Miranda Lakerveld (Utrecht, 1976) creates operas that bridge cultural divides and offer poetic reflections on pressing social issues. She is the founder and artistic director of World Opera Lab and has conducted extensive research into traditional music and theatrical practices from countries including India, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, Mexico, Japan, Guatemala, and Tibet.

Notable works include Orfeo in India, an adaptation of Monteverdi’s opera performed with Indian and European musicians in Ahmedabad; The Inner Landscape, focusing on Sichuan opera; Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria, developed with local communities in Amsterdam-West; and Majnun and Leyla, which draws from musical and performance traditions in India, Iran, Morocco, and Turkey. She also created a series of debate-operas with De Balie in Amsterdam, exploring conflicts in the Middle East; Temple of Time, an interreligious ceremony featuring a gamelan installation with composer Sinta Wullur; Turan Dokht, a Persian adaptation of Puccini’s Turandot in collaboration with Iranian composer Aftab Darvishi; and Ine Aya', developed with composer Yadi Nursalim Anugerah from Kalimantan, which premiered at the Holland Festival and was later performed in the rainforests of Kalimantan.

In the past year, she created four performances in preparation for Ring of Our Time: Sujuy Ja' in Mexico, Mugaa To' in Kalimantan, Brides of the Rain in Iraq, and Brides of the Rain in Amsterdam. Miranda is a Fellow of the International Society of Performing Arts and has served as an advisor to several Dutch cultural funds, including the Council for Culture.