The Opera House's proscenium style stage consists of four areas: the main stage, a rear stage, and left and right wings. This structure, standard in European theatre architecture, has been built to suit grand opera. Within the Opera House, the walls and ceilings of the seating area are covered in thick panels of wood, to provide the ideal acoustics for the singers. In fact, the theatre itself acts as a musical instrument. The orchestra pit seats a full 120-person orchestra. The audience seating is in continuous 20-seat rows - the first use of this arrangement in Japan - to enhance the audience's focus on the stage. Lighting The portal bridge and portal tower have the width and height required to stage opera. There are four galleries with mainly profile spots as well as other lights. The four bridge ladders and mulitiple booms are full-scale facilites needed for ballet production. Sound The acoustic envionment has been designed to give the audience a clear, natural, beautiful sound. The fully digital console provides a warm, rich sound, and the sophisticated sound equipment is balanced to satisfy the most stringent demands of staging live vocal performances flexibly and intelligently. Capacity Total 1,814 seats Ground floor 868 seats (including 8 wheelchair seats) First balcony 354 seats Second balcony 292 seats Third balcony 300 seats Seat size Width 52.5cm Depth 95cm Reverberation time 1.4 to 1.6 seconds (when fully occupied) Stage Facilities Four Stages Proscenium opening Width 16.4m Height 12.5m Show portal opening Width 14.6m to18.8m Height 1.4m to 15.0m Elevator stages 18.2m * 3.64m * 5 sets Elevating level range +4.5m to -15.7m Heights 30.5m from the Stage Floor level to the Grid -15.7m from the Stage Floor level to the Understage Floor level Wing Trucking wagons 18.2m * 3.64m * 5 sets Rear Stage Sliding stage 18.2m * 18.2m Revolving stage 16.4m (diameter) Orchestra pit Floor space 147m² Sinking level range ±0m to -2.65m Accomodation four-section orchestra of approx. 120 members