Beijing's "Giant Egg" Named One of the World's Most Beautiful Concert Venues

Time Out has ranked the world's most beautiful concert venues, and among stunning natural landscapes like Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Tennessee's The Caverns, historic halls like Milan's Teatro alla Scala, and even an Irish castle, Beijing's National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) has earned its place.

The only Asian entry on the list, the venue is affectionately known as "The Giant Egg"—though from the outside, it more closely resembles a silver-and-glass insect, its shell composed of thousands of metal and glass plates. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu and opened in 2007, it sits in the heart of Beijing. It is both a design feat and a technological marvel, particularly in how it manages the abundance of groundwater beneath the building.

The eye-catching oval structure houses an opera hall, music hall, theatre, and more, making it the largest performance venue in Asia. The eponymous NCPA Orchestra calls it home, and audiences can also see local and international opera singers and musicians perform in this landmark.

NCPA stages original drama and opera productions, alongside weekly Chinese opera shows. In February 2026, Spain's Ballet Flamenco de Granada will perform The Phantom of the Opera and Carmen. That same month, the Shanghai Ballet will present Swan Lake at the Opera House, and a Ryuichi Sakamoto classics concert will ring in the Lunar New Year.

Other dramatic classics will be staged throughout the year, including Singin' in the Rain, Pride and Prejudice, Murder on the Orient Express, and Don Juan.