Vancouver Opera has unveiled its 2009/2010 season artwork, a set of stunning graphic 1950s-poster style images created by Cuban-born New Jersey-based artist Edel Rodriguez.

The pieces, depicting the operas Norma, Nixon in China, The Marriage of Figaro, and Madama Butterfly, use a limited colour palette and sophisticated simplicity to cleverly convey the essence of each production.

While there's no denying the appeal of Rodriguez's work, which marks a break from the more figurative images that the VO has used in the past, it does seem a shame that the company chose to give the contract to a non-Canadian artist.

In fact, according to VO spokesperson Selina Rajani, this marks the first time the organization has sourced artwork from abroad.

"We just loved his style," she explained in a phone chat. "We found Edel and his style of fresh, contemporary poster art really captured what we wanted to do with the season."

As for highlighting the work of a U.S. artist during an Olympic year where local culture is set to be feted on a grand scale, Rajani said, "We’re celebrating the internationalism of the Olympics—the fact that all of these people are coming from all over the world to Canada, and sort of recognizing that."

Rajani declined to reveal the fee paid to Rodriguez, who will retain the rights to the images.