New National Theatre Tokyo facts for kids
New National Theatre, Tokyo
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| Address | 1-1-1 Honmachi, Shibuya-ku Tokyo Japan |
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| Coordinates | 35°40′57″N 139°41′8″E / 35.68250°N 139.68556°E |
| Capacity | 1,814 (Opera House), 1,038 (Playhouse), 340-468 (The Pit) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 1997 |
| Architect | Takahiko Yanagisawa |
| Website | |
| http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/ | |
The New National Theatre, Tokyo (NNTT) is a super cool place in Japan where you can watch amazing shows! It's the main national center for all sorts of performing arts, like opera, ballet, modern dance, and plays. You can find it in Shinjuku, a busy part of Tokyo, Japan.
Since it opened in 1997, over 650 different shows have been performed here. Each year, about 300 performances happen, bringing in around 200,000 people! People say its buildings are really cool and its theater rooms are some of the best in the world, with super modern equipment. In 2007, it even got a special nickname: Opera Palace, Tokyo.
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About the Theatre
The New National Theatre was finished in February 1997. Its first shows for the public happened in October of that same year. The Tokyo Opera City Tower is connected right to the theatre. This tower has concert halls, an art gallery, a media-art museum, offices, and lots of restaurants and shops. The theatre and the tower together are called the "Tokyo Opera City."
Besides putting on awesome shows, the NNTT also does many other things. They have special training programs for young artists who want to be in ballet, opera, or theatre. They also let other performing arts groups rent their spaces. You can find exhibitions about performing arts, and even use their video and book libraries. They put on special shows just for kids and students, and you can even take tours backstage!
The NNTT also helps with international exchanges for performing arts events. This means they connect with artists and theatres from all over the world. They even have a special center in Choshi city, Chiba Prefecture, where they store and show off old stage scenery and costumes from past shows.
Theatre Facilities
The New National Theatre is a very strong building made of steel and concrete. It has 5 floors above the ground and 4 floors underground. The total size of the building is about 68,879 square meters (741,400 sq ft). It was designed by an architect named Takahiko Yanagisawa.
The NNTT has three main theatre spaces, each designed for different types of performances.
Opera House (Opera Palace)
This is the biggest theatre, with 1,814 seats. It has seats on four different levels, from the 1st to the 4th floor. It's mostly used for grand shows like opera and ballet. Sometimes, concerts are held here too.
The stage has a special area called an orchestra pit, where up to 120 musicians can play. This pit can be moved up or down depending on what the show needs. The stage itself is very advanced, with four different sections that can move up and down. This allows for quick scene changes during a performance.
For operas, there are screens on the sides of the stage that show subtitles. This helps everyone understand what the singers are saying, even if it's in a different language. In 2007, this theatre was officially named the "Opera Palace, Tokyo."
Playhouse
The Playhouse has 1,038 seats when set up in a traditional way, or 1,010 seats in a more open style. It has two levels of seating. This theatre is mainly used for plays and modern dance performances. But it can also host opera and ballet shows. Like the Opera House, it has a flexible stage with four sections and can even have a temporary orchestra pit.
The Pit
"The Pit" is a smaller, more flexible theatre space. It can seat between 340 and 468 people. It's located on the first basement floor. This space is very unique because its stage and seats can be moved around. This makes it perfect for modern and experimental performances where the stage setup might change a lot.
Other Areas
Besides the main theatres, the NNTT also has other useful spaces. There's an information center on the 5th floor, where you can get help and learn more. There are also rehearsal rooms, training rooms, and even a lovely roof garden on the 5th floor where you can relax.
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Approach (2019)
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Promenade (2019)
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Promenade (2019)
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Main entrance (2019)
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Foyer (2019)
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Middle Theater Foyer (2019)
Opera at NNTT
The opera part of the New National Theatre is called the New National Theatre Opera (NNTO). They often invite famous opera singers from Europe and other parts of the world to perform. Japanese singers who are well-known internationally are also often asked to sing lead roles.
The NNTO also tries to bring Japanese stories to the opera stage. For example, they have performed operas like Shuzenji Monogatari and Rokumeikan, which are based on Japanese tales.
Ballet at NNTT
The ballet company at the New National Theatre is known as the New National Theatre Ballet (NNTB). They often have famous guest dancers like Svetlana Zakharova perform with them. The NNTB's style is a mix of Russian, British, and French classical ballet traditions.
The NNTB has performed in famous places like the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and even at the Bolshoi Theatre in Russia. The company is working hard to become the best ballet company in Asia and one of the top 10 internationally recognized companies in the world!
