With a scale of 19.1 hectares and a total investment of 12,756 billion VND, this is also a rare large-scale cultural and artistic project built with 100% socialized capital from Sun Group corporation. The entire process of design, construction, and operation is under the strict management and supervision of Hanoi city.
Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thang - Member of the Politburo, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics
At the event, Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang - Member of the Politburo, Director of the Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics expressed his emotion when the Hanoi Opera House will be ranked among the world's most famous opera houses: “This is a place that gathers the world's quintessence, gathers the world's most outstanding advancements, and is a place where we can enjoy globally renowned artistic programs. But at the same time, this is also a place to spread Vietnam's cultural values, the talent of Vietnamese people to the world. We expect this to be a testament to the beginning, to have more modern cultural works, so that the capital Hanoi deserves to be a civilized, modern, green, and beautiful capital”.
Groundbreaking ceremony for the Hanoi Opera House and Themed Cultural and Artistic Park project
Comrade Nguyen Xuan Thang also affirmed that the project invested by Sun Group Corporation has deeply implemented Politburo Resolution 68 on developing the private economy as the most important driving force of the economy, diversifying resources, forms of public-private partnerships, and private investment forms using social resources to serve the interests of the entire people.
An international-class "Sanctuary of Art"
The Hanoi Opera House was designed by Italian architectural legend Renzo Piano, one of the most influential architects of the 20th century. As the first Italian to be among the Top 100 most influential people in the world, Renzo Piano has received many prestigious awards throughout his 60-year career, such as the Pritzker Prize, considered the Nobel Prize of architecture. The Hanoi Opera House project is considered a stroke of luck for Vietnam, when the legend Renzo Piano, at 88 years old and 67 years in the profession, chose to dedicate the accumulation of his life's essence to its design.
Hanoi Opera House designed by architect Renzo Piano
Unable to attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony, Italian architectural legend Renzo Piano sent his special message and feelings for the project he has poured so much passion into: “ Although I cannot be present with you today, my heart is here. I send everyone my best wishes and complete joy for this special day. I love this project, and I believe it is the project I love the most. Because this project is connected to music, and music is my passion. And the Theater is an island, which always carries its own magic. Amidst the water, this island of music will be more magnificent and full of miracles. The greatest thing for me is to create a place where everyone can come together, listen to music, enjoy, and share happiness ”.
With a total floor area of approximately 40,980 m² (excluding parking and technical areas), nearly 6 times the area of an 11-a-side football pitch, the Theatre has two large auditoriums, including a grand auditorium. The opera hall (capacity of 1,797 seats) and a multi-purpose hall with a movable seating system that can be reconfigured to create standing space for events such as live music performances, concerts.., with a capacity of 1430 standing places and 216 balcony seats. In addition to the two auditoriums, the Theatre also features several other multi-purpose spaces such as the Main Hall, Rehearsal and Practice Rooms, Museum... This will not only be a venue capable of hosting various types of artistic performances such as symphonic music, Broadway-style musical performances, classical opera and ballet, award ceremonies, Galas, large-scale entertainment shows, but also a cultural exchange and entertainment space of international caliber for the capital's residents.
Hanoi Opera House with a dome inspired by the gentle waves of Ho Tay
The most distinctive feature of the theater is its architecture dome “unprecedented”, inspired by pearls rising from the surface of West Lake, with a super-thin, super-strong structure, coated with a material that creates a pearlescent effect, to reflect the colors of West Lake's surface according to the time of day.
Built to host world-class art programs, a destination for renowned global artists, Hanoi Opera House is expected to be among the world's most famous art cathedrals in Paris, Milan, Berlin, London, New York, Los Angeles…. This will also be a project that demonstrates the values and cultural connections of the world with Vietnamese culture, bringing Vietnam to the world.
Elevating the Capital's Status in a New Era
Not only a sacred land of history, the political - cultural - economic center of the country, Hanoi is also the cradle of many unique cultural values, the spiritual cultural center of the nation. Besides preserving the long-standing cultural values of the ancient capital region, investing in the development of new cultural institutions such as world-class theaters, national museums, and stages, and a series of key projects such as the renovation and construction of parks on both sides of the To Lich River... are considered important milestones for Hanoi to change its appearance, “to become a model Socialist Capital, developing on 5 pillars, with culture and people placed in the first position”, as directed by General Secretary To Lam during a working session with the Standing Committee of the Hanoi Party Committee on August 9, 2024 .
Hanoi Opera House promotes the image of Vietnam as innovative, creative, and integrated
Speaking at the event, Mr. Duong Duc Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee, emphasized that in the Hanoi Capital Planning for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, and the Adjustment of the General Capital Planning to 2045, with a vision to 2065, culture and heritage are identified as one of the five important development pillars. In the context of deep international integration, investing in iconic cultural works holds immense significance: affirming the position of the thousand-year cultural capital, while promoting the image of Vietnam as innovative, creative, humane, integrated, and sustainably developing.
“ This is a project with profound humanistic value, aiming to serve the community, not for profit, and funded by socialized capital - which is very rare in the world, as most major theaters are state-funded or sponsored. The fact that Sun Group Corporation - one of the leading private enterprises to pioneer investment, has shown a desire to create a typical cultural complex, with modern, novel architecture, of international stature, demonstrating the aspiration to rise” - Mr. Duong Duc Tuan affirmed.
The project is designed with space in mind, following a green philosophy and honoring the cultural and historical values of the capital city
With the project Hanoi Opera House , Italian architectural legend Renzo Piano spent many years studying the history and culture of Hanoi before conceiving the design. He infused the design of the theater with Hanoi's inspiration with a soft, wave-like dome inspired by West Lake, and created additional green space for the land associated with its historical and cultural heritage. Ponds and lakes around the area, such as the lotus pond at Pho Linh Pagoda and Thuy Su Lake, will be invested in for cleaning, renovation, restoration, and planting West Lake lotuses to harmonize with the entire park area. West Lake will also have 8 piers and a water tourism route, including a pier near the theater, allowing people and tourists to conveniently access this iconic cultural and artistic work.
With investment in space according to green philosophy and honoring the cultural and historical values of the capital, the project complex is expected to become an international art destination, a world-class cultural and entertainment park world, bringing the capital's residents an attractive entertainment spot and an iconic work that world tourists must visit, like how they wish to see the Sydney Opera House in Australia with their own eyes.
Mr. Dang Minh Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sun Group
Sharing about the project, Mr. Dang Minh Truong, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sun Group Corporation, affirmed that this is a mission - a special honor for Sun Group, a token of gratitude from those born and raised in Hanoi, to create a cultural symbol for the capital and the country. "We are living in an era of the nation's strong resurgence - an era of rapid and sustainable development for a strong, powerful, prosperous, civilized, and happy Vietnam. This is an era where humans are placed at the center, where every citizen has the right to enjoy development values and scholarly literary values. The construction of the Hanoi Opera House is a step that expresses the aspiration to bring Vietnam confidently, self-reliantly, and in step with the world" - Mr. Dang Minh Truong shared at the event.
Accompanying Sun Group to build this extremely challenging project complex, at the groundbreaking ceremony, Vietcombank bank presented a Letter of Approval for credit provision to implement the project investment. More than just a financial partner, Vietcombank's support demonstrates a belief and readiness to contribute to an iconic project of the capital, Hanoi.
It is expected that the Hanoi Opera House will be completed in 2027./.
