‍Turandot, the first classic Western opera produced and launched by the National Center for the Performing Arts in 2008, is being staged in Beijing again. This time, the five day performance at the NCPA sees many world renowned opera singers like American soprano Lise Lindstrom - who has played the role of Princess Turandot more than a hundred times on the world’s most important opera stages. 

The story is set in China. A prince falls in love with princess Turandot, who challenges all her wooers with three riddles. The prince is the first to get all the answers right, and tries to win her over with his bravery. The mystery of the opera lies in its composer, Giacomo Puccini, an Italian who barely had any knowledge of China.

"The pieces that were incorporated into the score by Puccini were heard by him. He was given a music box, and the music box had the music in it .. and this was the inspiration. That's why he wrote the piece," said Lindstrom. 

Chinese bass Tian Haojiang, who plays Timur, says "I think this is really amazing because when he composed this opera back more than almost a hundred years ago, he had never been to China. Every time when I heard the melody, I was touched." 

The Chinese legend has been produced and performed worldwide over the years, and is always well received by people from various backgrounds, as the story is universal.

The NCPA premiered Turandot as its first major in-house production in 2008. That year also marked the Italian composer's 150th birth anniversary.  

Turandot was Giacomo Puccini's last piece. It was unfinished when the Italian composer died almost a hundred years ago. In 2008, Chinese composer Hao Weiya was invited to write an ending to the classic and the NCPA has presented its own version of the opera since then. This year, to mark the NCPA's 10th anniversary, the opera is being put on stage for a ninth time.