Touchdown of “Raise the Red Lantern” by the Chinese National Ballet in Manila comes with controversy and a lot of excited hush talking. The arrival of the Chinese National Ballet delegation in the Philippines comes a few days after a major Chinese show was mysteriously cancelled at the CCP. It also comes days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced that the Philippines is realigning with the ideological flow of the Chinese. These political declarations have prompted people to speculate whether the sudden approval of a three year old project has something to do with repainting of political colors. Is this show a mere statement or is it really a product of years of determined exchanges between the Chinese Embassy, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and of course the National Commission for Culture and Arts? I am inclined to believe the latter. Felipe de Leon Jr., chairman of the National Commission for Culture and Arts, said the largest number of cultural exchanges handled by his office has always been with China and that political issues have never deterred cultural exchanges. The Cultural Center's Artistic Director, Chris B. Millado, said they consider the 100-member ballet troupe's show in Manila and a reciprocal performance in China next year by Ballet Philippines as a "handshake not only between partners, it's a handshake between audiences, it's a handshake between cultures”. Let us leave it at that for now.
It’s no wonder that “Raise the Red Lantern” has become an internationally acclaimed Chinese ballet. Librettist and Director Zhang Yiou, has paved the way for renowned artists to create an admirable collaboration. Their presentation last October 27, 2016, was well received by the audience made up of primarily of the who’s who in the dance world. The bold contributions of the stage designer (Zeng Li), the costume designer (Jerome Kaplan), the lighting designer (Zhang Yimou) and of course the choreographers (Xin Peng Wang and Wang Yuan Yuan) and the talent of the dancers all have made the show a strong portfolio of Chinese art. Not only did they show a good grasp of technique in theatrics, they also were able to manage to create cultural highlights. Brilliantly infused into the libretto was Chinese opera, martial arts, traditional folk dance, music and even social games. All done with flair but never compromising the story telling. Too much flavor sometimes ruins the soup but it in this case, it was a hearty spoonful of goodness. I respect their ability to temper their offering.
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The ballet exposes the inequality of genders in a feudalistic environment. The story is not merely about love and jealousy but rather a closer look at the human battle for control. In Chinese culture, the lighted red lanterns symbolize the Master’s strength and control. The ballet opens establishing this with beautiful red lanterns emerging from the darkness. Soon enough it was a legion of lanterns carried ever so gently and carefully by the ballerinas until the stage was filled with rows of dramatic luminosity. Perfectly on time with the music, the lanterns lit up one by one by the dancers revealing themselves in the process. This seamless introduction created the impression that the show was not just about ballet but a soothing and layered story telling visual and it was.
Portraits of a Woman
The characterization in the story did not rely solely on the dancers. It was supported by dedicated color palettes, props and specific movements. The energy of the dancers were consistently a good match to Quigang Chen’s complex music. Despite this comfort, the dancers delivered very strong portrayals. In hindsight their performance (over and beyond the lead characters) seemed more than just roles but also a representation of who the Chinese really are as a people.Take the good with the bad.
I was pleasantly surprised that technique was a requisite but artistry and storytelling came first in this production. The dutiful first wife, was elegantly performed by the effortlessly long Li Jie . Lu Na gave a satisfying performance as the second wife. She was artistic, flamboyant, dangerously ambitious and ultimately selfish. The clarity and depth of her emotions was astounding. I particularly like how she developed her character subtly. Because she put layers in her performance, I wept with her in her final moments. The lead ballerina is played by Principal Dancer Zhang Jian who portrayed a woman imprisoned by duty. She feverishly depicted her undying love for her lover. Her lyricism accentuated her grief. The range of movement of the three ballerinas was wonderfully grandiose. Their technique as expected was precise.
Counterpoint in Choreography
Dramaturgy was far from lazy. Memorable to me were the organic use of props and sets in the choreography. In the first act when the first wife and the first concubine were introduced, fun and playful dancing by the ensemble excited the audience. With their contrasting steps each group mounted a choreographic counterpoint. The men of the company were also very impressive in their display of precise athleticism.
When the second concubine rejects the Master of the house, they indulge in a shadow play and unexpectedly, the ballerina leaps and destroys the paper wall followed by the Master destroying another paper wall. It brought a sense of reality in the story. It had me placing them running away from each other in rich hallways.
In the second act, the distraught and disappointed first concubine was dealing with her failures and she decides to destroy the red lanterns in her master’s abode. She ends up on the floor broken with her signature scarves from her minions embracing her like a coat of shame.
In the last part, when judgement was being served to the concubines and the actor, men enter and slap a huge slab of red wood unto a pristine white wall creating not only noise but red marks depicting blood. At first the men trickled in until there were many hitting the wall and creating a painting of pain. It was almost too real.
And who can forget that gorgeous snow. have never seen snow glisten and fill the space like liquid water. It was poetic.
Best foot forward
In the end the production seized to be a ballet performance. It was a rich cultural experience. It was a good introduction to this new partnership. That being said, “Raise the Red Lantern” being the first installation of the agreement sets the level of expectation for the Filipino artists. But I have no doubt that Ballet Philippines’ “Encantada” will likewise leave them breathless in awe.
Photos Courtesy of Justin Bella Alonte
Taken during the Technical Dress Rehearsal.
Disclaimer Artists were not not in full make up and were not wearing their complete costumes at this time.
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