At the heart of the National Centre for the Performing Arts' production of Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata lies an exquisite visual element: a giant mirror that dominates the stage. This stunning set piece, 260 square meters in size, serves not just as a backdrop, but also as a metaphor for the opera's central themes of illusion, self-deception, and the fragile line between the real and the imagined.

The mirror transforms the stage into a space where reality blurs into fantasy, mirroring the inner turmoil of Violetta, the opera's tragic heroine, whose life is a constant negotiation between love and sacrifice.

When Russian soprano Venera Gimadieva first saw the stage set, she was impressed and had hopes of one day playing the role of Violetta in the production.

"Finally, my dream has come true," said Gimadieva, sitting in her dressing room in Beijing on Monday. "It will be my 18th time playing the role."

The NCPA is staging its ninth production of La Traviata in Beijing, which runs until Sunday, with Gimadieva as Violetta. The China NCPA Orchestra and China NCPA Chorus will perform onstage, conducted by Yu Long.

She says that she was also drawn to the production's costumes, which are designed to reflect 19th-century Parisian society, adding an authentic touch to the depiction of the fashion and social norms of the time.

Verdi's 1853 work is one of the great operas. The central character Violetta is a mid-19th-century courtesan: freewheeling, attractive, and doomed. Fatally ill, she meets the affluent Alfredo, who confesses his love for her. They embark on an affair, but Violetta reluctantly abandons him under intense pressure from Alfredo's father. Alfredo feels betrayed but after a series of fateful twists and turns, the lovers reunite on Violetta's deathbed, and she finally succumbs, dying in the arms of the man she loves.

According to Gimadieva, Violetta has a particular effect on sopranos due to challenges and demands. Her first encounter with the character was in a DVD of a performance at the Salzburg Festival when she was a student at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. She found her instantly compelling.

In 2011, she made her debut as Violetta in a production of La Traviata by the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Since then, it has become one of her signature roles. She has performed at prestigious opera houses and venues across Europe and the United States, including the Royal Opera House in Britain and the Opera National de Paris in France, and made her US debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

"I always find new challenges, new pleasures and new experiences in playing the role. Violetta is so complicated and charming. She loves desperately, and she is capable of self-sacrifice," says Gimadieva.

For this run in Beijing, she is performing with longtime friend, Shi Yijie, the tenor playing Alfredo.

In an earlier interview, Shi, who graduated from the Toho College of Music in Japan, said he had been preparing for the role for over a decade.

In 2010, the NCPA premiered its production of La Traviata, with German director Henning Brockhaus and legendary French-American conductor Lorin Maazel. Known for his exceptional vocal talent — he had previously wowed audiences with his high C notes — Shi made his debut as Alfredo in 2019 for the NCPA's fifth round of performance of its production of La Traviata.

"It was a special milestone for me when I took on the role for the first time," Shi, 42, says. "Aging has benefited my voice. Compared to 2019, it is much more mature now. As I get older, my voice develops depth and richness."

Shi adds that over the years, he has refined his technique through consistent practice and performance, giving him greater control.

La Traviata is significant in the context of Chinese opera history. In 1956, the China National Opera House staged an all-Chinese production at Beijing's Tianqiao Theater, making it one of the first Western operas to be performed on a Chinese stage.

Since then, it has become one of the most beloved and familiar Western operas to Chinese audiences. Its enchanting melodies, especially the famous duet Libiamo ne' lieti calici ("Let us drink from joyful cups"), resonate deeply with the public.