Internationally regarded opera company established after the Second World War. in 1986 it moved from the 19th-century building Stadsschouwburg to the then new Het Muziektheater, which also houses Het Nationale Ballet (Dutch National Ballet) and the Holland Symfonia. In 2014 the name changed from De Nederlandse Opera to De Nationale Opera. The Het Muziektheater is part of the Stopera – a rather large modern complex by architect Cees Dam which also includes the City Hall. 'Stopera' = stadhuis (Dutch for 'city hall') + opera. The company stages about 11 productions each year.
We believe that LGBTQ+ people deserve safe vacations that allow them to be their authentic selves. That's why our City Guides aren't locked behind a paywall. Can you contribute today?
Cancel anytime · Proudly LGBTQ+ owned and operated
A beautiful building and an acoustically perfect auditorium are two features of De Nederlandse Opera. I've seen five productions there. The first two, Britten's Peter Grimes and Handel's Samson, were brilliant. The next two were, Strauss's Daphne and a German opera based on Dionysus, were not. I was excited to see La Boheme last time I was there, because I was going to see an Italian Mimi, but sadly, it wasn't a good production. They moved it to the 1990s, with cell phones and plastic water bottles. The third act, which has the audience in tears at the Met, was minimized and not especially good. The Rodolfo and Musetta were marvelous, but it was a disappointment. Don't let my negative comments deter your visit. I still love going to this remarkable place!