Turandot, the blockbuster show by veteran mainland director Zhang Yimou, is set for another hit performance in Taichung as the opera's online ticket system was overwhelmed to a temporary breakdown on Sunday by playgoers rushing in at the opening hour, the Xinhua News Agency reported. More than 8,000 tickets for the highly anticipated masterpiece, which has been previously staged in the Forbidden City as well as the Bird's Nest in Beijing, were snatched up in the first three hours after ticket service began at noon, said a Taiwan contractor of the mainland opera. The open-air show, set for two performances at the Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium on March 27 and 28, will be largely the same as the Bird's Nest version, featuring a 17.5m by 52m screen to animate the two-hour, three-act libretto. A huge complex stage will be built at the arena. In the center will be a square frame that can be moved forward, bringing with it the emperor and his throne. Two platforms on the stairs would move horizontally, meeting at the center. The show will also feature the Taiwan Symphony Orchestra, a local choral group as well as college faculty and students.