Dates

23 April - 10 May 2025

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Main Stage

Running time

TBA

Tickets

From € 28

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Photo: Hugo Thomassen

The search for fulfilment

In Die Frau ohne Schatten, composer Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal created a multi-layered fairy tale about two couples in search of a meaningful new life in a cold, barren world.

The search for fulfilment

The Empress, who is from the spirit world, needs to acquire a shadow. If she fails, her human lover, The Emperor, will turn to stone. Encouraged by her Nurse, she tries to obtain the shadow of The Dyer’s Wife. For both The Empress and The Dyer’s Wife, this signifies the start of a quest for the fulfilment of their desires.

When Marc Albrecht conducted Die Frau ohne Schatten in 2008, it led to his appointment as chief conductor of Dutch National Opera and the Netherlands Philharmonic. When he stepped down in 2020, he had wanted to present this opera as a fitting finale to his tenure as chief conductor. Those plans had to be postponed due to the pandemic, but can now finally be executed.

Katie Mitchell

The award-winning theatre and opera director Katie Mitchell is a prominent figure in the international opera world. She is known for being particularly attuned to social wrongs and inequality. At Dutch National Opera, she previously made a deep impression with her raw, realistic reading of Janáček’s Jenůfa (2018). In Die Frau ohne Schatten, The Empress’s search for a shadow is linked to the ability to have children. All grist to the mill for Mitchell, who will critically dissect the opera’s conservative ideals in her own inimitable fashion.

Outstanding Strauss ensemble

For Die Frau ohne Schatten, Dutch National Opera has assembled a cast of singers of the highest calibre. Acclaimed soprano Aušrinė Stundytė is making her DNO debut performing the demanding role of the Dyer’s Wife for the first time. Also making a house debut is heldentenor AJ Glueckert in the role of The Emperor. Sara Jakubiak, praised for her ‘plush-voiced, impressive soprano’, returns to DNO as his wife, The Empress. Bass-baritone Josef Wagner, who recently made a remarkable debut in Amsterdam with his perceptive and moving interpretation of The Fiddler in Humperdinck’s Königskinder (2022), will be taking on the challenging role of Barak. Last but not least, seasoned mezzo-soprano Michaela Schuster returns to Amsterdam in her signature role of The Nurse.

Performance information

Opera in three acts

Sung in German

Libretto  Hugo von Hofmannsthal

Musical direction  Marc Albrecht
Stage director  Katie Mitchell
Set and costume designer  Naomi Dawson
Lighting designer  James Farncombe
Video designer  Jon Lyle
Dramaturgy  Klaus Bertisch

Der Kaiser  AJ Glueckert
Die Kaiserin  Sara Jakubiak
Die Amme  Michaela Schuster
Eine Stimme von Oben  Eva Kroon
Barak der Färber  Josef Wagner
Sein Weib (Die Färberin)  Aušrinė Stundytė
Der Einarmige  Sam Carl

Netherlands Philharmonic

Chorus of Dutch National Opera
Chorus master  Edward Ananian-Cooper

Nieuw Amsterdams Children’s Chorus (part of Nieuw Vocaal Amsterdam)

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Ticket prices

We provide discounts tailored for certain groups to ensure our performances are accessible to all. Please visit this page to determine if you qualify for a discount.

Price category

Standard

CJP | City Pass | Youth aged 16 and under

1st

€ 168,00

€ 153,00

2nd

€ 143,00

€ 127,00

3rd

€ 115,00

€ 101,00

4th

€ 88,00

€ 79,00

5th

€ 59,00

€ 50,00

6th

€ 28,00

€ 23,00

Dutch National Opera & Ballet uses a system of dynamic pricing. This means that tickets for popular performances may increase in price as the performance date approaches and more tickets are sold. All prices exclude the booking fee (€ 2 per ticket).

Student discount and student alert

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To stay updated on more offers, sign up for our student alert. This way, you’ll be informed in advance about which performances you can attend for just € 19!

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Lorenzo Viotti and Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra

Netherlands Philharmonic

The Netherlands Philharmonic and Netherlands Chamber Orchestra have been the main orchestral partners of Dutch National Opera since they were established in 1985. The two orchestras, with the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam as their main base, are regarded as among the best opera orchestras in the world.

Photo: Melle Meivogel

Netherlands Philharmonic

The Netherlands Philharmonic, with chief conductor Lorenzo Viotti at the helm, concentrates on the large-scale symphonic repertoire while the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra is a smaller, more intimate orchestra with 25 to 45 musicians led by concertmaster and artistic director Gordan Nikolić. Both orchestras present their own programmes and regularly work with internationally renowned guest conductors and soloists, as well as with the new generation of up-and-coming top musicians. The orchestras perform at numerous venues, bringing people together through their music and giving both classical music aficionados and new audiences a musical experience to remember. With their welcoming home base NedPhO-Koepel, located in east Amsterdam’s Indische Buurt neighbourhood, the orchestras are firmly embedded in the community.

In the 2024 – 2025 season, the Netherlands Philharmonic will be performing the operas Rigoletto, Peter Grimes, Die Fledermaus and Die Frau ohne Schatten while the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra can be heard in Idomeneo, How Anansi freed the stories of the world and the Opera Studio production Dido and Aeneas.

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Partner

Brook Foundation

Partners Dutch National Opera Studio