New Cats premieres at Carré
The Dutch production moves the story from the rubbish dump to the Rijksmuseum.
Listen to this article
There is no audio version yet. Request one and an AI voice will read the article aloud.
Read by an AI voice.
The revamped Dutch musical production of Cats premiered on Monday evening at Koninklijk Theater Carré in Amsterdam. In this version, the story takes place among the artworks of the Rijksmuseum.
The official musical website describes the production as a new Dutch version of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical. According to the official musical website, the makers have exchanged the familiar rubbish dump setting for the Rijksmuseum.
The official musical website presents the collaboration with the Rijksmuseum as part of the artistic concept. The institution supplies not only the name of the setting, but also the starting point for the design. The show itself is performed in theatres, not among the museum’s permanent collection.
The premiere took place at Carré, where, according to the official musical website, Cats also began its Dutch theatrical history in 1987. According to the producers, the new production will tour several Dutch cities from October onwards. According to the schedule on the official musical website, the run continues until June 2027.
More than 55,000 tickets had been sold for the show before the first day of rehearsals, the producer reports. That figure comes from the production’s own ticket sales and is not an independent measurement of total Dutch theatre audiences.
Cats tells the story of a group of cats who come together for an annual choice involving a new life. The musical uses dance, song and scenery to present the individual characters. The new version mainly changes the visual context in which that story is told.
The premiere is cultural news because of the combination of an internationally renowned musical with a Dutch museum brand. The collaboration also shows how cultural institutions use their collections and reputations outside the traditional exhibition space. Whether the new setting is artistically convincing is a matter for critics and audiences; this report contains no review.
Also show where in Europe and in the world
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The sources used confirm the premiere, the new museum setting and the planned tour. The text explicitly attributes the ticket figure to the producer.
- confirmed The new production premiered at Carré on 19 October 2026. — The official production information names this premiere. source
- confirmed The show is set in the Rijksmuseum. — The producers and the official musical website describe the new setting. source
- confirmed More than 55,000 tickets had been sold before the first day of rehearsals. — This is stated in the press release from Theater De Stoep. source
Editor's note
The premiere, location, museum setting and announced tour have been confirmed by producers and the official musical website. The ticket figure is provided by the producer and has not been independently verified.Sources
- CATS Returns to Theatres in Amsterdam in collaboration with the Rijksmuseum — Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals
- Musical CATS verkoopt vóór de eerste repetitiedag al meer dan 55.000 tickets — Theater De Stoep
More on this in Dutch media
- Het Parool — „cats musical”
- Trouw — „cats musical”
- NRC — „cats musical”