Great Hall of the People
In October 2003, Riverdance, the Irish music and dance entertainment phenomenon, was the first show from the West to perform in the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, with eleven sold-out performances. The Riverdance performances recorded a spontaneous reaction with standing ovations at each show which was uncharacteristic for a Chinese audience. Riverdance was officially invited to perform in the Great Hall of the People by former premier of the People's Republic of China, Zhu Rongji during his state visit to Ireland in September 2001.