National Theatre - Kuala Lumpur Tours

Located at near by Tasik Titiwangsa (Lake), Istana Budaya is the first theatre in Asia to be equipped with state-of-the-art stage equipment. This makes it one of the ten most sophisticated theatres in the world, and on par with the Royal Albert Hall in London.

Built at a cost of RM210 million, the theatre has a floor area of 21,000 sq.m., and is part of a cultural complex covering 5.44 hectares The inspiration for the design (by Malaysian architect Muhammad Kamar Yaﾒakub) is a traditional moon kite in flight. The main building takes the form of the Sirih Junjung (a traditional arrangement of betel leaves used during Malay weddings and welcoming ceremonies).

The building is divided by function as in a traditional Malay house with its three sections: the ﾑserambiﾒ (lobby and foyer), ﾑrumah ibuﾒ (mother house) as the auditorium, and the ﾑrumah dapurﾒ (kitchen) as the stage and rehearsal hall. The interior makes extensive use of Langkawi marble, while high-quality tropical wood is used for the doors, which feature hand-carved flower and leaf motifs.

The lush carpets in the foyer and lobby feature motifs based on the cempaka flower and the beringin tree (reminiscent of a traditional Mak Yong performance).

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