Just in time before he moves on from Victorian Opera, Artistic Director Richard Mills finally sees his fourth opera realised after two pandemic postponements. He conducts this world premiere season of The Butterfly Lovers, presented in collaboration with Singapore’s Wild Rice theatre company, whose founder, Ivan Heng, directs. Adapted from a Chinese folktale, this new work is an appealing mix of Eastern and Western, traditional and contemporary music and ideas. It approaches Asian culture with respect and genuine insight, rather than an exotic plaything as classic Western operas such as Madama Butterfly did.

The Butterfly Lovers. Photo © Charlie Kinross.

Well known and frequently adapted in Asia, the story of The Butterfly Lovers will bring Yentl and perhaps Romeo and Juliet to mind for Western audiences. A young woman, Yingtai, travels to an academy in male disguise so she can get an education. On the way she meets another scholar, Shanbo. There’s an instant affinity, which grows over time as they study. Eventually Yingtai is called home to be married, so even though Shanbo follows and discovers the truth about her gender, they...