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New National Theatre

New National Theatre, Tokyo
新国立劇場
New National Theatre, Tokyo 2010.jpg
New National Theatre, Tokyo
Address 1-1-1 Honmachi, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo
Japan
Coordinates 35°40′57″N 139°41′8″E / 35.68250°N 139.68556°E / 35.68250; 139.68556Coordinates: 35°40′57″N 139°41′8″E / 35.68250°N 139.68556°E / 35.68250; 139.68556
Capacity 1,814 (Opera House)
Construction
Opened 1997
Architect Takahiko Yanagisawa
Website
http://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/

The New National Theatre, Tokyo (NNTT) (新国立劇場 Shin Kokuritsu Gekijō?) is Japan's first and foremost national centre for the performing arts, including opera, ballet, contemporary dance and drama. It is located in the Shinjuku area of Tokyo. The centre has been praised for its architecture and state-of-the-art modern theatre facilities, which are considered among the best in the world. In 2007, the NNTT was branded with the advertising slogan: Opera Palace, Tokyo.

The construction of the NNTT was completed in February 1997, with the Tokyo Opera City Tower connected to the theatre. Its first public performances took place in October of that year.

Besides the public performances, various enterprises are undertaken, such as the young artist training programs (for ballet, opera, and theatre), theatre rental for other performing arts groups, performing arts-related exhibitions, public usage of its video library and book library, public performances for children and young students, backstage tours, and most importantly, international exchanges for performing arts events, etc. Moreover, The Stage Set & Design Centre (located in Choshi city, Chiba Prefecture), stores and exhibits previously-used stage scenery and costumes.

The arts management of NNTT, including the enterprises in above, is commissioned to New National Theatre Foundation (NNTF) from the independent administrative institution, known as The Japan Arts Council. NNTT is managed by several trust funds, government grants, admission revenues, and private donations from many supporting companies.

The NNTT has been repeatedly criticized for its bureaucratic arts administration, which is very representative of usual Japanese politics. Although NNTT is financed by the Japanese government, major conductors, directors, and performing artists have all complained that their creative ideas are restricted by the bureaucratic style of the arts management. In 2010, the government decided to cut down the ¥4.8 billion grant NNTT received the previous year by half, and reduce the government grants to trainees who want to work and study abroad.


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