Introducing National Centre for the Performing Arts, National Centre for the Performing Arts Guide
Edited by Sharleen
Located in the Xicheng District, Beijing, the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), colloquially described as "The Giant Egg", is an arts centre containing an opera house in China. The main building of National Centre for the Performing Arts with an ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass surrounded by an artificial lake, can accommodate people in three halls and covers almost 12,000 m² in size. The National Centre for the Performing Arts planned cost of the theatre was 2.688 billion yuan, but the total cost rose to more than CNY3.2 billion when the construction had completed.
The dome of National Centre for the Performing Arts is 46 meters high designed by French architect Paul Andreu. The construction started in December 2001 and the inaugural concert was held in December 2007. National Centre for the Performing Arts was designed as an iconic feature and combination of tradition and modernity, romance and reality, which would be immediately recognizable.
As the one of new 16 scene landmarks in Beijing, the National Centre for the Performing Arts not only greatly improves the ecological environment of surrounding regions, but embodies the idea of harmonious communion in each other between with the human and art, human and nature.
Three Performance Venues
The Opera House with golden color as its main hue is the most magnificent building inside it.The three-layer structure of the stage makes it have possibly the best resilience and provides the best protect to the dancers' feet.
The Concert hall sits in the east side of the Opera House where the large-scale symphonies and Chinese traditional music are performed. One thing cannot be missed that the pipe organ placed in the hall with 94 stops and an impressive array of 6,500 pipes is the largest one in Asia. It is the most valuable treasure in the Concert Hall.
The theater has a distinct Chinese traditional style, where traditional Chinese operas, stage plays and national songs and dances primarily perform.
Quick Facts on National Centre for the Performing Arts
• Name: National Centre for the Performing Arts
• Location: Downtown Beijing
• Phone: +86-10-69121423
• Best Time to Visit: April to October
• Recommended Time for a Visit: 2 Hours
• Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00 (Closed on Monday)
• Admission Fee: CNY 30