Eulogy to a hero

The Performing Arts Company of China's Air Force will stage Jiang Jie, one of the most popular Chinese operas at the Great Hall of the People. The 26-year-old rising soprano Wang Li will sing the title role.

It is based on the true story of Jiang Jie, who led the underground fight against the Kuomintang and continued to lead it even after she was imprisoned, until she was killed.

The troupe premiered the seven-scene opera in 1964. The music, drawn from several folk music elements popular in Southwest China, is composed into solos, duets and choral songs and supports the dramatic portrayal of the heroine. The opera was so well-liked that it was performed nearly 300 times, by different troupes. The theme song Eulogy to the Red Plum was one of the most popular songs of the 1960s and 70s.