NOVASTAR

Stadsschouwburg De Harmonie in Leeuwarden has roots going back to 1874, when the sociëteit De Harmonie was founded. Its first building was completed in 1881 and served a remarkably broad purpose from the outset, hosting not only performing arts but also exhibitions, trade fairs, auctions, gymnastics events and circuses, which gave it an early foothold in the life of the city. After a modernisation in 1937 that enlarged the main hall and improved its acoustics, the building was eventually closed and demolished in 1991. The current complex at Ruiterskwartier 4 was constructed between 1991 and 1995 to a design by architect Frits van Dongen, who gave the new building a theatrical character through its use of light and interior atmosphere. It opened to the public in 1994 and was officially inaugurated on 20 January 1995 by Queen Beatrix, with a performance of the Frisian opera Rixt. The venue is the largest theatre in Friesland and counts among the five largest in the Netherlands. It draws around 300,000 visitors each year across performances, concerts, symposia and events. Three auditoria sit at the core of the building alongside three smaller meeting rooms and two sizeable foyers. The flagship space, known as the Rabozaal, seats 458 in a theatre configuration and can accommodate up to 850 standing for live music events. In 2025 the Rabozaal received a new L Acoustics L Series sound system, a setup tested immediately across three different events in a single weekend: a standing guitar music festival, a seated cabaret show, and a performance by an international soul act. Until 2013, Filmhuis Leeuwarden also operated within the building before relocating to the new Fries Museum. In 2018 De Harmonie was named the most hospitable theatre in the Netherlands.