Most countries have built its very own opera house and Hong Kong is no stranger to that concept. The Hong Kong Cultural Centre is an architectural masterpiece that was designed to host shows and performance in the country. It is located near the historic clock tower and several other Hong Kong landmarks. The place was opened up in 1989 when Hong Kong was still under the British Crown. When it was declared open Prince Charles and Princess Diana were the guests of honor. Hong Kong’s Cultural Centre has a unique design; it resembles a boomerang since there is a sloping roof visible from the outside. An interesting aspect of the structure is the very absence of windows, it signifies the idea that the audience inside are the only judges of the performances on stage.
This magnificent structure was built on an area of 12.8 acres and there are three performance halls included in it. There is a Grand Theatre, Concert Hall, Studio Theatre, Exhibition Area, Practice and Rehearsal Rooms, Conference Rooms, Exhibition Gallery, a souvenir store and a restaurant. The Concert Hall is a remarkable construction; it has an oval shape and has a seating capacity for a little over 2000 persons. It can even be divided into two separate tears so that the stage is at the center and the audience is on either side. The Cultural Centre boasts of having one of the biggest pipe organs in the world, an Austrian mechanical tracker organ that has around 8000 pipes and 93 stops. As for acoustics, one word to describe it would be ‘magnificent’. There are adjustable acoustic canopies that have been built into the system and it ensures that each member of the audience will be provided with quality sounds.
Most of the modern equipment has been placed in the Grand Theatre, for instance, there is an orchestra pit that can hold over 100 musicians. Another fascinating technological element in the theatre is the infrared system that provides simultaneous translations in five different languages.
If you are spending a vacation in the city then a Hong Kong hotel is easy to find. An exemplary Wan Chai hotel Hong Kong has to offer is Cosmopolitan Hotel Hong Kong which boasts an ideal location and plus comforts.
Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
