The Butterfly Lovers has dual canonical status both as a classic Chinese legend about the tragic
romance of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, and as a famous violin concerto by He Zhanhao and Chen
Gang. In October 2024, choreographers Hu Song Wei Ricky and Mai Jingwen, along with composer Tian
Mi, adapted the tale into a new, full-length ballet for the Hong Kong Ballet, based on both the story and
the musical themes of the violin concerto. The production was a major highlight of the company’s
2024-25 season and was met with critical acclaim.
The Butterfly Lovers (2024) by the Hong Kong Ballet presents a compelling case study for
examining contemporary ballet adaptations as a collaborative creative act that goes beyond a translation
in medium. My study integrates three methods. First, I conducted extensive ethnographic fieldwork at the
Hong Kong Ballet between September and October 2024, documenting the choreographic development of
the production through observing rehearsals, performances and conversations with stakeholders. The
fieldwork data offers insights on the creative process of The Butterfly Lovers (2024), the challenges faced
during the choreographic and rehearsal periods, and how said challenges were resolved. Second, I
examined how the original narrative and musical themes were employed and developed through the
critical lens of Linda Hutcheon’s A Theory of Adaptation (2013). Third, I undertook detailed
choreomusical analysis of selected scenes, expanding the methodology developed by Kara Yoo Leaman
(2016) to illustrate graphically the interplay between dance and musical gestures.
My findings reveal that adaptation in The Butterfly Lovers (2024) constitutes a creative method
that both honours and remakes its canonical sources. I argue that the production exemplifies a
sophisticated model of adaptation for contemporary ballet, one that integrates cultural heritage and artistic
innovation to forge a resonant new work for a 21st-century audience.