The Butterfly Lovers at Lincoln Center
A Love Story of Butterflies
The Butterfly Lovers is a timeless legend of love, loss, and transformation. Zhu Yingtai, a young woman who disguises herself as a man to pursue an education, meets the gentle scholar Liang Shanbo. Their bond deepens into love, but society forces Zhu into an arranged marriage. Heartbroken, Liang dies, and on her wedding day Zhu throws herself into his grave. From the earth, two white butterflies rise together—souls freed at last, forever joined in flight.
The Hong Kong Ballet
Founded in 1979, Hong Kong Ballet has grown into one of Asia’s leading ballet companies, renowned for blending classical tradition with bold contemporary vision. With a roster of dancers from across the globe, the company has become a cultural ambassador for Hong Kong on international stages. Since 2017, it has been led by Artistic Director Septime Webre, the acclaimed Cuban-American choreographer and former head of The Washington Ballet. Under his direction, Hong Kong Ballet has expanded its repertoire with innovative new works, daring collaborations, and imaginative reinterpretations of the classics—positioning the company at the forefront of dance in Asia and beyond.
The Rehersals at Lincoln Center
In August 2025, the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center became the stage for a remarkable convergence of artistry and tradition. The Hong Kong Ballet arrived in New York for four performances of The Butterfly Lovers as part of their world tour, bringing with them a company of some of the world’s most gifted ballerinas and dancers. These sessions were more than preparation; they were the delicate transforming of bringing this ancient Chinese legend into a breathing ballet for contemporary audiences.
Photography by: @lucasstoffel
As a photographer, I have long been inspired by the richness of Chinese art and literature—their layers of symbolism, devotion to beauty, and the way myth lingers in every detail. Photographing The Butterfly Lovers was more than documenting a performance; it was an act of translation. Through my lens I sought to capture not only movement, but the spirit of the legend itself, with the hope of transforming these fleeting moments of dance into a series of paintings that carry the story forward in a new form.
The legend begins with a daughter. Zhu Yingtai was born into a wealthy household, cherished by her father and mother, yet confined by the customs of her time. Girls were meant to stay at home, not to read books or dream of study. But Zhu’s love for her parents was matched by her fierce longing for knowledge. With their reluctant blessing, she disguised herself as a young man and set out for school—a choice that would change not only her own life, but echo through centuries as one of China’s most enduring love stories.
Rehearsals at Lincoln Center
In August 2025, the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center became the stage for a remarkable convergence of artistry and tradition. The Hong Kong Ballet arrived in New York for four performances of The Butterfly Lovers as part of their world tour, bringing with them a company of some of the world’s most gifted ballerinas and dancers. These sessions were more than preparation; they were the delicate transforming of bringing this ancient Chinese legend into a breathing ballet for contemporary audiences.
Act I
Disguised in a scholar’s robe, Zhu Yingtai set out for school, determined to study in a world that barred girls from learning. Along the road she met Liang Shanbo, a gentle young man with a scholar’s heart. Walking side by side, they laughed easily, as if they had always known each other. By the time they reached the academy, friendship had already taken root. There, in the glow of youthful promise, they pledged themselves as sworn companions—two students, two “brothers,” bound by loyalty and trust, unaware that the pact they made would carry them into legend.
Act II
The Lovers Torn Apart
Just as their bond deepened, fate intervened. A summons arrived from Zhu Yingtai’s family, calling her back to fulfill her duty as a daughter. She could not refuse. With her secret still unspoken, she prepared to leave the academy—and Liang Shanbo. He walked with her mile after mile, the road heavy with silence and words neither dared to say. At last, beneath fading light, they parted. Zhu hinted at truths he could not yet see, leaving him with a promise of reunion. It was a farewell wrapped in longing, the first crack in a love soon to be tested by forces beyond their control.
Act III
When Zhu Yingtai was forced into an arranged marriage, grief struck Liang Shanbo so deeply that his body could not bear it; he fell ill and died, his love sealed in silence. On the day of her wedding, Zhu’s procession passed his grave, and she could no longer contain her sorrow. A storm rose, the earth split open, and she threw herself into the tomb to join him. From that broken ground, two white butterflies emerged, rising into the air together. Denied in life, they found their freedom in flight—an eternal union beyond the reach of family, duty, or death.
The story of The Butterfly Lovers has endured for centuries, cherished as one of China’s great romances. Its transformation into ballet has brought the legend to vivid new life—marrying Western technique with Chinese artistry in a production that critics have hailed as both visually stunning and emotionally profound. With its sweeping choreography, lush design, and music that echoes the passion of the tale, Hong Kong Ballet’s Butterfly Lovers has been praised as a triumph of cultural storytelling on the world stage. Like the lovers themselves, the ballet transcends boundaries, carrying a timeless message of devotion, sacrifice, and the beauty of love’s final flight.
