditional western dancing skills. Its choreography features scenes of local people going about their business, and its music is rich with the local flavour of the island.

The music remains immensely popular. Indeed, It is considered that the success of the ballet it to some degree due to its music. It was composed by five famous Chinese composers, including Wu Zuqiang, Shi Wanchun and Du Mingming.

The piece we will listen to now features the happy scene as local farmers pick lichees and wave their wide-rimmed bamboo hats in appreciation of the women soldiers.