Muziektheater, Performance theatre in Waterlooplein, Amsterdam, Netherlands
The Muziektheater is a large performance venue on Waterlooplein in central Amsterdam, built as part of the Stopera complex that also houses the city hall. The building contains a main auditorium as well as rehearsal spaces and smaller halls used by the resident companies.
The construction of the Stopera complex triggered strong public protests in Amsterdam during the late 1970s and early 1980s, as it required demolishing part of the old Jewish quarter near Waterlooplein. The theater finally opened in 1986, ending a long search for a permanent home for opera in the city.
The Muziektheater is home to Dutch National Opera and Dutch National Ballet, two companies that perform here on a regular basis. A visit to a show gives a good sense of how seriously Amsterdam takes its performing arts scene.
The theater sits right on the Amstel river and is easy to reach by metro, with the Waterlooplein stop just a short walk away. Evening performances tend to draw a crowd, so arriving a little early gives you time to find your seat and look around the building.
Inside the building's foyer, a glass panel in the floor lets visitors see the Normal Amsterdam Level, the reference point used across Europe to measure altitude. This marker is set into the ground and can be seen for free without attending a performance.
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