The National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts Opens in Taiwan
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The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, which opened in Taiwan a few days back is being hailed as the the world’s largest performing arts centre under one roof. Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the single sweeping building covering a surface area oThe National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts Opens in Taiwan
The National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, which opened in Taiwan a few days back is being hailed as the the world’s largest performing arts centre under one roof. Designed by Dutch architects Mecanoo, the single sweeping building covering a surface area of 35 acres is set in the spectacular 116-acre subtropical park. The new cultural hub houses a 2,236-seat Opera House, a 1,981-seat Concert Hall, a 1,210-seat Playhouse, a 434-seat Recital Hall, and an Outdoor Theater. The heart of Weiwuying is the vast, sinuous Banyan Plaza open to the public at all hours and home to a wide-ranging programme of participation.The cultural hub was inaugurated in the presence of the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Tsai Ing-Wen and numerous high-ranking representatives from the worlds of politics and culture. A ceremony in the Concert Hall marked the beginning of the opening festivities.“Chien Wen-Pin, Executive and Artistic Director of the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying), conducted the combined forces of the National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, the Kaohsiung Symphony Orchestra, Kaohsiung Chamber Choir, and musicians from Kaohsiung Music Alliance. The line-up of Taiwanese and international soloists included the Latvian organist Iveta Apkalna — who inaugurated Asia’s largest pipe organ (9,085 pipes — built by Germany’s Klais Orgelbau Bonn). The opening festivities then shifted outdoors, where an estimated audience of 50,000 witnessed a parade of 300 construction workers “Ode to the Heroes” heralding the “Arts for the People” celebration — a high-tech extravaganza combining light show, Taiwan’s aboriginal dance, traditional theatre, opera, street culture, music, puppetry, digital art — staged by Germany’s interdisciplinary artist network Phase 7, who was also responsible for the opening ceremony of the new Federal Chancellery,” stated Mecanoo.The inauguration season will continue until January 1, 2019. Highlights include concerts by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Gustavo Dudamel and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Maris Jansons; performances by Robert Lepage, Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan, La Fura dels Baus and Sydney Dance Company; the flagship biannual festival Taiwan Dance Platform.Click on the slideshow for a sneak peek at the National Kaohsiung Centre for the Arts.http://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more