National Centre for the Performing Arts

The NCPA was designed by French architect Paul Andreu. Its architectural design plan was undertaken by ADP Ingénierie (ADPI) with the assistance of Tsinghua University; the preliminary design adjustments, construction drawing design and construction site design were carried out by the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD). The NCPA covers an area of 118,900 square metres, with a total area of structure of 217,500 square metres. Its main building is a unique shell-shaped structure, 46.68m high and up to 32.5m in depth underground. The surface of the building is composed of over 18,000 titanium panels and more than 1,200 pieces of ultra-clear glass, creating a visual effect as a curtain rises on stage. It is surrounded by an artificial lake with an area of 35,500 square metres.

The NCPA has four major auditoriums, the Opera House, the Concert Hall, the Theatre and Multi-functional Theatre. Containing 2,081 seats, the Opera House is mainly for opera, dance drama and large-scale performances; accommodating up to 1,859 audience members, the Concert Hall is dedicated to symphonic and traditional Chinese music, as well as other forms of musical performances; the Theatre has 957 seats, mainly for drama, opera and Chinese traditional operas; and the Multi-functional Theatre can meet the needs of chamber music, recitals, small theatre drama and opera, and modern dance with its 469 seats. The NCPA also boasts a variety of functional public areas, including the Exhibition Halls, Arts Library, Press Room, Blossom Hall, Western Cuisine, Café and Arts Gifts Gallery, as well as a full range of support venues, such as rehearsal halls, piano rooms, dressing rooms, a stage design exhibition centre, a broadcast instructor studio, studios, and a video editing room. There are also spaces such as Maestro’s Club and Artists Salon for artists.

The NCPA adheres to the guiding principle of “for the people, for art and for the world”. By 2020, the NCPA has staged more than 10,000 commercial performances which reached more than 22 million audiences. It has produced 101 works, including 73 operas, 18 dramas, five Chinese operas, four dance dramas and one music drama. The NCPA also established the NCPA Orchestra, Chorus, Resident Singers, Drama Ensemble and BDA Youth Dance Troupe to support its artistic endeavours. It has launched a total of 13,000 performances and activities for the education and promotion of arts, as well as more than 440 exhibitions and 30 stage art films. It has established ties with more than 400 international art institutions in about 130 countries, formed strategic partnerships with 35 world-class art institutions, and performed in 19 countries and regions. In 2019, the Beijing Forum for Performing Arts was successfully held and the BFPA was established under the initiative of the NCPA. In 2020, the NCPA launched online series including “Spring Online”, “Sound of Summer Blooms”, “Bright Autumn Cadenza” and “An Invitation from Winter”, which were streamed free of charge on internet platforms. The NCPA has also established the NCPA Classical Music Channel, its own platform for audio and video works, and the NCPA Records, which stands dedicated to producing and distributing audio and video products.