In a landmark event marking the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Italy, the Hong Kong String Orchestra, under the leadership of renowned violinist and artistic director Yao Jue, has embarked on its inaugural tour of Italy from Nov 10 to this Monday.

The tour, themed "From Madama Butterfly to The Butterfly Lovers", features performances in three iconic cities in Italy: Rome, Florence, and Gubbio. It is also a groundbreaking achievement for the orchestra, being the first Hong Kong-based ensemble to perform in Italy and the first Chinese group to perform in the medieval town of Gubbio.

At the heart of the program is the thematic pairing of two iconic works: Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly and the Chinese classic The Butterfly Lovers. Both pieces share a poignant theme — the butterfly as a symbol of change and devotion.

"The butterfly represents transformation and eternal love in both Western and Eastern traditions. Through the music, we are not only telling the story of love but also uniting two ancient cultures — Italy and China — through the universal language of music," says Yao, who founded the Hong Kong String Orchestra in 2013. Since its inception, the orchestra has toured globally, visiting 52 cities in 14 countries and regions.

On Nov 10, the orchestra opened its tour with a special collaborative performance with young Italian musicians. Together with the Hong Kong String Orchestra, these talented music students performed I Love You China, a popular Chinese music piece, sending a message of cultural solidarity and deep emotional connection across borders. The inclusion of young musicians in these performances highlights the importance of music as a medium for cross-generational and cross-cultural exchange.

Last Tuesday, at the Sinopoli Hall, in the Auditorium Parco della Musica, a major cultural complex in Rome, the Hong Kong orchestra staged a concert with programs featuring Chinese American composer Zhou Long's Chinese Folk Songs, which gathers rhythms from traditional songs across China, the famous aria Nessun Dorma from Puccini's opera Turandot, and the theme song from the film Cinema Paradiso by legendary film composer Ennio Morricone, highlighting the rich fusion of Chinese and Italian cultures from classical to modern times.

During the concert, the orchestra premiered a new version of The Butterfly Lovers for solo violin and string orchestra. It also performed a newly arranged work by Ronald Fu, titled Hong Kong Movie Medley, featuring iconic themes from Hong Kong cinema, including music scores from the movies A Better Tomorrow, Police Story, and Ip Man.

Commenting on the performance, Alberto Mina, a violinist in Rome, says: "A group of young and incredibly talented musicians performed exceptionally well, with a clean sound and rich layers."

"Through these performances, the orchestra hopes to forge deeper cultural ties between China and Italy, while showcasing the rich diversity and vibrancy of Chinese arts on the international stage," Yao notes.