As a child, Michel van der Aa used to build labyrinths out of cardboard, complete with intriguing soundscapes. Today, he lets audiences enter alternative worlds in a different way: through his inventive musical, cinematic and digital creations. As a composer, director, and multimedia artist, he brings together various disciplines and leads the classical opera genre into new dimensions.
News
1 September 2025
World premiere of new film opera “Theory of Flames”
Ticket sales have started for Michel van der Aa’s new film opera “Theory of Flames.” The opera will premiere at Dutch National Opera on 6 March 2026. You can book your tickets here.
“Theory of Flames” examines one of the most urgent questions of our time: how do we process information in an era when truth becomes increasingly elusive? The opera arrives at a crucial moment, as disinformation has become a daily reality, and influential figures reach millions of people through social media with conspiracy theories and disinformation.
“Theory of Flames” translates this societal challenge into a personal story. The opera poses fundamental questions: What happens when facts become a matter of belief rather than evidence? How do we maintain meaningful relationships with people whose reality radically differs from our own?
Featured works
Performances
7 September 2025
Shades of Red (Romanian premiere)
New European Ensemble, Vlad Maistorovici conductor
George Enescu International Festival
National Museum of Art,
Bucharest,
Romania
19 September 2025
26 September 2025 / 19:30
Hysteresis
Oberlin Sinfonietta; Tim Weiss (Conductor); Richard Hawkins (Clarinet)
Warner Concert Hall,
Oberlin,
U.S.A.