HONG KONG – Celebrating the 66th anniversary of his magnum opus, composer He Zhanhao is set to take the conductor’s baton when the Chinese classic violin concerto Butterfly Lovers, which he co-wrote, is performed in Hong Kong in March.

The Butterfly Lovers Concert 2025 is set to take place at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall on March 4, according to the Hong Kong International Music Festival and the Hong Kong Performing Arts Centre, the organizers of the event.

Speaking via video link during a press conference at the headquarters of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, He said that he will collaborate with violinist Xue Suli and guzheng musician Xu Lingzi during the concert.

Xue, former principal of the China National Symphony Orchestra and a member of Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, and Xu, who teaches at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, performed a segment of The Butterfly Lovers with a violin and guzheng ensemble at the press conference.

Xu said she is excited to perform again under the baton of He, noting that it has been 35 years since their last collaboration of The Butterfly Lovers.

Xue said that having He as the conductor represents the best collaboration to celebrate musical heritage for the development of music education and promoting traditional Chinese culture.

Hong Kong lawmaker Ma Fung-kwok said in the same press conference that the concert will play a crucial role in promoting musical exchanges between the special administrative region and the Chinese mainland.

Lee Chi-hung, the concert’s music director, described The Butterfly Lovers as a brilliant gem in the history of Chinese music, embodying people's yearning for true love.

ALSO READ: Iconic composer recalls birth of classic Butterfly Lovers

The music of The Butterfly Lovers is derived from a legendary Chinese love story about the tragic romance between Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai, who fall in love but are ultimately separated by societal conventions and objections from their parents. In the story, Liang and Zhu turned into butterflies to be together after death.

The concert's proceeds will be donated to charitable organizations to support the development of music culture in Hong Kong and help music-loving students gain better opportunities, the organizers added.