History
The idea of this state-of-the-art theatre began with the proposal in 1964 to establish a cultural centre. The construction work began in 1995 and was completed three years later. It was built at a cost of RM210 million with a theatre floor area of 21,000 m² as part of the 54,400 m² cultural complex. The Istana Budaya was officially opened by the former Prime Minister of Malaysia, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamed in 1999.
The Istana Budaya theatre hall Panggung Sari, with its unique design of royal boxes inspired by the windows of the traditional Rumah Melayu or Malay house, can accommodate up to 1,412 audiences at a time. The building is the first theatre in Asia that is equipped with state-of-the-art stage equipment. Istana Budaya is also rated among the ten most sophisticated theatres in the world, and on par with the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Upon completion, the former national theatre, Panggung Negara was relocated to this new building. Istana Budaya is also the residence of the National Theatre Company and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Read more about this topic: Istana Budaya
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