(Photo) National Center for the Performing Arts welcomes the Spring Festival

The National Center for the Performing Arts

(BEIJING, Feb. 6) -- In the year 2007, two grand theatres – the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and the Meilanfang Grand Theater, were built up in Beijing. The construction work of the National Grand Theatre began in December 2001 and it was listed among the top ten architectural miracles by the U.S.-based Journal Business Week for its energy-saving and environmentally friendly design. During the Spring Festival, going to the theatres should be a great choice.

Said to resemble a "silver tear", the National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has already become a place of interest and attracted a lot of tourists. The main building of the National Grand Theatre is surrounded by an artificial lake with an area of up to 35,500 square meters.

During the Spring Festival, two national music concerts are being held in the NCPA, as new year gifts for the audience.

The NCPA comprises three gigantic halls: opera house, concert hall and theatre.

The inner view of the National Center for the Performing Arts

Containing 2,019 seats, the concert hall of NCPA can be counted as the third largest concert hall in Beijing. During the Spring Festival, the concert hall will welcome famous national orchestras including the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra and the China Broadcast Traditional Orchestra to present classic national music.

On February 16 and 17, a concert of Chinese minority nationality music will be given by the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra. It will be a good chance for the audience to enjoy ethnic music such as music of the Miao and Tibetan nationalities.

The theatre of the NCPA contains 1,035 seats. It is mainly used for performances of drama and dramatics.

During the Spring Festival, the National Peking Opera Theatre of China, the Beijing Peking Opera Theatre, the Shanghai Peking Opera Theatre and the Tianjin Peking Opera Theatre will present nine performances in NCPA.

The opera house of NCPA contains 2,398 seats. It is the largest one in Beijing. Performances will also be put on from February 9 to 11.

Besides going to the temple fairs and eating dumplings, Chinese people have one more choice for celebrating the Spring Festival, that is, going to the National Center for the Performing Arts and enjoying the wonderful music performed there.