Shanghai · China
Shanghai’s Spectacular New Opera House Lets You Walk on Its Roof: Inside the Shanghai Grand Opera House
An unfolding Chinese fan of stone and glass now rises from the Huangpu River. Snøhetta’s long-awaited opera house opened on October 17, and its most surprising stage may be the roof, where anyone can climb for a view of the city.
Some buildings host culture. A rare few become it. After a decade in the making, the Shanghai Grand Opera House has opened on a sweeping curve of the Huangpu River, and it is already one of the most talked-about new buildings in the world. Its silhouette is unmistakable: a spiraling roof that unfolds like a traditional Chinese hand fan, rising from the riverbank and wrapping around three state-of-the-art theaters.
But the building’s boldest idea is that you don’t need a ticket to enjoy it. The roof is a public landscape, with a spiraling staircase and terraces that invite anyone to climb up, sit down and take in the river and skyline. It is opera house, city park and lookout in one.
The building’s boldest idea: you don’t need a ticket to enjoy it.
5 Reasons to Visit the Shanghai Grand Opera House
- The walkable roof. Climb the fan-shaped roof for river and city views.
- The architecture. A landmark by Snøhetta, the firm behind Oslo’s famous opera house.
- Three stages. From grand opera in Harmony Hall to experimental work on the Open Stage.
- Chinese and world opera. Original Chinese productions alongside international repertoire.
- The riverside setting. Right beside Shanghai Expo Culture Park on the Huangpu.
A fan unfolding on the Huangpu
Snøhetta won the international competition to design the opera house in 2016, working with East China Architectural Design & Research Institute, theater consultants Theatre Projects and Nagata Acoustics. The result covers roughly 1.5 million square feet and rises about 45 meters, its helical roof circling the building like the folds of a fan. The firm knows this territory well: its National Opera and Ballet in Oslo famously lets visitors stroll across its sloping roof, and Shanghai takes that idea to a dramatic new scale.
“I hope it will become a place that inspires, brings people together, and stands as a new landmark for the city,” says Kjetil Trædal Thorsen, a founding partner of Snøhetta.
Inside: three stages and a studio
Beneath the roof, about 4,200 seats are spread across three very different venues, plus a dedicated space for learning.
| Venue | Capacity | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Harmony Hall | 2,000 seats | The main auditorium for grand opera, ballet and large-scale productions. |
| Soar Theatre | 1,200 seats | A mid-size theater for Chinese and international productions. |
| Open Stage | 1,000 seats | A flexible venue for immersive theater and chamber music, with a glass wall nearly 13 meters high overlooking the park. |
| Grand Atelier | Arts education space | Workshops and learning programs for the public. |
The venue describes its mission as becoming a global home for opera, a premier stage for original Chinese productions and a cultural living room for the public, and it expects to host hundreds of performances in its first year.
Not going to a show? Go anyway
Because the roof and surrounding landscape are open to the public, the Shanghai Grand Opera House is worth a visit even without a ticket. Come in the late afternoon, climb the spiral for views across the Huangpu, then stay for sunset as the city lights come on. Pair it with a walk through Shanghai Expo Culture Park and the riverside greenways of Houtan, a district rebuilt around parks and wetlands since the 2010 World Expo.
Make it a Shanghai weekend
Shanghai rewards travelers who mix the new with the historic. After a performance, cross the city for dinner in the French Concession, or book a table at Mi Shang Prada Rong Zhai, Prada’s cinematic restaurant inside a restored 1918 mansion created with Wong Kar Wai.
Shanghai Grand Opera House — At a Glance
- Opened
- October 17, 2026
- Where
- Expo Houtan, Pudong, beside Shanghai Expo Culture Park on the Huangpu River
- Architect
- Snøhetta, with ECADI, Theatre Projects and Nagata Acoustics
- Venues
- Harmony Hall (2,000), Soar Theatre (1,200), Open Stage (1,000), Grand Atelier
- Don’t miss
- The public, fan-shaped roof and its river views
- Tickets
- Check the opera house’s official channels for the current season
Plan Your Shanghai Trip
Catch a performance, climb the roof at sunset and make a weekend of Shanghai.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Shanghai Grand Opera House open?
The Shanghai Grand Opera House officially opened on October 17, 2026, with its inaugural season.
Where is the Shanghai Grand Opera House?
The Shanghai Grand Opera House stands on a curving bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai’s Expo Houtan district in Pudong, beside Shanghai Expo Culture Park.
Who designed the Shanghai Grand Opera House?
The Shanghai Grand Opera House was designed by the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, which won the international design competition in 2016, together with East China Architectural Design & Research Institute (ECADI), Theatre Projects and Nagata Acoustics.
How many seats does the Shanghai Grand Opera House have?
The Shanghai Grand Opera House seats about 4,200 people across three auditoriums: the 2,000-seat Harmony Hall, the 1,200-seat Soar Theatre and the 1,000-seat Open Stage.
Can you walk on the roof of the Shanghai Grand Opera House?
Yes. The building’s sweeping, fan-shaped roof is designed as a public space, with a spiraling stair and terraces that visitors can climb for views over the river, the park and the city.
What performances are at the Shanghai Grand Opera House?
The program spans international opera, ballet and concerts, original Chinese productions and experimental work, alongside arts education in the Grand Atelier.
Why is it shaped like a fan?
Snøhetta’s design takes the form of an unfolding traditional Chinese hand fan, with a spiraling roof that wraps around the building and rises from the riverbank.
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