BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Italian opera "La Franciulla del West" produced by the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) is to premier in Beijing on Aug. 20.

Describing California's gold rush in the mid-19th century, "La Franciulla del West" (The Girl of the West) is considered the only lyrical opera to vividly depict the role of gold miners in the American Midwest.

Created by Giacomo Puccini, the opera is interspersed with contemporary and local folk music and Native American Indian ballads, injecting a strong regional color into its theme.

With the fast-paced narrative accompanied by continuous music, it also marked Puccini's stylistic change from the melodic to the dramatic.

Directed by Thaddeus Strasberg, the NCPA version will be on stage from Aug. 20 to Aug. 25, with both Chinese and English subtitles provided.