The work, adapted from the famous Chinese legendary folk tale of the same title, portrays the tragic love story between Zhu Yingtai, daughter of a nobleman, and Liang Shanbo, son of an ordinary scholar.
    The love between them could not be realized in their lifetime owing to the strict feudal fetters and harsh suppression, but after their death, they were born again as a couple of butterflies.
    Through this, the work exposes and criticizes the feudal caste and marriage systems.
    True to the instructions of Chairman Kim Jong Il to create an opera, titled, The Butterfly Lovers, as suited to the requirements of the present times in Juche 99 (2010) that marked the 60th anniversary of the participation of the Chinese People’s Volunteers in the Korean war and perform it on a wide scale, the creative workers and other artistes of the Phibada Opera Troupe completed the work wonderfully in less than one year.