Vancouver Opera

Vancouver Opera is a professional opera company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, and one of the major performing arts organizations in western Canada. Founded in 1958 by William Morton, the company presented its first production in 1960 and developed into a principal producer of staged opera in the region. Its mainstage performances are primarily presented at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Vancouver, with productions also appearing at other local venues and, on occasion, elsewhere in British Columbia. The company historically operated regular opera seasons, commonly presenting four mainstage productions each year. In 2017 it introduced its first festival season, broadening the way it organized performances and related programming. Vancouver Opera's work combines standard operatic repertoire with Canadian and contemporary works, including commissions and world premieres. The company's repertory history includes five world premieres: The Architect, Naomi's Road, Jack Pine, Lillian Alling, and Stickboy. It has also presented Canadian premieres of significant international works, including John Adams's Nixon in China in 2010 and Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul in 2013. Vancouver Opera's musical identity is supported by the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, established as a dedicated opera orchestra in 1977 under founding Music Director Richard Bonynge. The orchestra is described as one of only two professional opera orchestras in Canada, alongside the orchestra associated with the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. Before 1977, Vancouver Opera productions used an ensemble drawn from members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Beyond mainstage productions, Vancouver Opera operates education and community programs. Its school touring and education work introduces opera to students and extends the company's activity beyond the theatre. Community events and related engagement initiatives provide additional ways for audiences to encounter operatic performance and the company's artists. Leadership has included artistic directors, general directors, and music directors with both Canadian and international careers. Irving Guttman led the company from its foundation through 1974 and returned for two seasons from 1982 to 1984. Other artistic leaders included Richard Bonynge, Brian McMaster, and Guus Mostart. Robert Hallam became the company's first General Director in 1991, following the creation of that position. Tom Wright became Interim General Director in November 2019 and was confirmed as General Director in April 2020. Conductor Jonathan Darlington, who had led the company's musical forces since 2002, was named Music Director Emeritus in 2018. In 2023, Vancouver Opera announced that French-Canadian conductor Jacques Lacombe would become its next music director beginning with the 2024–25 season. Vancouver Opera's positioning is that of a regional professional opera institution with national cultural significance: it combines large-scale staged productions, a resident professional orchestra, new Canadian work, canonical repertoire, educational outreach, and community programming. Its principal geographic focus is western Canada, while its artists, repertory, and collaborations connect it to the wider Canadian and international opera sector.

Vancouver Opera was established in 1958 by William Morton and staged its first production in 1960. Irving Guttman served as the company's initial and long-standing artistic leader, remaining in the position until 1974 and returning for two seasons between 1982 and 1984. His tenure helped establish the organization as a professional opera producer in Vancouver and western Canada. Richard Bonynge succeeded Guttman as Artistic Director in 1974 and held the role through 1982. During this period, the company's orchestral infrastructure developed significantly. In 1977 Bonynge became the founding Music Director of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, a dedicated professional opera orchestra. Before the orchestra's creation, productions were accompanied by an ensemble made up of Vancouver Symphony Orchestra members. The Vancouver Opera Orchestra subsequently became one of only two professional opera orchestras in Canada identified in the company's reference history. After Guttman's return, Brian McMaster served a five-year term beginning in 1984. Guus Mostart followed for three seasons, covering 1989–90, 1990–91, and 1991–92. In 1991 Robert Hallam was appointed to the newly created position of General Director, marking a shift toward a leadership structure that separated overall company administration from artistic direction. Vancouver Opera's artistic history includes both established repertory and new work. The company has presented five world premieres: The Architect by McIntyre and Cone; Naomi's Road by Luengen and Hodges; Jack Pine by Hille; Lillian Alling by Estacio and Murrell; and Stickboy by Weisensel and Koyzcan. It has also contributed to the Canadian circulation of major contemporary opera by presenting the Canadian premiere of John Adams's Nixon in China in 2010 and Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul in 2013. For many years, Vancouver Opera organized a regular season built around four mainstage productions annually. In 2017 it presented its first festival season, adding a different programming format to its established production model. Mainstage performances have primarily taken place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, while other Vancouver venues and occasional venues elsewhere in British Columbia have also been used. The company maintains an educational and community-facing role alongside its professional productions. Its school touring and education program brings opera to students, and community events create additional opportunities for public participation. These activities extend Vancouver Opera's reach beyond ticketed mainstage performances and support its role as a cultural institution in British Columbia. Leadership in the twenty-first century has included conductor Jonathan Darlington, who led the company's musical forces from 2002 and was named Music Director Emeritus in 2018. Tom Wright became Interim General Director in November 2019 and was confirmed in the permanent General Director role in April 2020. In 2023 the company announced French-Canadian conductor Jacques Lacombe as its next music director, beginning with the 2024–25 season. The organization therefore continues to combine a long-established regional identity with professional artistic leadership, orchestral performance, new-work development, and public education.

• 2023

  Jacques Lacombe appointed next music director

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  The company announced that Jacques Lacombe would begin as music director in the 2024–25 season.

• 2017

  First festival season

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  Vancouver Opera presented its first festival season after years of regular multi-production seasons.

• 2013

  Canadian premiere of Tea: A Mirror of Soul

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  The company presented the Canadian premiere of Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul.

• 2010

  Canadian premiere of Nixon in China

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  Vancouver Opera presented the Canadian premiere of John Adams's Nixon in China.

• 1977

  Vancouver Opera Orchestra established

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  Richard Bonynge became founding Music Director of the Vancouver Opera Orchestra.

• 1960

  First production

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  The company presented its first opera production.

• 1958

  Vancouver Opera was founded

  [1]Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org

  William Morton founded Vancouver Opera in Vancouver, British Columbia.

A leading professional opera company in western Canada, combining major staged productions with new Canadian work, a dedicated opera orchestra, education, and community engagement.

• Opera performance · 1960

  Mainstage opera productions

  Vancouver Opera's core offering is a program of fully staged professional opera productions, presented primarily at Vancouver's Queen Elizabeth Theatre and sometimes at other venues. Its historical regular seasons commonly included four mainstage productions, drawing from both established operatic repertoire and contemporary Canadian work.

• Opera festival · 2017

  Vancouver Opera Festival

  Introduced in 2017, the festival-season format expanded Vancouver Opera's programming model beyond its traditional regular season. It provides a framework for grouping operatic performances and related cultural activity into a festival presentation.

• Professional opera orchestra · 1977

  Vancouver Opera Orchestra

  The Vancouver Opera Orchestra supplies orchestral forces for the company's opera productions. It was established in 1977 with Richard Bonynge as founding Music Director and is identified as one of only two professional opera orchestras in Canada.

• Arts education

  School touring and education program

  Vancouver Opera operates school touring and education activities that introduce students to opera and extend the company's artistic work into educational settings. The program is a central part of the organization's outreach beyond mainstage theatre performances.

• Community engagement

  Community events

  The company presents community events connected with its broader public role. These activities provide additional points of contact with audiences and communities beyond the formal opera season.

• 2023

  Appointment of Jacques Lacombe as next music directorOther

  Background

  Vancouver Opera announced a future change in musical leadership after Jonathan Darlington's period leading the company's musical forces and subsequent status as Music Director Emeritus.

  Action taken

  The company appointed French-Canadian conductor Jacques Lacombe as its next music director, with the tenure scheduled to start in the 2024–25 season.

  Aftermath

  The appointment established the planned direction of the company's orchestral and musical leadership for the 2024–25 season onward.

  Source

• 2017

  Adoption of a festival-season formatStrategy

  Background

  The company had traditionally presented regular seasons with multiple mainstage productions each year.

  Action taken

  Vancouver Opera presented its first festival season.

  Aftermath

  The festival format became an additional way for the company to organize and present opera programming.

  Source

• 1977

  Creation of a dedicated opera orchestraStrategy

  Background

  Before 1977, Vancouver Opera productions used an orchestra assembled from members of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.

  Action taken

  Vancouver Opera established the Vancouver Opera Orchestra, with Richard Bonynge as its founding Music Director.

  Aftermath

  The company gained dedicated professional orchestral forces and became associated with one of Canada's two professional opera orchestras.

  Source

1. 1Vancouver Operaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Vancouver Opera official websitevancouveropera.ca