BUTTERFLY LOVERS, Chinese Yue opera and tragical love story, is being presented by the ensemble XIAOBAIHUA from the province Zhejiang in the framework of CULTURESCAPES in cooperation with Prestige Artist. The Yue opera within the traditional Chinese musical theatre is a very young opera, existing merely since hundred years. The Yue opera developed itself out of dialectal theatre and folk music. In the 1920ies the first ensembles with women actors emerged. They were very successful throughout China. Until today all roles, also the male roles, are played by women.
Seemingly similar to the Romeo and Juliette story, this tragical love stories plays in the 4th century in the province Zhejiang. Young and talented Zhu Yingtai dresses as a man, to be able to study at the academy. On the way there she meets poor student Liang Shanbo and both of them are very attracted to each other. They make a pact of brotherhood, butterflies bearing witness to their oath. During the three years at the academy, Liang Shanbo takes care of Zhu Yingtai, his ‹brother› and she falls in love with him. One day, Yingtai has to leave for her hometown, and Shanbo accompanies her a while. Before they separate, Yingtai promises her ‹sister› to him and urges him to come and visit them as soon as possible. Shanbo returns to the academy and misses Yingtai dearly. The wife of the academy's Master hands him a present Yingtai had left for him and informs him about Yingtai's true self. Shanbo hurries to Yingtais hometown to marry her. But as he reaches her home, Yingtai has already been forced into marriage with wealthy Mr. Ma. Yingtai and Shanbo are grief-stricken, and their bitter-romantique meeting turns out to be their last....
The Xiaobaihua ensemble was founded in 1984 and has since had enormous success in China and all over the world.
