Tales of enduring romance

"The violin concerto Butterfly Lovers is a celebration of true love, which is about dedication, unconditional love, understanding and facing adversity together," says Yu Lina, 79, the creator of the show, during an event in Beijing. Impressed by the love story between Fan and Peng, Yu says it immediately sprung to mind when she started to prepare for the stage production.

"Every time we want to mark the creation of this great musical work and pass on its legacy, we perform it again and again. It's great to explain the piece through a real-life love story," Yu says.

Butterfly Lovers premiered in Shanghai on May 27, 1959, where Yu performed as the solo violinist. The violin concerto was composed by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao when they were both students at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Featuring melodies and musical elements from traditional Yueju Opera, the musical was inspired by a tragic love story from an ancient Chinese folk tale long considered to be the Chinese equivalent of Romeo and Juliet. The concerto has been hailed as a classic ever since and has been performed all across the world.