Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto - First Movement @ChloeChuaviolinist

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Violinist Chloe Chua, then 16 and Artist-In-Residence of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at the time of this late 2023 performance, stars in the exquisite Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto. This first of seven movements opens with a flute solo in a cadenza ad lib evoking a fluttering butterfly. The violin enters, representing the young lady Zhu Yingtai in a blissful time full of hope. She meets Liang Shanbo on the road to school in Hangzhou, and sparks are kindled.

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Set in 3rd/4th century China, the Butterfly Lovers tale tells of Zhu Yingtai, the daughter of a wealthy merchant who allowed her an education, disguising herself as a boy to join classes undetected. Her best friend in boarding 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 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 but 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 by it 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 tomb opens at her coming, the lady throws herself in without hesitation. The sky soon clears, and the sun shines again, but the bride is no more. All that is left is a pair of butterflies fluttering around the grave. (Edward C. Yong & Leon Chia)

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1959 by Chinese composers CHEN Gang (b. 1935) and HE Zhanhao (b. 1933).

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Chloe Chua, violin
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Rodolfo Barráez, Associate Conductor
Ng Pei-Sian, cello
Jin Ta, flute
Li Xin, clarinet
Audio & Video: msm-productions (Singapore)

Recorded at the Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore, on 10/11 Nov 2023.
Album on @Pentatonemusic