The building of China's new National Grand Theater in Beijing is scheduled for completion in July 2007, local government sources revealed on Sunday. The theater, designed by French architect Paul Andreu, will come into operation the autumn after, the sources said.

The project's leadership team, founded in January 1998 as the top decision-making body for the venture, have determined the theater will be non-profit and for the public good. The municipal government of Beijing will manage its daily operation, the sources said.

The interior of the theater is due to be finished by the end of this year. Work began in December 2001 after four years of deliberation by China's policy makers. Located in the heart of Beijing, near the Great Hall of the People and Tiananmen Square, the theater stands out from its surroundings with it titanium-clad dome shape.

The silver "tear drop", as some commentators have dubbed it, has sparked debate among domestic experts on whether such a modern design was appropriate for the center of Beijing. However, it was listed among the top 10 architectural designs by the US-based Journal Business Week for its energy-saving and environmentally friendly design.

The structure, covering 149,500 square meters, comprises three gigantic halls including a 2,416-seat opera house, a 2,017-seat concert hall and a 1,040-seat theater.

With an investment of 2.69 billion yuan (US$341 million) the theater is the biggest cultural project of China's 10th Five-Year Plan period (2001-2005).

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2006)