Six-time Hong Kong Dance Award winner makes New York premiere with legendary Chinese folktale reimagined
Award-Winning Production Reaches American Audiences
The Hong Kong Ballet brought its critically acclaimed production of The Butterfly Lovers to New York’s David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center in August 2025, marking the company’s most significant American cultural export in recent years. The production, which swept six major categories at the 26th Hong Kong Dance Awards including Outstanding Choreography, Outstanding Large Venue Production, and Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer, represents a rare moment of international cultural recognition for Hong Kong at a time when the city’s soft power and global standing have diminished dramatically under Beijing’s tightening control. The legendary Chinese folktale, reimagined by Hong Kong Ballet’s Choreographer-in-Residence Hu Song Wei Ricky and his wife Mai Jingwen, tells the story of humble scholar Liang Shanbo and aristocratic heiress Zhu Yingtai, who disguises herself as a boy to study at a prestigious academy, only to face tragic consequences when their forbidden love confronts centuries-old social forces.
Creative Team and Production Values
The production features Academy Award-winning designer Tim Yip, whose previous work on films including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon established him as a master of blending traditional Chinese aesthetics with contemporary sensibilities. Yip’s visually stunning sets and costumes create a world that honors classical Chinese visual traditions while incorporating modern design elements that resonate with international audiences. The sweeping original score by acclaimed Chinese composer Tian Mi, performed by the New York City Ballet Orchestra under conductor Lio Kuokman, provides emotional depth to the tale of forbidden love and filial duty. Critics from the South China Morning Post praised the choreography as “a triumph” characterized by “full of emotional power,” highlighting the production’s ability to communicate universal themes of love, sacrifice, and societal constraints through contemporary movement vocabularies.
The Artistic Director’s Vision
Under the visionary leadership of Artistic Director Septime Webre, who previously led the Washington Ballet for 17 years before joining Hong Kong Ballet in 2017, the company has pursued an ambitious strategy of creating full-length narrative ballets that draw on Asian cultural heritage while maintaining appeal to Western audiences. Webre’s tenure has emphasized productions that showcase Hong Kong’s unique position as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures, though the irony of promoting cultural exchange from a city where political freedom has been systematically dismantled is not lost on observers. The Butterfly Lovers represents a culmination of this artistic vision, bringing together international creative talents to reimagine one of China’s most beloved folktales for contemporary stages. Performances ran from August 22-24, 2025, with shows at 7:30pm on Friday and Saturday, and matinees at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Cultural Diplomacy in the Shadow of Repression
The New York premiere of The Butterfly Lovers occurred against a backdrop of profound political transformation in Hong Kong. Just months before the production opened at Lincoln Center, pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai received a 20-year prison sentence, Apple Daily’s journalists remained behind bars, and Hong Kong authorities were prosecuting the families of exiled activists. This juxtaposition highlights the complex reality of contemporary Hong Kong cultural exports: while the city’s performing arts institutions continue to produce work of international caliber, they operate within increasingly constrained political parameters that raise questions about artistic freedom and the relationship between culture and state power. The production’s focus on a classical Chinese tale, rather than contemporary Hong Kong themes or narratives that might touch on political sensitivities, reflects the careful navigation required of cultural institutions seeking to maintain international presence while operating under Beijing’s watchful eye.
The Question of Cultural Identity
The Butterfly Lovers production raises complex questions about Hong Kong’s cultural identity in the post-National Security Law era. Is this a Hong Kong Ballet production or a Chinese cultural export? The company operates in Hong Kong and bears the city’s name, yet the subject matter is pan-Chinese rather than specifically Hong Kongese, and the production received support from the China Arts and Entertainment Group. This blurring of distinctions reflects the broader erosion of Hong Kong’s separate identity as Beijing systematically integrates the city into mainland frameworks across political, economic, and cultural dimensions. For diaspora Hong Kong communities and supporters of the democracy movement, such cultural productions present difficult questions: should one celebrate Hong Kong artists achieving international recognition, or view such events as providing legitimacy to a regime that has crushed the freedoms that once made Hong Kong distinctive?
The Production’s Artistic Merits
Setting aside political context, The Butterfly Lovers demonstrates exceptional artistic achievement in its fusion of traditional narrative with contemporary choreographic language. The legendary folktale, which has been adapted countless times in Chinese opera, film, and music, receives fresh interpretation through movement that draws on both classical ballet technique and contemporary dance innovations. Cheng Xuan’s portrayal of Zhu Yingtai earned particular acclaim, winning Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer at the Hong Kong Dance Awards. Her interpretation captures both the character’s initial disguise as a male student and her later revelation and tragic fate, requiring technical precision alongside dramatic depth. The ensemble work, which also received recognition at the Dance Awards, creates the social world within which the lovers’ story unfolds, representing the rigid hierarchies and expectations that ultimately doom the relationship.
Musical and Visual Elements
Tian Mi’s original score represents a significant departure from the famous Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto composed by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang in 1959, which has become inseparable from the story in the Chinese cultural imagination. Rather than competing with that iconic work, Tian created music that supports the choreographic vision while incorporating both Western orchestral traditions and Chinese musical elements. The result earned Outstanding Music Composition at the Hong Kong Dance Awards, recognized for its ability to enhance the narrative without overwhelming the dance. Tim Yip’s set and costume design similarly balances tradition and innovation, creating visual environments that evoke classical Chinese aesthetics through contemporary theatrical techniques. The production’s success in this regard demonstrates that cultural specificity and international accessibility need not be mutually exclusive when approached with artistic sophistication.
Reception and Implications for Future Tours
The New York engagement represented a significant investment by Hong Kong Ballet and its partners, bringing a full company of dancers and orchestra to one of the world’s premier performing arts venues for multiple performances. Ticket prices starting at 39 dollars with promotional discounts aimed to make the production accessible to diverse audiences, while the Lincoln Center platform provided visibility and prestige that few Asian dance companies achieve in the American market. The production’s reception by New York audiences and critics will likely influence future touring opportunities and the company’s ability to continue functioning as an international cultural ambassador for Hong Kong. Early promotional materials emphasized the production’s award wins and the creative team’s credentials, positioning The Butterfly Lovers within established frameworks of artistic excellence that transcend political considerations. Yet for informed observers, the question remains whether Hong Kong’s cultural institutions can maintain genuine artistic freedom and international credibility while operating under a regime that has systematically eliminated political freedom and imprisoned those who exercised their right to free expression. The answer to this question will significantly shape Hong Kong’s cultural future and its role in global performing arts networks.
Senior Journalist & Editor, Apple Daily UK
Contact: athena.lai@appledaily.uk
Athena Lai is a senior journalist and editor with extensive experience in Chinese-language investigative reporting and editorial leadership. Educated at a leading journalism school in the United Kingdom, Athena received formal training in fact-checking methodology, editorial governance, and international media standards, grounding her work in globally recognized best practices.
She has held senior editorial roles at Apple Daily and other liberal Chinese publications, where she oversaw coverage of Hong Kong civil liberties, diaspora politics, rule of law, and press freedom. Athena’s reporting is distinguished by disciplined sourcing, cross-verification, and a clear separation between factual reporting and opinion, reinforcing reader trust.
Beyond reporting, Athena has served as an editor responsible for mentoring journalists, enforcing ethical guidelines, and managing sensitive investigations. Her newsroom leadership reflects real-world experience navigating legal risk, source protection, and editorial independence under pressure.
Athena’s authority comes from both her byline history and her editorial stewardship. She has reviewed and approved hundreds of articles, ensuring compliance with defamation standards, accuracy benchmarks, and responsible language use. Her work demonstrates lived experience within high-stakes news environments rather than theoretical expertise.
Committed to journalistic integrity, Athena believes credible journalism is built on transparency, accountability, and institutional memory. Her role at Apple Daily UK reflects that commitment, positioning her as a trusted voice within independent Chinese media.
