National Centre for the Performing Arts (Beijing)

 theatre, performing arts

The National Centre for the Performing Arts is an opera house in Beijing that opened in June 2007. It was designed by French architect Paul Andreu with an initial planned cost of $357,000,000 to build. It seats 6500 people and is 200,000 square metres in size. It is located immediately west of the Great Hall of the People and near the Forbidden City. It is completely surrounded by a reflecting pool, and the only entrance to the theate is via a tunnel that runs under the pool. Its design is a sharp contrast to its immediate environment.

Internally, there are three major performance halls:
The Opera Hall, for operas, ballet, and dances (2416 seats)
The Music Hall (2017 seats)
The theatre Hall, for plays and Beijing Opera (1040 seats)