Shanghai Grand Theatre
The Shanghai Grand Theatre, located at People’s Square in the heart of the city, opened on August 27, 1998. It covers an area of approximately 2.1 hectares and is adjacent to the Shanghai Municipal Government and the Shanghai Museum. The theatre’s distinctive and elegant design has made it a landmark of the city and a central cultural hub, helping to establish People’s Square as Shanghai’s political and cultural epicenter.
The theatre is a key venue for a variety of performances, including opera, musicals, ballet, symphonies, chamber music, dramas, and Chinese opera. It plays an important role in both domestic and international cultural exchange and has become a bridge for artistic communication.
The theatre occupies 11,528 square meters, with a total building area of 70,000 square meters and a height of 40 meters. The structure includes two underground floors, six above-ground floors, and two additional levels on the roof, for a total of ten stories. It houses three main performance spaces: a 1,800-seat Grand Theatre for opera, ballet, and symphonies; a 550-seat Middle Theatre for Chinese opera and chamber music; and a 250-seat Small Theatre for drama and dance performances.
The theatre’s facilities include a rooftop banquet hall, a cultural exhibition hall on the ground floor, a Maxim’s café, and an underground garage with space for over 170 cars. Known for its innovative design, the theatre incorporates new technologies, materials, and craftsmanship, earning it the title of an "art palace woven from musical notes."
The construction of the Shanghai Grand Theatre began in September 1994 and was completed in August 1998. The design was a collaboration between French architect Jean-Marie Charpentier and the East China Architectural Design Institute, with interior design by U.S. firms Stidio and Tansher. The building’s architecture combines Eastern and Western cultural influences, featuring a white, curved roof and a glass curtain wall that reflects light, resembling a crystal palace.
The grand lobby, spanning nearly 2,000 square meters, has a white color scheme and exudes elegance. It is dominated by a large crystal chandelier made from six rows of pipes, and the floors are covered with rare Greek crystal white marble, patterned like piano keys. Giant marble columns and rhythmically arranged staircases enhance the sense of being in a musical world.
The theatre also boasts high-quality sound and lighting systems. The sound system uses JBL professional equipment, while the lighting system incorporates top-tier Belgian products from ADB. Stage equipment is fully computer-controlled, meeting the demands of the world’s leading theatre companies.
In addition to performance spaces, the theatre features a 1,600-square-meter restaurant, VIP lounges, a café, and an underground parking garage. Since its opening, the Shanghai Grand Theatre has hosted a wide range of performances, earning high acclaim both domestically and internationally. It is regarded as a perfect fusion of architecture and art, becoming an important platform for cultural exchange and artistic dialogue in Shanghai.
