The Nativity Scene of the Netherlands

Musical telling of the Christmas story
On Tuesday 16 December at 20.30 KRO-NCRV will bring the Biblical Christmas story to life in the new musical live event De Kerststal van Nederland in Maastricht. Well-known Dutch artists will perform the leading roles:

• Soy Kroon - Jozef
• Sara Afiba - Mary
• Kim-Lian van der Meij - angel Gabriel
• Maarten Heijmans - Herod
• Francis van Broekhuizen - Innkeeper

The story brought to life
In De Kerststal van Nederland, you are taken through the Christmas story from the moment Joseph and Mary hear from the angel Gabriel that they can expect a baby. We follow the heavily pregnant Mary and Joseph looking for a place to spend the night.

The shepherds go on a journey. Just like the wise men from the East. Their journey takes them past Herod and his scribe. When Herod has a message for the whole country, it is Herman van der Zandt who proclaims it live from the square as a newscaster.

All the characters eventually come together in the nativity scene for the musical finale on Onze Lieve Vrouweplein in Maastricht. The Christmas child is born and brings light to a dark world. Classic Christmas songs are interspersed with modern pop songs that take the audience into the atmosphere and meaning of Christmas.

Nativity scenes from all over the country
The live broadcast on NPO 1 follows various nativity scenes being built throughout the country, in churches, at schools, at scouts. This shows how richly and diversely this tradition is lived in the Netherlands and brings people together.

Practical information:

• Broadcast on Tuesday 16 December at 20.30
• Live on NPO 1 (and with sign language interpreter on NPO 1 Extra)