It was with a concert featuring classical masterpieces that the city of Kaohsiung celebrated the inauguration of its much acclaimed Main Stadium on Wednesday, 20 May. As the cannon blasts in Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture" resounded during the opening performance, bursts of fireworks went off all around the revolutionary stadium's roof. 

Highly appropriate, since the eco-friendly sports venue has 8,844 solar panels installed on its spiral-shaped roof to power all the lighting and the other equipment. The solar array is expected to generate 1.14 million kwh of electricity per year, and when the stadium is not in use, the surplus energy will be sold back to the city's electricity grid.

The next highlight of the spectacular inauguration was Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 performed by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna State Opera Chorus. Finally, the "Ode to Joy" sung by hundreds of vocalists had the capacity audience in ecstasy.

The Kaohsiung Mayoress Chen Chu, the Minister of the Executive Yuan's Sports Affairs, Ms. Tai Hsia-ling, and former Vice President Annette Lu were present for the inauguration.