It would be hard to overuse superlatives in describing our experience last night at the National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing. It is by far the most impressive performance venue I have ever been in.

The building is a titanium ellipsoid dome surrounded by an artificial lake, often described as looking like an egg floating on water. Inside are three halls that seat a total of 6500 people. The contemporary interior is made of wood, glass and steel and soars up hundreds of feet, with multiple staircases and escalators crossing to different levels of the three halls. The lighting is dramatic, and the total effect is stunning.

The concert hall is large but seems intimate because the audience surrounds the stage. We heard a performance of the Amsterdam Orchestra, led by a Latvian (!) conductor, doing symphonies by Dvorak and Mendelsohn, and a piece by Ravel. The musicians were world-class, the acoustics were superb, and we had the best seats in the house -- 6th row center. It was unforgettable. Most of the audience, incidentally, was Chinese.

Unfortunately they don't allow cameras, and a written description doesn't do it justice. I felt a pang of jealousy; why don't we have something like this?

-- Len