The Board of the Nederlandse Reisopera has announced that a new joint directorship will be at the helm starting Sept. 1, 2024.

The company noted that British Director Sam Brown and current interim Director Rudy van Wijk will take on the duties of Artistic Director and Managing Director respectively.

In a statement Peter van Laarhoven, Chair of the Supervisory Board said, “We are delighted that Rudy van Wijk and Sam Brown will be joint directors of Nederlandse Reisopera. Both combine a great passion for opera with in-depth knowledge of opera.”

Van Wijk is currently the interim Managing Director of Nederlandse Reisopera and with Brown, both directors will report to the supervisory board.

Brown has served as Assistant Director for Opera North and has worked with the Bayerische Staatsoper, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and Oper Opera North, among others. In a statement he said, “I am happy and honoured to be joining Nederlandse Reisopera as Artistic Director. It is a huge privilege to be able to lead a company that has such strong ties to its hometown of Enschede and its audiences across the whole of the Netherlands, and that has a proud history of creating innovative, high-quality productions. Nederlandse Reisopera has some wonderful productions lined up for the 2025-2028 National Arts Funding period. I am looking forward to meeting our audiences and collaborating with the staff of Nederlandse Reisopera to present our work and artists in the Netherlands and beyond.”

Meanwhile, Van Wijk added, “Forty-five years after my first visit to Opera Forum with my mother, I am honoured to take on this wonderful role of Managing Director. Who would have thought! Back in my hometown after all these years and in such a fantastic role. I look forward to working with Sam and all the staff of the Dutch National Touring Opera to create exceptional productions. I aim to build on the quality and standard of our predecessors in these challenging times for our art form.”