The Black Box Theatre officially opened yesterday, welcoming local performing art groups to apply to perform there or to rent for practice or rehearsals, Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) President Leong Wai Man told reporters yesterday on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the city’s latest cultural facility.
The opening ceremony, which was attended by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U and other government officials, marked the official opening of Macau’s first cultural facility built to professional standards, Leong said.
The two theatre halls can accommodate audiences of 140 and 160 respectively and are equipped with suspension systems and tension nets to cater for performances, as well as rehearsal and dressing rooms, Leong pointed out.
Leong said that the overall cost of the Black Box Theatre was about 98 million patacas, adding that the budget and progress of the project were in line with the bureau’s expectations.
Leong also said that the bureau also planned to turn the annual summer holidays into a performance season with major shows for the public to enjoy, pointing out that the bureau has invited representatives of Macau’s cultural and creative industries to visit the Black Box Theatre. Leong said that the bureau also has invited the Shanghai Children’s Theatre to perform at the Black Box Theatre in the middle of this month, with a view to promoting the venue to the general public and the cultural sector.
The new Black Box Theatre – which will hold all performances and activities previously scheduled to take place at the Old Courthouse in Praia Grande, is now open for booking. For information, members of the public can visit the official website: www.ccm.gov.mo/guidelines.
Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng (front, second from right), other government officials and members of the public visit one of the two halls of the new Black Box Theatre for a briefing during its official opening ceremony at the Cultural Centre in Nape yesterday.
– Photo: IC
