Essential Opera began in 2010 with an idea for a single opera concert, and has continued to evolve through changing times and artistic climates. Our mission is to give both audiences and artists opportunities to experience opera at its most essential, with a dynamic and evolving definition of what is essential. In pursuit of this goal, we have explored works spanning a musical history of nearly 300 years. In past seasons, we have gone from presenting world premières of new works by Canadian composers, to rare outings of beautiful classical pieces, works in the Western Classical European canon, and works we feel belong in the canon.