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Chinese Opera House Opens

By Sophie Goldstein,  Newser User

Posted Sep 25, 2007 4:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – Armed ballerinas and a song by former Chinese president Jiang Zemin today celebrate the opening of Beijing's controversial National Grand Theater, a $360 million modern arts complex built in the shadow of the Forbidden City. The Red Detachment of Women, however, is a traditional touch—it's one of eight plays permitted under the watchful eye of Mao's wife, reports the Guardian.

The design, which features an artificial lake and a titanium shell covered by glass, was selected by the Chinese government in 1998 from a pool of local and international submissions. The three state-of-the-art theaters inside the shell—which seat more than 5,000 collectively—are expected to draw the world's best orchestras, operas, and musicals. 

Former Chinese President and opera enthusiast Jiang Zemin (center) is the first soloist to sing at the National Grand Theater in Beijing. (AP Photo/Color China Photo)
Former Chinese President and opera enthusiast Jiang Zemin (center) is the first soloist to sing at the National Grand Theater in Beijing. (AP Photo/Color China Photo)   (Associated Press)
Pedestrians cross past the eggshell at sunset.
Pedestrians cross past the "eggshell" at sunset.   (www.nationalgrandtheater.com)
The National Grand Theatre in central Beijing, near Tiananmen Square. The structure is nicknamed the egg shell because of its shape.
The National Grand Theatre in central Beijing, near Tiananmen Square. The structure is nicknamed the "egg shell" because of its shape.   (www.nationalgrandtheater.com)
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