Princess Beatrix opens Amsterdam Light Festival on November 28th

Merlijn Twaalfhoven composes opening spectacle about friendship

On Saturday November 28th, Her Royal Highness Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands will officially open Amsterdam Light Festival. The colorful lights and artworks will lighten the inner city of Amsterdam until January 17th, 2016. During the opening, Princess Beatrix will ignite the opening light sculpture titled Northern Lights, created by artist Aleksandra Stratimirovic. Afterwards Princess Beatrix will join the artists on the boat, where they will give her a personal tour of the water colors route. Composer Merlijn Twaalfhoven has created a grand music spectacle together with hundreds of vocals, united especially for this occasion. The opening of the festival will take place in front of National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam and is entirely dedicated to the theme of this fourth edition of Amsterdam Light Festival: Friendship.

Northern Lights

For the Swedish light artist Aleksandra Stratimirovic, the phenomenon of the northern light symbolizes the beauty of friendship. This thought will be shared with the audience through her light sculpture. The breathtaking work stretches all across the Amstel river and will create an unpredictable curtain of dancing lightning rays.

Grand European chorus

Amsterdam Light Festival celebrates the theme of Friendship for this fourth edition and acknowledges the Dutch EU Presidency in 2016. This is the reason for Twaalfhoven to invite 28 choirs from the different EU countries to create the big opening spectacle. All together they become a grand chorus of hundreds of vocals.

Water Colors (boat route): November 28th, 2015 – January 17th, 2016

Illuminade (walking route): December 10th, 2015 – January 3rd, 2016

About Amsterdam Light Festival

For over fifty days the historical inner city of Amsterdam is the scenery for Amsterdam Light Festival. The festival shows 38 light sculptures and projections in public space, created by both Dutch as international artists. Amsterdam Light Festival brightens up the dark winter months and enlightens the public with colorful artworks from November 28th 2015 until January 17th 2016. The festival is made possible by main sponsors Canal Company and Zumtobel Lighting.

www.amsterdamlightfestival.com