Opus 3 Artists
Presents

Shanghai Ballet
The Butterfly Lovers
Ballet in Four Acts

PROGRAM

INTERMISSION (20’)

 Exclusive Management for Shanghai Ballet:
OPUS 3 ARTISTS

250 W 34^th St, Worklife Office Suite 313, New York, NY 10119 | www.opus3artists.com

For Shanghai Ballet:

The Shanghai Ballet would like to thank the China National Arts Fund.

For Opus 3 Artists:
Robert Berretta, Managing Director
Ben Maimin, Chief Operating Officer
Jemma Lehner, Manager, Artists & Attractions
Leslie Beatrice, Director, Marketing & Creative
Miles Bentley, Associate
Shayna Valianos, Associate

For 2026 US Tour:
Peter Katz, Manager, Touring Logistics
Alexander Brady, Company Manager
Maddie Kunert, Stage Manager
Sarah Woods, Lighting Director

The Butterfly Lovers

LIANG Shanbo: Xu Jingkun, Tu Hanbin (alternates)
ZHU Yingtai: Qi Bingxue, Feng Zichun (alternates)
MA Wencai: Zhang Wenjun, Miao Siyun (alternates)
Father of ZHU Yingtai: Li Yang
Father of MA Wencai: Bao Deli
Old Teacher: Xue Li
Magpies: Zhao Meici, Zhu Qian, Yan Qingchen,
Zhang Junzhong
Mandarin Ducks: Guo Wenjin, Wang Jiali, Miao Siyun, 
Zhan Weiyuan
Group Dance:
Guo Wenjin, Zhou Jiawen, Zhao Meici, Wang Jiali, Zhu Qian, Yan Wentong, Chen Ruoxuan, Xu Jingyi, Li Xinyi, Miao Siwen, Yang Zheyan, Yang Xinyi, Deng Di, Li Chenjin, Kong Rui, Wang Xinyi, Li Yichun, Lu Xinyi, Zhao Ziting, Yan Qingchen, Yang Tianzhen, Zhan Weiyuan, Qi Yamin, Xue Li, Yang Chiyuan, Yu Xinmo, Zhang Junzhong, An Linbo, He Yifan, Zhang Yiran, Xu Mingjie, Zhu Bojun, Wei Qinghui, Zhang Tengyuan

The Butterfly Lovers 

Overture: The Butterfly Lovers 
The music of heaven, the secluded paradise, so quiet, so holy & pure. 
South of heaven, north of Earth, a pair of young people face one another from a great distance. The man is Liang Shanbo & the lady is Zhu Yingtai.

Life is reviving. Love is awakening. 
Butterflies are beautiful. The world is splendid. 
Among the butterflies, with elegant costumes and fans in hand, classmates Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yingtai gracefully approach each other. 

Episode: Hundreds of flowers are blossoming, 

A pair of butterflies are flying. 
Butterflies are in the world of mortals, 
It’s Liang Shanbo & Zhu Yingtai. 

ACT I: In School 
It is spring season with flowers blossoming, birds singing and mountain water running. Liang & Zhu are studying eagerly in class. Disguised as a male in order to attend school, Zhu plays cheerfully with her classmates after class. MA Wencai is a bully and he disregards the teacher and cheats his classmates. ZHU Yingtai tries to stop him but gets threatened. Liang helps Zhu, but is beaten by Ma. At last, Ma is driven out of the school. 
In the evening, Zhu kneads Liang’s wounds with all sorts of feelings. She falls in love with Liang, but Liang isn’t aware of Zhu’s heart. 
At dawn, a letter comes from Zhu’s family, asking her back home. 

ACT II: Farewell 
It is a beautiful midsummer morning with frogs croaking and cicadas chirping. 
Liang escorts Zhu back home with deep friendship but Zhu is laden with anxiety on the way. Butterflies are flying in pairs. Mandarin ducks are playing in the water. Magpies are singing. It is a love scene in Zhu’s eyes, but Liang pays no heed. Passing by a wedding party, Zhu disguises herself as a bride, but Liang takes it as a game. Liang is pleasantly surprised to realize that Zhu is a girl when she gifts him a fan with butterfly decoration during their separation. 

ACT III: Against Marriage 
Grief and loneliness penetrate through autumn leaves. 
Zhu Yingtai is arranged to marry Ma Wencai, the former classmate and bully. The wedding ceremony is of a rich family and is magnificent with guests in splendid costumes. Ma exudes extreme satisfaction, but Zhu Yingtai is upset and against the marriage. 
Liang Shanbo arrives to propose marriage to Zhu Yingtai, but Zhu’s father looks down upon him. Ma’s family takes advantage of its wealth to bully Liang. Zhu opposes the coercion of her father by the Ma family. Zhu expresses her deep love for Liang. Under the beating of Ma’s servants, Liang falls to the ground. 

ACT IV: Transforming into Butterflies
In calm wind and fairly quiet white snow, Liang’s gravestone stands alone.
On her wedding day, Zhu comes to Liang’s grave and mourns, disregarding all oppositions. 
Liang died for Zhu. Zhu died for love. 
Suddenly, as if heaven is abiding by their wishes, they transform into two beautiful butterflies—Liang and Zhu are reunited.

Episode: Brother Liang, I miss you. 

Sister Zhu, I miss you too. 
We could not marry in life, 
We live together in another world. 

Spring returns to the good Earth. It is a beautiful and colorful world

Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners through a grant award from the Middlesex County Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. For information on events, go to MiddlesexCountyCulture.com