World-class opera house gets green light in Hanoi

Hanoi People's Committee has given the green light to a new urban development plan, the centerpiece of which is a modern, large-scale theater on the Quang An Peninsula next to the West Lake.

The proposed theater campus covers more than 44 hectares in two wards of Tay Ho District, Quang An and Tu Lien, where a cultural and arts park will be built along with theaters, religious facilities, recreational facilities, commercial and service areas.

A rendering of a future theater on Hanoi's West Lake. Photos: The Tay Ho District People's Committee

The 1:500 scale detailed planning project for the central axis of the Quang An Peninsula was approved this week, which will feature a green corridor, recreational areas, a spiritual culture park, a thematic cultural and art park, and a modern landmark theater for the capital.

The Quang An Peninsula is set to feature a green corridor, recreational areas, a spiritual cultural park, a thematic cultural and arts park, and a modern, large-scale theater emblematic of the capital.

The plan integrates underground urban spaces, with the city's overarching systems. Enhancements will include improved technical infrastructure, expanded transportation networks, and measures to protect the West Lake ecosystem and the surrounding environment.

The Hanoi People's Committee has tasked the Tay Ho District People's Committee in coordination with the Department of Planning and Architecture and the Hanoi Institute of Construction Planning to lead the public announcement of the approved detailed plan. This ensures accessibility for organizations, agencies, and residents.

A corner of the West Lake where the new Hanoi Opera House is expected to be built.

The opera house to be built on Dam Tri Lake is expected to become a cultural icon of the capital.

According to Doan Bang, Deputy Director of the Youth Theater, there are currently 20 theaters in Hanoi, but all of them are small, with only 100 to 900 seats. The West Lake Opera House is planned for large-scale art performances and other cultural entertainment activities.

"Many of the theaters in Hanoi are very old and are not able to host large art performances at this time. Vietnam, and Hanoi in particular, needs a world-class music performance space," Bang told Hanoimoi.

Architect Tran Huy Anh, a member of the Hanoi Architects Association, told The Hanoi Times that the plan to build a theater in the area of Quang An Peninsula has been conceived over the past ten years.

A map shows the Quang An Peninsula in the center of West Lake and Dam Tri Lake is marked with the red box.

"The new opera house will have a modern architecture with a dome inspired by the waves of the West Lake. It is meant to become a new symbol of the capital," Anh said.

There will be commercial and service centers, hotels underground parking lots, and an upgraded traffic infrastructure system around the theater. All of this will be built with a view to protecting the ecological environment of the West Lake and surrounding areas.

"Opera houses have become symbols of many countries in the world and generated huge revenues for the tourism industry. The new Opera House will have a modern architecture with a dome inspired by the waves of West Lake, and is destined to become a new symbol of the capital," Anh said.

The main objectives of the project are to build trade and services centers and hotels for tourism and connect urban underground spaces, and underground car parks with the general infrastructure network across the city, in addition to upgrading the traffic infrastructure system and protecting the ecological environment in the West Lake and surrounding areas.

New opera house design.

Hanoi's current opera house, built by the French more than 100 years ago, hosts some national events. However, with a capacity of only nearly 900 people, this theater cannot accommodate large-scale international music festivals.

"Experts have said that as a result, the capital has missed many opportunities to play host to international-level events to reaffirm its position and stature as the capital of Vietnam," Anh said.

The new performing arts center, to be built in the center of Dam Tri Lake, is planned to be built on a 13,000-square-meter site and will be able to host about 3,500 spectators.

Nguyen Thanh Tinh, Deputy Chairman of Tay Ho District, said that although the center will be built on Dam Tri Lake, it will not have much impact on the water surface and will not encroach on the West Lake.

"It will be designed by world-renowned Italian architect Renzo Piano, whose projects include The Shard in London and the Parliament House in Valletta, Malta. This place will be the venue for Hanoi's major cultural events and the highlight of West Lake," Tinh told The Hanoi Times.

He added that the district has put up planning posters at four locations on Quang An Peninsula and posted information about the project on its portal for people's feedback.

A general view of a new opera house on Dam Tri Lake.