O. Festival for Opera. Music. Theatre 2027 – Rotterdam, Netherlands

What to expect

O. Festival for Opera. Music. Theatre, formerly known as Operadagen Rotterdam, is an international festival that redefines what opera can be. It is not a festival of traditional opera in a single opera house. It is a city-wide laboratory for contemporary, innovative and ground-breaking music theatre, where over 50 productions and more than 150 performances transform Rotterdam itself into a stage.

Expect to encounter opera in unexpected places. A drinking water cistern becomes a subterranean world, a supermarket turns into a choreographed opera, hotel rooms become intimate performance spaces, rooftops, churches, harbour warehouses, laundries, living rooms and forests all host works. The festival message is simple: Forget what you know about opera, allow O. to surprise you.

The atmosphere is adventurous, open-minded and deeply connected to the city. You will move between large theatres and tiny site-specific locations, between Dutch premieres and world premieres, between established international makers and young talent. Performances range from hypnotic dance operas and circus rituals with hair suspension to folk operas featuring local seniors, climate operas, walking performances, and late-night club opera. There are also free entry points, talks, Professional Days for industry, and a vibrant First Night opening that previews the entire program.

Event dates

Event Dates: May 14–23, 2027

Edition: 22nd edition of O. Festival for Opera. Music. Theatre.

Duration: Ten days of programming across the city.

Opening: The festival opens with First Night at Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg, featuring live previews from artists in the program and the Dutch premiere of the opening production.

Daily hours: Matinee performances typically start around 12:00 PM, afternoon performances run continuously, and evening and late-night performances run until around 11:30 PM.

Professional Days: The international professional program with State of the Arts presentations takes place mid-festival, connecting makers, programmers and international guests.

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Venue & performance locations

O. Festival uses Rotterdam as both stage and backdrop. The program is intentionally spread across 40 diverse locations, from established theatres to hidden urban corners.

Major theatres: TR25 Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg, Oude Luxor Theater, Theater Zuidplein, De Doelen, and Brutus.

Churches and historic spaces: Paradijskerk, Verhalenhuis Belvédère, and monumental locations such as the gas holder for site-specific climate operas.

Alternative and harbour locations: Fenix, Buitenplaats Brienenoord, WORM UBIK, Hofbogen, and Central District rooftops in collaboration with Rotterdam Roof Days.

Nature and public space: Kralingse Bos for forest performances like An Elegy, city squares, shopping streets, and residential living rooms for intimate works like Solitude Hotel and The Wild Stage.

Accessibility of venues: Venues are within walking, cycling or short metro distance. The festival provides a detailed map and the program is clustered to allow multiple shows per day. Some site-specific locations have limited capacity and require separate reservations even with a passe-partout.

Full programme

The full 2027 programme will be released in phases in spring via https://o-festival.nl/. Based on the structure of previous editions, the programme consists of several strands.

International premieres and Dutch premieres: The core of the festival, presenting adventurous opera and music theatre that pushes boundaries of form. In 2026 the opening was REMACHINE by Jefta van Dinther with composer Anna von Hausswolff, a hypnotic clash of bodies, voice and technology.

Brand New Musicals: A new strand launched in recent editions, presenting musical theatre as a contemporary, critical form. Previous premiere was TRADWIVES de musical by Club Satelliet at Oude Luxor Theater.

Walking and city performances: Works like Metropolis 2126, a future-facing walking performance through Rotterdam Central District, and musical walks telling Rotterdam stories at Hofbogen that guide audiences through neighbourhoods with mini-performances.

Late night and club program: Club nights such as DEEP/END by Club Gewalt, NOISE, and A Different Night mix performances, concerts and live installations by cutting-edge young makers.

Family and community projects: Folk operas like Café de Verlossing by Akim Moïseenkov with an extraordinary cast of Schiedam seniors, and participatory projects like Het Nationale Lied and Orfeo & Majnun that bring hundreds of Rotterdammers together.

Professional and discourse program: Talks, documentaries, artist talks, and Creators Connection Programme culminating in State of the Arts presentations.

Featured productions & performers

While the 2027 lineup is yet to be announced, O. Festival consistently brings together world-class established makers and pioneering young talent.

International makers: Previous editions featured Kyiv-based Opera Aperta with MŌDRANIHT. Songs of Winter War, Muziektheater Transparant, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, and Lithuanian company Operomanija.

Dutch avant-garde: Regular contributors include Club Gewalt, Tijdelijke Samenscholing, Wunderbaum, Nicole Beutler, Suze Milius and Annelinde Bruijs, Kasper Vandenberghe, Naomi Velissariou for Theater Utrecht, and Aïda Gabriëls.

Composers and choreographers: Works by Philip Glass, Louis Andriessen, Richard Wagner reimagined, Timo Tembuyser, Jens Bouttery, and composers writing music that appeals at various levels.

Vocal and physical performers: Performers range from classical singers to circus artists, dancers, and local community choirs. Notable forms include choir circus rituals with hair suspension, underwater opera concepts like Aquasonic, and sensory opera fusing brass, percussion and choreography.

Shows & performances

Large-scale music theatre: Full productions in TR25 Schouwburg and Oude Luxor Theater with elaborate scenography, live orchestra or electronic scores, and international casts.

Intimate location operas: One-on-one or small group experiences in hotel rooms, private homes, former factories and water cisterns. Examples include VACUÜM in a drinking water cistern and Solitude Hotel guiding festival-goers through hotel rooms.

Walking performances: Guided walks where stories unfold across the city, combining architecture, sound and live encounters. The Hofbogen musical walk and Kralingse Bos walks are signature formats.

Concerts and rituals: Performances like Mystica, a choir circus ritual, SEXODUS, and An Elegy create ritualistic, meditative spaces between concert and theatre.

Sing-along and participatory events: Traditions such as First Night at the Opera, the Paradijskerk concert, and Van Smartlap tot Opera sing-along fest bring audiences to sing together with professional singers.

Free and public interventions: Some daytime performances and rooftop collaborations are accessible without a ticket or with a day pass, turning everyday city life into performance.

Performance schedule

The performance schedule is released with the full program and is designed to allow hopping between locations.

Afternoon block: Typically starts at 12:00 PM with smaller productions, family shows, talks and walks.

Evening block: Main productions start at 7:00 PM and 8:30 PM in the large theatres and harbour locations.

Late night block: Club program and experimental works start at 10:00 PM and run until late.

Repeated performances: Most productions play multiple times across the ten days, often 2 to 4 times, allowing visitors with a rittenkaart or passe-partout to build their own route.

First Night: A special opening evening at Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg where all makers present short previews of their works, helping audiences plan their festival.

Ticket types

Ticket sales are via https://o-festival.nl/. Pricing for 2027 has not been officially announced. Below are previous edition prices converted to USD and should be used as a guide. Full prices are shown in dollars.

Single Ticket: Approximately $11.00 to $43.00 depending on production scale and venue. Small location projects start at $11.00, large theatre premieres at $32.00 to $43.00.

Rittenkaart – Strip Card: A popular option offering multiple entries at reduced price. Rittenkaart 6 rides approximately $81.00 to $92.00. Rittenkaart 10 rides approximately $135.00 to $151.00. Each ride equals one performance.

Passe-partout – Full Festival Pass: Gives access to all performances subject to availability and reservation. Approximately $216.00 to $270.00. Limited early bird passe-partouts often available.

Day Pass: Approximately $54.00 to $65.00, giving access to all performances on a single day including walks and late-night program.

Youth Discount – Under 30: O. Festival offers significant discounts for visitors under 30 years old, typically 50 percent off single tickets and reduced passe-partout pricing at approximately $108.00.

Community and Solidarity Tickets: Regular ticket approximately $5.00 for specific community events, and community care ticket approximately $11.00 that also funds a solidarity ticket for someone who cannot afford to attend.

Ticket release & booking

Release phases: Early bird passe-partouts and Friends pre-sale typically launch in late autumn. Single tickets and rittenkaarten for the new edition go on sale in early April, when the walking performances and rooftop collaborations are announced.

How to book: Book directly through the official website at https://o-festival.nl/. The website lists all productions, dates, venues and remaining capacity. Reservations are recommended for small-capacity location performances even if you hold a passe-partout.

Friends of O.: Friends receive early access, program newsletters, invitations to rehearsals, and discounts. Membership information is available on the official website.

Box office: During the festival, the central box office at TR25 Schouwburg is open daily. Tickets can also be collected and last-minute tickets purchased there.

VIP & premium seating

Premium seating in large theatres: At venues like TR25 Schouwburg, Oude Luxor Theater and De Doelen, premium rows with best sightlines are available for an additional $5.00 to $11.00 on top of the standard ticket.

First Night VIP: Opening night VIP package includes welcome drink, premium seating for First Night, and access to the opening party with artists. Approximately $75.00 to $86.00.

Professional accreditation: For industry guests, a Professional Pass gives access to all performances plus Professional Days, pitch sessions, and networking events. Approximately $135.00 to $162.00.

Hospitality arrangements: For groups and corporate hosting, O. Festival offers tailored hospitality with backstage tours and artist meetings. Contact info@o-festival.nl for custom packages.

Event rules

Reservation required for small venues: Even with a day pass or passe-partout, you must reserve a time slot for performances in cisterns, hotel rooms, private homes and other limited-capacity locations. Check in at least 15 minutes before start.

No late entry: Due to intimate and immersive nature, late entry is not permitted. Doors close at start time.

Phone and recording: Turn off mobile phones. Photography, filming and audio recording are not permitted during performances unless explicitly indicated.

Accessibility of locations: Some locations involve stairs, uneven ground or longer walks. Wear comfortable shoes and check venue information for accessibility notes.

Respect for residential locations: Many performances take place in neighbourhoods and private spaces. Follow instructions of hosts and festival staff and keep noise low when entering and leaving.

How to get there

City of Rotterdam: O. Festival takes place across Rotterdam city centre, Rotterdam Zuid, Kralingse Bos, harbour areas and northern districts. All venues are within the RET public transport network.

By train: Rotterdam Centraal is the main hub with direct connections from Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and international services. From the station, most venues are reachable by metro, tram or bike.

By air: Rotterdam The Hague Airport is 15 minutes from the centre, and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is 50 minutes by direct train.

By car: Driving is not recommended due to limited parking in central venues and harbour locations. Use Park and Ride facilities at Kralingse Zoom, Slinge or Alexander and continue by public transport.

Public transport & parking

Public transport: Rotterdam’s RET metro, tram and bus network connects all festival venues. A single journey ticket costs approximately $4.00 to $5.00. A 1-day RET public transport ticket costs approximately $15.00 to $17.00. The festival day pass often includes a walking route that links several venues.

Cycling: Rotterdam is a cycling city. OV-fiets rental bikes are available at Rotterdam Centraal and other stations for approximately $5.00 per day. Festival locations have bike parking.

Parking: Paid street parking in the centre costs approximately $4.00 to $5.00 per hour. Parking garages such as Schouwburgplein, De Doelen and Oude Luxor charge approximately $22.00 to $33.00 per day. Harbour locations like Brutus and Fenix have nearby industrial parking that is often free in evenings.

Shuttle walks: For walking performances like Metropolis 2126, the start point is announced in advance and accessible by public transport. Ticket sales for walks start via o-festival.nl.

Accommodation areas

Rotterdam Centre – Stadsdriehoek and Cool: Closest to TR25 Schouwburg, De Doelen and WORM UBIK. Best for hopping between evening shows. Hotels range from boutique to international chains.

Kop van Zuid and Katendrecht: Near Fenix and harbour venues, with modern hotels, views over the Maas and easy water taxi access.

Kralingen and Kralingse Bos: Green, quiet area near forest performances and Buitenplaats Brienenoord. Ideal for those focusing on nature and daytime walks.

Rotterdam Noord – Hofbogen area: Near Hofbogen walking performances and Brutus. Trendy neighbourhood with small hotels and apartments.

Budget options: Hostels and budget hotels near Rotterdam Centraal and Beurs offer affordable stays with excellent transport connections to all venues.

Dining & refreshments

Theatre cafes: TR25 Schouwburg, Oude Luxor Theater and Theater Zuidplein have their own cafes serving pre-show dinners, coffee and drinks. Reservations recommended on premiere nights.

Festival hospitality: During Professional Days, the festival hosts communal dinners and late-night bars where audiences and makers meet. The late-night club program includes bar service.

Local favourites near venues: Around Schouwburgplein you will find diverse dining from Surinamese to modern Dutch. Near WORM and central locations, the Witte de Withstraat offers restaurants, craft coffee and bars within walking distance of multiple venues.

Harbour and Katendrecht: Fenix Food Factory, Hotel New York and Kaap areas provide waterfront dining before or after harbour performances.

Quick bites: For walking performances, Rotterdam Market Hall and Central Station area offer quick street food options.

Accessibility

Wheelchair access: Major theatres including TR25 Schouwburg, De Doelen, Oude Luxor Theater and Theater Zuidplein are fully wheelchair accessible. Many site-specific locations have limited accessibility due to stairs, uneven ground or narrow entrances. The festival website lists accessibility per production.

Hearing and visual support: Some performances offer English surtitles, as many productions are multilingual. Check program pages for language information and surtitle availability.

Strobe and sound warnings: Experimental works may contain loud sound, strobe lighting or immersive elements. Warnings are listed on production pages.

Contact for needs: Visitors with specific accessibility requirements are encouraged to contact info@o-festival.nl in advance to arrange seating, early entry or alternative routes.

Best performances to attend

Opening and First Night: Always a highlight, First Night gives you a curated taste of the entire festival in one evening and helps you discover hidden gems.

Site-specific classics: Do not miss the location operas in cisterns, forests and private spaces. Works like VACUÜM, An Elegy and Solitude Hotel are unique to O. and cannot be seen elsewhere.

Dutch and world premieres: Productions marked as Dutch premiere or world premiere are often created specifically for Rotterdam and represent the festival’s adventurous core.

Brand New Musicals: The new musical theatre strand offers accessible yet critical new works that connect opera to contemporary pop culture.

Late-night club opera: For a different energy, the club nights by Club Gewalt and A Different Night series combine dance, electronic music and opera into immersive parties.

Previous year’s highlights

2025 edition: The 20th edition ran from late May to early June and opened with Café de Verlossing, a folk opera by Akim Moïseenkov featuring local seniors alongside professional performers, percussionist and choir of forgotten old souls. It set the tone for community-rooted opera.

2024 highlights: DEEP/END, a dance concert on the verge of the future by Club Gewalt and The Dancers, and Have A Good Day, a supermarket opera by Lithuanian company Operomanija about ten cashiers that became a global hit and played to packed audiences.

Iconic productions: Past highlights include Sun & Sea, the award-winning climate opera in a monumental gas holder with 2,500 visitors during Ascension weekend, Aquasonic, the first underwater opera in the Nolet gin distillery in Schiedam, Home Sweet Home under the Brienenoord Bridge, and Orfeo & Majnun which brought hundreds of Rotterdammers together with Arabic poetry, Chinese dragon dance, opera and beatboxing.

Recognition: O. Festival was nominated for Best Festival at the International Opera Awards and for Classical:NEXT Innovation Award, and has hosted over 23,000 visitors in peak years with over 100 performances.

Official tickets

Official website: https://o-festival.nl/

Contact: info@o-festival.nl

Booking: All tickets, rittenkaarten and passe-partouts are sold via the official website. Ticket sales for walking performances start via o-festival.nl and can also be visited with a day ticket.

Price note: Official prices for 2027 will be confirmed on the website. Prices shown here are converted from previous editions to USD for reference. Starting price from $11.00, with youth discounts and community tickets available.

Avoid resale: Purchase only via the official website or official festival box office to avoid invalid tickets.