The acoustics of the Amsterdam Opera House 'Het Muziektheater'

The acoustics of the Amsterdam Opera House 'Het Muziektheater'

de Lange, P.A.
van Luxemburg, L.C.J.
Muchall, R.C.
TNO Bouw

1996

The first opera house ever to be built in the Netherlands opened its doors on 26 September 1986. Erected in the heart of old Amsterdam, the building houses the Dutch Opera Company, the National Ballet and the Ballet Orchestra. The design and planning of the building has an interesting history. The original architect, Mr. B. Bijvoet, drew up his first plan in 1958. The final design was completed in 1963, but the decision to start construction was not made. Bijvoet died, aged 91, in 1979 without knowing whether his building would ever be built. The Opera house is constructed essentially from Bijvoets original plan. However, it was strongly modified because, for political and financial reasons, a much criticized link had to be made with W. Holzbauers plan for the new City Hall (the results of an international contest, 1967). So a combined City Hall - Opera building was created at the cost of approximately Dfl. 300 million. Professor De Lange, the main acoustical consultant for the project, has been involved with it since 1960. He worked for the first three years together with the late professor C.W. Kosten. The following article discusses the acoustical issues involved with the project.

Acoustics and Audiology

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f3deda2c-520b-41b8-8e58-a2ded6d79537

329159

Symposium 'The Cultural Heritage of Acoustics', Turijn, Italy, 14-16 October 1996

conference paper