Suzhou is the cradle of Kun opera. Suzhou Municipal Government have been paying high attention to the development of Kun opera and input 130 million yuan to establish the Sunzhong Kunqu Opera Theatre which was the key public cultural project listed in the Suzhou Twelfth-Five-year Plan. This on-going project has a far-reaching implication. It will become a place to display the fruits of the inheritance of Kun opera and serve as a promotion platform to share views and experience of Kun opera. It will definitely become the only complete experience space and an international base for Kun opera. In addition, it will attract various industries and economic activities while playing a leading and exemplary role in the long-term development of Suzhou culture.

The new Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre will be completed and put into use on Dec 9, 2014. It will provide a wide space for art inheritance, talent training, audience building and market development. The theatre will be divided into two sections. The east section is mainly used for office, opera performing, inheritance and protection, education and promotion. It will open to public for free to allow residents to have a close contact with the Kun opera.

The theatre plans to launch non-profit performances and lectures regularly. A series of poem, book, painting and seal exhibitions will be presented to show the Kun opera in the eyes of Suzhou residents. It will also establish several experience spaces for costume, folk music and photography. In addition, research institutes, artist studio and art educational base of colleges and universities will settle down here. The west section of the theatre will be used for performance with the Kun opera training institute at the core and showcase the history of the training institute.

The ceremony activities for the complete of Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theatre will run for seven days, including the opera premiere, art and painting exhibitions, symposia, lectures and classic opera performances. The theatre will take the inheritance of Kun opera as a starting point and make efforts to promote traditional culture. It will not only take Kun opera as a cultural heritage, but also inject vitality to it. A newer and higher requirement and modern aesthetic values will be given to Kun opera.

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