Cao Zhen

    caozhen0806@126.com

    THE newly renovated Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center opened its doors to the public yesterday, making it a “destination venue for Nanshan residents.”

    Located near Luobao Line’s Taoyuan Metro Station, the center has two theaters, two swimming pools and a 2,092-seat gymnasium. Covering about 40,000 square meters, the center shares the neighborhood with Lixiang Park, Nanshan District Library, Nanshan Museum and Huanlesong Shopping Center.

    Owned by the Nanshan District Government, the center was built in 1993 and renovated last year at a cost of 1 billion yuan (US$164 million).

    The two theaters are operated by local ticketing and performance company Juooo. The 1,325-seat Grand Theater has advanced staging equipment suitable for symphonies, operas and dance shows. The 356-seat Small Theater is mainly for children’s plays and low-budget dramas.

    “Shenzhen is one of the top cities in China for high-quality shows, but in Nanshan District, there were not many places showing classical concerts or musicals,” said Pang Liangzhi, Juooo’s theater management chairperson. “Nanshan is a young and dynamic area in town and we hope more residents can enjoy high-quality shows at the new Nanshan Cultural and Sports Center.”

    Last night, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra presented a night of classics at the Grand Theater, opening the fall/winter performance season of the center. Highlights of the season include the dance show “Orpheus and Eurydice” by Ballet National de Marseille on Oct. 10, Russian ballet “The Nutcracker” on Dec. 30 and a New Year’s concert by the Vienna Strauss Orchestra on Jan. 4. Pang added that thanks to the district government’s subsidies, future shows in the center would include low-priced tickets of only 50 yuan.

    The sports facilities, operated by Hong Kong-listed property developer Kaisa Group, are not only for residents’ use but also for professional matches.

    In the future, the center will include sports and musical training schools, cultural salons and social interaction events.