Der Rosenkavalier

1965

Der Rosenkavalier

Der Rosenkavalier (Richard Strauss), which premiered on 17 November 1965 in the Congress Hall of the RAI in Amsterdam, is the first opera of the new foundation. It is also one of the two productions of the Dutch Opera Foundation in which Gré Brouwenstijn and Cristina Deutekom both sang.

Don Carlos

1966

Don Carlos

On 17 June, 1966, Verdi's opera Don Carlos will be premiered. Gré Brouwenstijn played the role of Elisabetta in this production. The musical direction is in the hands of Bernard Haitink (photo).

Nando Schellen

1969

Nando Schellen

On 1 January, 1969, Nando Schellen (photo) is appointed as business director. Later that same year, intendant Maurice Huisman leaves the company.

Reconstructie

1969

Reconstruction

The controversial Reconstruction - a morality, by a collective from Louis Andriessen, Hugo Claus, Reinbert de Leeuw, Misha Mengelberg, Harry Mulisch, Peter Schat and Jan van Vlijmen, premieres June 29th.

Hans Vonk

1971

Hans Vonk

From the production In seinem Garten liebt don Perlimplín Belisa (Wolfgang Fortner), which premieres in 1971, up to the year 2000, Hans Vonk (photo), partly as chief conductor, conducts the number of 45 opera productions at DNO.

Hans de Roo

1971

Hans de Roo

Hans de Roo becomes intendant. De Roo paved the way for the Dutch diva Cristina Deutekom and is credited with the ‘discovery’ of singers such as Catherine Malfitano, Gabriela Benackova, Neil Shicoff and Frederica von Stade, who would later become world-class operatic names.

Appreciation Hans de Roo

1976

Appreciation Hans de Roo

The Dutch Opera Foundation is awarded the Association of Dutch Theatre Critics Prize. The jury praises Hans de Roo’s artistic policy during the previous five seasons.

Koor van de Nederlandse Opera Stichting

1984

Choir of the Dutch Opera Foundation

On 1 January, 1984, the Dutch Choir Foundation splits into the Dutch Chamber Choir and the Choir of the Dutch Opera Foundation: a private choir with the company, up to the present day. In the photo: the choir in I vespri Siciliani, premiered in October 1984.

Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest

1985

Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra

In 1985 three existing orchestras were brought together in the newly founded Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. Since then, together with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, it has been responsible for the majority of DNO's productions.

Jan van Vlijmen

1985

Jan van Vlijmen

Composer Jan van Vlijmen (photo) was appointed intendant of the Netherlands Opera Foundation on 1 August 1985. With a special evening in Theater Carré, Hans de Roo's farewell follows later in that season.

The 'Muziektheater' opens

1986

The 'Muziektheater' opens

In 1986 the Muziektheater (Music Theatre) on Waterloo Square is opened.

DNO verhuist

1986

DNO moves

The Dutch Opera Foundation changes its name to De Nederlandse Opera (DNO) and moves from the Stadsschouwburg to the new Muziektheater building where, with Jan van Vlijmen as intendant and Hartmut Haenchen as music director, a new adventure begins.

Hartmut Haenchen

1986

Hartmut Haenchen

Hartmut Haenchen is principal conductor of the Dutch Opera and the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra. His interpretations of Strauss, Wagner and Mahler are highly praised. He will stay until 1999, after which he regularly returns as a guest conductor for Der Ring des Nibelungen, among others.

Truze Lodder

1987

Truze Lodder

Truze Lodder is appointed administrative director. During her 25-year tenure, DNO grows into one of the world’s prominent and trend-setting opera companies.

Pierre Audi

1988

Pierre Audi

Pierre Audi is named artistic director of DNO. As a stage director at De Nederlandse Opera, Pierre Audi collaborates with visual artists such as Jannis Kounellis, Georg Baselitz and Karel Appel.

Monteverdi-cyclus

1990

Monteverdi-cyclus

Pierre Audi's Monteverdi-cycle premieres. The cycle will be on stage regularly until 2007 and with that, put the baroque opera back in the spotlight.

Der Ring des Nibelungen

1999

Der Ring des Nibelungen

Pierre Audi’s staging of Der Ring des Nibelungen (Richard Wagner) is premiered this year. Audi’s artistic partners for this cycle include George Tsypin (decor) and Jean Kalman (lighting).

Edo de Waart

1999

Edo de Waart

Hartmut Haenchen concludes his career as chief-conductor. Edo de Waart becomes the new chief-conductor.

Ingo Metzmacher

2004

Ingo Metzmacher

Ingo Metzmacher departs as chief conductor.

2009 Johannes Vermeer Prijs

2009

Johannes Vermeer Prijs

Pierre Audi accepts the first Johannes Vermeer Prize in October. Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk has instigated the prize to recognize and reward exceptional artistic talent.

Marc Albrecht

2011

Marc Albrecht

Marc Albrecht is the new chief conductor of De Nederlandse Opera as well as of the Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra|Netherlands Chamber Orchestra when Het Muziektheater Amsterdam celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary.

Els van der Plas

2012

Els van der Plas

The new organisation kicks off on 1 January, but without a common name for the moment. Els van der Plas is the managing director, Ted Brandsen is the director of ballet and Pierre Audi is the director of opera.

De fusie

2013

Merger of organisations

Through a merger, the Dutch Opera, Dutch National Ballet and Het Muziektheater Amsterdam are taking the final step towards a national top institute for opera and ballet. Els van der Plas becomes general director, Ted Brandsen director of Dutch National Ballet and Pierre Audi director of De Nederlandse Opera.

Jubileum Pierre Audi

2013

Anniversary Pierre Audi

Pierre Audi is, at the time of the merge to Dutch National Opera & Ballet, artistic director opera for 25 years. At that moment, he has made 38 new stagings for the company and is responsible for 180 new productions on stage as company manager.

Dutch National Opera & Ballet

2014

Dutch National Opera & Ballet

On 31 December 2012, The Amsterdam Music Theatre, De Nederlandse Opera and Dutch National Ballet sign the agreement that will lead to a legal merger of the three art institutions.

De Nationale Opera 50 jaar

2014

Dutch National Opera 50th anniversary

On 24 December 2014 it was exactly 50 years ago that Dutch National Opera was founded.

Wisseling van de wacht

2018

New director Sophie de Lint

On 1 September 2018 Pierre Audi bid farewell to Dutch National Opera and made way for the new opera director Sophie de Lint.

Lorenzo Viotti aangesteld als nieuwe chef-dirigent

2019

Lorenzo Viotti appointed as Chief Conductor

The Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra and Dutch National Opera have appointed a new Chief Conductor: Lorenzo Viotti. The 29-year-old conductor with Swiss and French dual nationality took over in the 2021-2022 season.

Stijn Schoonderwoerd
Photo: Guido Benschop

2021

Stijn Schoonderwoerd

Stijn Schoonderwoerd has taken up the position of managing director of Dutch National Opera & Ballet since February 2020. Previously, he was the managing director of Dutch National Ballet and co-director of The Amsterdam Music Theatre, which both merged into what is today Dutch National Opera & Ballet.