Amsterdam - Stopera

Much of the former Waterlooplein is today taken up with a modern building which houses both Amsterdam's town hall, the "Stadhuis", and its Opera House, "Het Muziektheater" - hence the name "Stopera". Although the Muziektheater was opened in 1986 the Stadhuis wasn't occupied until 1988. Wilhelm Holzbauer, an Austrian, was responsible for the original plans for this massive building. The L-shaped town hall wraps round the opera house which bulges out, crescent-shaped, towards the river and which, with its unusually wide stage (22 m/72ft) and correspondingly large arena-type auditorium, is the venue for the Dutch national ballet and opera companies, plus guest performances.