Premiered at Venice's La Fenice Theatre in March 1853, Verdi's La Traviata weaves a poignant tale of love transcending social hierarchies and lifelong regrets born from misunderstandings. This emotionally charged narrative, interwoven with achingly beautiful melodies, has cemented its status as an operatic cornerstone.

 

For Chinese audiences, La Traviata holds particular significance. Its 1956 Chinese-version production marked China's first encounter with Western opera. The libretto adaptation by Miao Lin and Liu Shirong, synthesized from Russian and English sources, pioneered the "Western operas sung in Chinese" (洋戏中唱) tradition - a groundbreaking approach to cross-cultural operatic dissemination.

 

From 1956 to 1966, this localized production staged over 100 performances by Maestro Zheng Xiaoying, gaining remarkable popularity. Through this cultural bridge, La Traviata evolved from being "the world's most beloved opera" to becoming China's most intimately familiar Western operatic work.