Allumee pays tribute to Soldaat van Oranje – The Musical with a show featuring 1,000 drones
July 2026
After more than sixteen years, nearly 4,000 performances, and over 4 million spectators, the musical Soldaat van Oranje bid farewell to its audience last weekend. The final regular performance at Theater Hangaar concluded with a ten-minute drone show, during which a thousand drones brought scenes and characters from the musical to life. On Sunday, July 12, a final performance was held for the cast, crew, and guests: an intimate and definitive goodbye.
This drone show? We created it. Completely discreetly.
A musical comedy like no other
To understand the scope of this project, one must first understand what Soldaat van Oranje (Soldiers of Orange) represents for the Netherlands. This musical, inspired by the wartime experiences of resistance hero Erik Hazelhoff Roelfzema, premiered in October 2010 at the iconic Theater Hangaar, a unique revolving theater built specifically for this production. Over sixteen years, 31 actors have portrayed Erik, the musical has won numerous awards, including the Audience Award for the most popular Dutch musical of all time, and has attracted over 4 million spectators.
Among the guests at this final public performance was also the nephew of the real Erik Hazelhoff, Roelfzema, who had also been present at the premiere. Dutch personalities such as Jeroen Krabbé, Monique van de Ven, Kees Boot, and Renze Klamer traveled to attend one last performance of the longest-running musical production in the history of Dutch theater. A guard of honor of veterans braved the summer heat to welcome the audience.
Paying tribute to such a production is no small responsibility.
A surprise for everyone, including the actors
What the audience didn't know—what the actors themselves didn't know—was that the evening wasn't over after the final bow on stage. When a thousand drones rose into the night sky above the Theater Hangaar, the surprise was complete.
An actor who played the role of Chris for two years, six nights a week, had stated in advance: «"The tears will flow regardless."» He didn't know how right he had been.
The Dutch press unanimously described both evenings as "moving." On social media, the reaction was immediate and massive.
In less than 48 hours, the figures speak for themselves:
- +33,000 views and +800 likes on Instagram
- +30,000 views and +1,900 likes on TikTok
- Hundreds of moving comments
Fans who have never seen the musical. Former spectators who recognize every scene in the sky. Actors who discover the tribute at the same time as the public.
A creation that began with immersion
It all started well before July 11th. To ensure the show lived up to expectations, our artistic director Pierre Gruner and 3D artist Jade Sang attended a performance in Amsterdam at the end of May, not to take notes, but to experience it firsthand. The emotions, the intensity, the artistic soul of the musical.
They came back full of ideas.
Four artists from Allumee then worked for a month on this project, side by side with the artistic team of Soldaat van Oranje. Rudy Vorstenburg, former Company Manager of the production, ensured that every scene, every character, and every reference remained true to the world of the musical. Michael, a former actor and sound artist, bridged the gap between the two teams, translating the artistic intentions into a shared creative foundation upon which both teams could build.
What the show is about
The show not only tells the story of Soldaat van Oranje, but also celebrates the human legacy and behind-the-scenes moments. For 8 minutes, a thousand drones projected the most iconic moments of the musical onto the sky: the Queen of the Netherlands with her crown and her plane, the main character Erik and his duel with Antoine, a ship caught in a storm.
But the show also brought to life what was happening behind the scenes: the famous wall of signatures, the total number of performances, the photos taken after each show, as well as the two successive logos of the musical — the old and the new.
15 formations. A restrained color palette: green, orange, and blue. Realistic paintings, detailed faces, and meticulously crafted lighting effects to accentuate volume and contours. A relentless pace that leaves no respite.
«"This show is a representation of key moments, paying homage to the artistic and technical achievements of the musical Soldaat van Oranje." Jade Sang, 3D artist, Allumee
Allumee, execution partner of the biggest drone show in Europe
What this means for Allumee
For Yorick van Vliet, Managing Director of Allumee Netherlands, this project has a special personal significance:
«Fifteen years ago, I was sitting in the audience at the age of 15 and was completely blown away. That experience sparked my passion for live performance technology and theatre. Returning fifteen years later to contribute to this tribute feels like it's come full circle in a special way.» Yorick van Vliet, Managing Director, Allumee Netherlands
This show illustrates what Allumee has been striving for since its creation in 2020: not to sell drone shows, but to tell stories in the sky. Stories that touch, that surprise, that leave a lasting impression.
Saying goodbye is just an idea. ✨
