China - The National Centre for the Performing Arts, formerly known as the National Grand Theater, Beijing, was recently equipped with MA Lighting technology. The Centre, an ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass surrounded by an artificial lake, seats 6,500 people in three halls and is 200,000m² in size. It was designed by French architect Paul Andreu.

Four grandMA full-size and one grandMA ultra-light are used to control three major performance halls: the Opera House for operas, ballet, and dances (seats 2,416) the Concert Hall (seats 2,017) and the Theatre, for plays (1,040 seats). All grandMA consoles are connected via MA-Net which is based on fibre optical. Besides other fixtures the National Centre for the Performing Arts has got 200 moving lights installed.

ACE - Advanced Communication Equipment provided the lighting equipment. Lighting design was a joint effort by NGT, ACE and ADPi.

(Jim Evans)


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