"An Evening of Chinese Theater" is presented by the Chinese American Arts Council to celebrate the Year of the Tiger. It is featuring Chinese Yue Opera The Butterfly Lovers.

Plot:

Zhu Yingtai, a young lady, met Liang Shanbo, a handsome boy, on her way to Hangzhou, where she would design her learning. Since only boys were allowed to attend schools in ancient China, Zhu dressed herself as a boy. They found each other most affable and soon became sworn brothers.

Zhu and Liang studied together for 3 years, and then they were apart but always missed each other. Finally one day, Liang learned Zhu was actually a girl. He was surprised but pleased, and immediately went to Zhus home to ask for her hand in marriage. However, Zhu was not at home and when she came back, she found that her father had arranged for her to marry Ma Wencai. The two young lovers were heartbroken.

Liang returned home and fell into deep despair; he died soon after. Zhu wailed day and night hearing the sad news. However, her father forced her to marry Wencai. On the Way to Mas house, Zhu passed Liangs tomb and she went to pay a sacred visit to him. Surprisely, a flash of lighting suddenly struck and cleft the tomb into two parts. Zhu jumped into tomb immediately and then two butterflies flew out of the tomb and hovered and lingered...