With long-time critics presently silenced and the hall now fitted out with plush cushioned seating in much the same style as that of the city's National Concert Hall and National Theater and able to seat 1,100, the newly outfitted Chungcheng Hall has already found itself in big demand.
Plummeting ticket sales nationwide haven't deterred several of the nation's leading theatrical and musical groups and a handful of international acts from applying to perform at the hall.
"There's already of long list of acts who have asked to perform here. In fact, more troupes, ensembles and orchestras have applied than could possibly have been hoped for," said the hall's director.
The newly renovated Chungshan Hall played host to its inaugural performance last Monday. Players from Taiwan's popular Performance Workshop (表演工作坊) performed a 90-minute program entitled "Tonight, A Comedic Look at Chungshan Hall" (今夜，中山堂有人說相聲!).
The show, which saw the theater troupe satirizing the prestigious building's long history through a series of short sketches proved a success, albeit a minor one.
Although filled to roughly 80 percent capacity, according to Performance Workshop marketing director, Shen Hsi-hsing (
"I spoke to a few people after the show and they agreed that the refurbished venue was a marked improvement on its old self," admitted Shen. "But they couldn't workout why it had cost so much as it all seemed quite normal and there was nothing special about it."
Not that it was solely the dull interior design that left audiences wondering what all the fuss was about.
As the building is a national relic and alterations to the interior are prohibited, the halls acoustics also left a few people wondering whether or not the renovation was worth it. Even a new stage, complete with modern theatrical gadgetry and a modern sound system, can't breathe new life into the 60 year-old structure.
"The hall is an old building and because of this the walls weren't designed with modern sound systems in mind," continued Shen. "Which means some of what takes place on the stage cannot easily be picked up in parts of the auditorium." It's not all bad news for the newly refurbished hall, however. The hall is already fully booked until mid-January with a host of acts ranging from classical Chinese opera troupes and folk and classical music ensembles.
And with the National Concert Hall and National Theatre unable to host performances due to renovations that are set to take place intermittently throughout January and into February, Wang and his co-workers hope that the hall will be the first choice for many acts looking to delight local audiences.
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