In October 2010, by Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands opened Musictheatre Veerensmederij in Amersfoort.
Holland Opera is an opera company for youth opera which has created over 50 new opera’s since its foundation in 1994 by artistic and musical leaders Joke Hoolboom and Niek Idelenburg.
Holland Opera’s main mission is to introduce children of all backgrounds and upbringings to opera. De Veerensmederij (the name refers to its original purpose of forging springs for trains) serves several purposes in this mission. It hosts opera-performances for families and for school classes, it hosts workshops for children, and it is the central location of the ‘Music Xpress’, an educational program. During this project, pupils get to experience working in a theatre, either as a technician, a singer or a designer.
Holland Opera was winner of the internatioanl YAM Award in 2016 with Roodhapje (Little Red Biting Hood). Holland Opera was also nominated as best Youth Opera for Inventors (2017) Little Match Girl (2022( and Cookies (2025)