TheDutch National Opera (DNO; formerlyDe Nederlandse Opera, nowDe Nationale Opera in Dutch) is a Dutchopera company based inAmsterdam,Netherlands. Its present home base is the Dutch National Opera & Ballet housed in theStopera building, a modern building designed by Cees Dam andWilhelm Holzbauer that opened in 1986.
It received the "Opera Company of the Year" award at the 2016International Opera Awards.[1]
The DNO was established shortly after the end ofWorld War II as a repertory company with a permanent ensemble.[citation needed] In the postwar period, it toured extensively in the Netherlands from its home base in theStadsschouwburg, afin de siècle theatre on the Leidseplein in Amsterdam. In 1964, it was renamedDe Nederlandse Operastichting (The Dutch Opera Foundation), and the company adopted astagione orientation, inviting different soloists and artistic teams for each new production. In 1986, the company moved to the newStopera building, which it shares with theDutch National Ballet, and thereafter became known as De Nederlandse Opera (DNO). In 2014, the company changed its name toDe Nationale Opera (Dutch National Opera).
The DNO has its ownchoir of sixty singers and a technical staff of 260. The DNO historically has not had its own resident orchestra, and so various orchestras of theNetherlands, including theNetherlands Philharmonic Orchestra (NPO), theNetherlands Chamber Orchestra (NKO), theRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra, theRotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, theRadio Filharmonisch Orkest,Residentie Orkest, Den Haag (The Hague Philharmonic), and theAsko|Schönberg ensemble have provided the orchestral forces for DNO productions.
The DNO produces on average eleven productions per year. While most performances are in the Dutch National Opera & Ballet building, the company has also performed in theStadsschouwburg, at theCarré Theatre, and on theWestergasfabriek industrial site in Amsterdam. For many years, the June production has been organized as part of the Holland Festival and includes the participation of theRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The DNO has lent its productions to foreign companies, such as theMetropolitan Opera, theBrooklyn Academy of Music, and the Lincoln Center Festival in New York, as well as the Adelaide Festival in Australia.
Pierre Audi was artistic director of the DNO from 1998 to 2018.[2] In April 2017, the DNO announced the appointment of Sophie de Lint as the company's next artistic director, effective 1 September 2018.[3]
Hartmut Haenchen was chief conductor from 1986 to 1999, in parallel with holding the title of chief conductor of the NPO. He subsequently held the title of principal guest conductor with the DNO. Subsequent chief conductors have beenEdo de Waart (1999–2004) andIngo Metzmacher (2005–2008). In March 2009, the DNO announced the appointment ofMarc Albrecht as the orchestra's next chief conductor, with the 2011–2012 season, for an initial contract of four years.[4][5] This return to a single chief conductor at both the DNO and the NedPhO/NKO allows for the NedPhO to become the principal opera orchestra for the DNO.[4][6] Albrecht stood down as chief conductor of the DNO at the end of the 2019–2020 season.[7]
In April 2019, the DNO announced the appointment ofLorenzo Viotti as its next chief conductor, effective with the 2021–2022 season.[8] In April 2023, the DNO announced the scheduled conclusion of Viotti's tenure as its chief conductor at the close of the 2024–2025 season.[9]
