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Wherefore Art Thou Liang Shanbo?
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| American audiences get a glimpse of a centuries-old Chinese love story when The Butterfly Lovers plays at the Ahmanson Theatre Feb. 12-14. Photo by Wang Shengsheng. |
‘Butterfly Lovers,’ China’s ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ Dances Into the Ahmanson
by Richard Guzmán
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - With a story driven by a centuries-old theme that crosses cultures, the Beijing Dance Academy Resident Dance Company will present the U.S. premiere of The Butterfly Lovers Feb. 12-14 at the Ahmanson Theatre.
The story is often referred to as China’s Romeo and Juliet. The production, which is in celebration of the Chinese New Year, is choreographed by Zhang Jianmin to one of the country’s most famous concertos, “The Butterfly Lovers,” written in 1959 by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao.
Set in the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China around 265-420 A.D., the legend follows Zhu Yingtai, a member of a wealthy family who wants to attend school in the city. Her father allows it, although she has to be disguised as a man in order to be admitted.
Once in school she meets Liang Shanbo, a fellow student who becomes her best friend without ever suspecting she is a woman. Zhu falls for Liang, but she is set to marry a wealthy suitor chosen by her father. When Liang finds out Zhu’s true identity he professes his love for her, but dies later of a broken heart when he realizes he can’t have her. On her wedding day, Zhu throws herself into Liang’s grave, where the couple is transformed into butterflies and fly off together.
Hong Mautz, president of Chinus Cultural Productions, which is presenting the show, spoke to Los Angeles Downtown News about The Butterfly Lovers.
Los Angeles Downtown News: This is a U.S. premiere. What can American audiences expect?
Hong Mautz: The dance and choreography to this concerto is quite new. Another version was shown years ago but never this version. The difference is that this is choreographed by an up-and-coming Chinese choreographer named Zhang Jianmin. He blends traditional themes with contemporary dance elements. For example, the choreographer created a team of male dancers in black costumes to create an environment that was adverse to these lovers’ union so that people from a Western point of view who didn’t grow up with Chinese cultural roots can easily understand.
Q: What is the significance of the butterflies?
A: In Chinese culture the butterfly is always a good symbol for love and for beauty. They always come in pairs, are always together.
Q: Besides the familiar story, will there be any elements an American audience might recognize?
A: The violin concerto. It’s just a beautiful melody and famous violinists who are recognized in the West have played it with Western orchestras. It’s a Western-style composition and it instantly became a hit in China when it was written.
Q: Why do you think this story transcends so many cultures?
A: It’s the eternal love story that resonates across the globe. Every culture, every country, every people has its own version of this love story and this one, even though we compare it to Romeo and Juliet so that Western people can have an easier understanding, it’s unique in Chinese culture as portrayed in the feudal society.
Q: What will the audience learn about China from the show?
A: After the Olympic opening ceremonies in 2008 people could see the emerging creativity of the new China. The emerging creativity is really evident today in contemporary artists. I think people in the U.S. and Europe are familiar with the splendor of ancient China they see in the museums, paintings and sculptures, but little was known about the cultural evolution period. But after the past 30 years of reform and modernization people started seeing it and probably want to see more of this new China. And young people in China are more uninhibited in their creative sense. People of my generation, we knew the fine line to walk where you don’t want to offend the government. But this young generation, they do not have that inhibition.
The Butterfly Lovers runs Feb. 12-14 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or butterflyloversdance.com.
Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
page 17, 02/08/2010
©Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
The story is often referred to as China’s Romeo and Juliet. The production, which is in celebration of the Chinese New Year, is choreographed by Zhang Jianmin to one of the country’s most famous concertos, “The Butterfly Lovers,” written in 1959 by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao.
Set in the Eastern Jin Dynasty of China around 265-420 A.D., the legend follows Zhu Yingtai, a member of a wealthy family who wants to attend school in the city. Her father allows it, although she has to be disguised as a man in order to be admitted.
Once in school she meets Liang Shanbo, a fellow student who becomes her best friend without ever suspecting she is a woman. Zhu falls for Liang, but she is set to marry a wealthy suitor chosen by her father. When Liang finds out Zhu’s true identity he professes his love for her, but dies later of a broken heart when he realizes he can’t have her. On her wedding day, Zhu throws herself into Liang’s grave, where the couple is transformed into butterflies and fly off together.
Hong Mautz, president of Chinus Cultural Productions, which is presenting the show, spoke to Los Angeles Downtown News about The Butterfly Lovers.
Los Angeles Downtown News: This is a U.S. premiere. What can American audiences expect?
Hong Mautz: The dance and choreography to this concerto is quite new. Another version was shown years ago but never this version. The difference is that this is choreographed by an up-and-coming Chinese choreographer named Zhang Jianmin. He blends traditional themes with contemporary dance elements. For example, the choreographer created a team of male dancers in black costumes to create an environment that was adverse to these lovers’ union so that people from a Western point of view who didn’t grow up with Chinese cultural roots can easily understand.
Q: What is the significance of the butterflies?
A: In Chinese culture the butterfly is always a good symbol for love and for beauty. They always come in pairs, are always together.
Q: Besides the familiar story, will there be any elements an American audience might recognize?
A: The violin concerto. It’s just a beautiful melody and famous violinists who are recognized in the West have played it with Western orchestras. It’s a Western-style composition and it instantly became a hit in China when it was written.
Q: Why do you think this story transcends so many cultures?
A: It’s the eternal love story that resonates across the globe. Every culture, every country, every people has its own version of this love story and this one, even though we compare it to Romeo and Juliet so that Western people can have an easier understanding, it’s unique in Chinese culture as portrayed in the feudal society.
Q: What will the audience learn about China from the show?
A: After the Olympic opening ceremonies in 2008 people could see the emerging creativity of the new China. The emerging creativity is really evident today in contemporary artists. I think people in the U.S. and Europe are familiar with the splendor of ancient China they see in the museums, paintings and sculptures, but little was known about the cultural evolution period. But after the past 30 years of reform and modernization people started seeing it and probably want to see more of this new China. And young people in China are more uninhibited in their creative sense. People of my generation, we knew the fine line to walk where you don’t want to offend the government. But this young generation, they do not have that inhibition.
The Butterfly Lovers runs Feb. 12-14 at the Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or butterflyloversdance.com.
Contact Richard Guzmán at richard@downtownnews.com.
page 17, 02/08/2010
©Los Angeles Downtown News. Reprinting items retrieved from the archives are for personal use only. They may not be reproduced or retransmitted without permission of the Los Angeles Downtown News. If you would like to re-distribute anything from the Los Angeles Downtown News Archives, please call our permissions department at (213) 481-1448.
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