Join forces with your musical-loving besties and make your way to a former aeroplane hangar near the Dutch coast to experience Soldier of Orange in a 360-degree rotating theatre. Even better - the show is now accessible in English thanks to a pioneering app!

About Soldier of Orange - The Musical

Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje) is a critically acclaimed Dutch musical, based on the true story of one of the most famous Dutch resistance fighters during World War II.

Here's a brief outline of the story:

Up until the day German troops invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema and his friends led ordinary, untroubled lives as students at Leiden University. Suddenly, they face choices that will change their lives forever. Friendship, love and everything they value are put to a punishing test. Will they fight for freedom, Queen and country? Or will they look away, maybe even join the enemy?

Soldier of Orange is based on the true story of one of the greatest Dutch resistance fighters in World War II, Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema. Having escaped to England at the start of the war, he smuggled radio transmitters into the Netherlands for the resistance group Contact Holland. In 1942, he trained as an RAF pilot, eventually taking part in bombing runs over Germany. After becoming the personal aide to Queen Wilhelmina, he was awarded the highest Dutch military honour for his work in the resistance.

Set between August 1939 and May 1945, the story follows the lives of Erik Hazelhoff Roelzema, his group of friends and Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.

Access the most successful Dutch musical, Soldier of Orange, in English

Starting on August 22, 2025, the musical Soldier of Orange will be available in English, thanks to a pioneering application of audio description technology via headphones that will be provided. This innovation makes the production more accessible and now available to international audiences, including expats and tourists. Visitors receive real-time English-language context synced with the live performance. 

Watch this war-themed musical in a former aeroplane hangar 

The theatre where Soldier of Orange is performed is a former aeroplane hangar. The audience experiences the show in a theatrical performance solution specially developed for this production, known as SceneAround. The audience is seated in a 360-degree rotating auditorium that turns from set to set.

Soldier of Orange gave more than 3.700 performances to a total audience of over 3,7 million to date. The musical originally premiered on October 30, 2010, with Beatrix, the former Queen of the Netherlands, in attendance.

Iconic Soldier of Orange songs in English

This performance involves a special collaboration: Julia Harriman performs English-language versions of songs from this musical. As a teaser for the English-language experience, two of the show’s most iconic songs are now available in English. These include "No Way Back" and "There’s No One Here But Us".

These English tracks are sung by musical theatre star Julia Harriman, known from The Voice US and her role as Elizabeth in Hamilton on Broadway. She is the daughter of American composer Tom Harriman, who composed the entire score for Soldier of Orange (Soldaat van Oranje). Tom previously composed music for well-known American films and TV series, including Baywatch. Together, Julia and Tom Harriman connect two generations, two worlds, and two continents to this distinctly Dutch story.

Get your Soldier of Orange tickets

Get your tickets now and experience this unforgettable Dutch musical phenomenon. The performance takes place at its original purpose-built location, TheaterHangaar Valkenburg in Katwijk, North Holland. Evening shows start at 7.30pm, and matinees are at either 1.30pm or 2pm. A shuttle bus is available from Leiden Central Station. More information is available on the Soldier of Orange website.