This summer, Suzhou Ballet Theatre (SBT) embarked on a three-month tour, bringing its original production “Love Bridge” to nearly 10,000 spectators in 13 cities across China.

The ballet draws inspiration from the beloved Chinese folktale of The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl. With the globally renowned ballet star Tan Yuanyuan as the art director, the work blends the subtle elegance of Jiangnan culture with the rigorous choreography of Western ballet, creating a contemporary dance language that balances impressionistic lyricism with vivid realism.

The production reimagines the folktale in a modern urban setting, elevating the “magpie bridge” in the story from a mythical symbol into a metaphor for courage and freedom.

The tour started on June 6 in Taicang, a county-level city under Suzhou’s jurisdiction and the birthplace of the tale, with all seats occupied. After performances in Wuhan of Hubei province, Xiamen of Fujian province, Nanjing of Jiangsu province, and Beijing, the troupe returned to Suzhou in autumn, and then headed to Ma’anshan of Anhui province and Lianyungang of Jiangsu province before concluding the first phase of the tour in Zhuji, Zhejiang province. Although this phase has ended, the journey of “Love Bridge” continues.

September 4, 2026