Most classical musical works on Chinese themes, such as Puccini’s Turandot, perhaps unavoidably, due to their origins in Europe, have played up the exotic and orientalising aspects. A notable exception is The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto by Chen Gang and He Zhan Hao, based on the story of the Butterfly Lovers, often called the Romeo & Juliet of China.

Who were the Butterfly Lovers? Zhu Yingtai is the daughter of a wealthy merchant who allowed her an education – she disguises herself as a boy to join classes undetected. Her best friend in school is the poor scholar Liang Shanbo; they are attracted to each other and become sworn brothers in a sexually ambiguous romance. Zhu’s father eventually recalls her home for marriage to a wealthy merchant. Liang pays Zhu a surprise visit at her family mansion and to his greatest surprise discovers his sworn brother is really a girl. Liang asks to marry Zhu, but she is already betrothed and to break that would bring shame upon the family. Liang becomes a county magistrate and dies of a broken heart and, at his request, is buried by the road outside the village of Zhu’s fiancé, so the lady would pass it by on her wedding day.

When the appointed day arrives, Zhu is escorted to her fiancé’s house to complete the wedding ceremony. A storm breaks out, and the procession has no choice but to stop by Liang’s grave. The lady steps out of the litter to mourn her lover, richly dressed in her red bridal dress and jewels. Seeing that the tombs opens at her coming, the lady throws herself in without hesitation. The sky soon clears, and the sun shines again, but to the amazement of those present, the bride is no more. Instead, a pair of butterflies are seen fluttering around the grave before they disappear into the distance.

Composed in 1958 while Chen and He were students at the Shanghai Conservatory, the concerto utilises traditional melodies and themes of Yue opera, the traditional opera of the Wu-speaking areas of Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces, juxtaposing pentatonic melodies with a Western harmonic support. The work was to mark the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and what better way than with a popular folk tale, where backward feudal views about marriage caused the destruction of two bright futures? Thus, with this work, we come full circle – viewing a Chinese theme, through the medium of a Western orchestra, from a distinctly Chinese perspective.

— Programme note by Edward C. Yong from Singapore Symphony Orchestra.

Instrumentation

flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon,

horn, piano, strings

World Premiere

27 May 1959, Shanghai