After decades of being spread out across the city, Vancouver Opera is finally combining all of its artistic and administrative operations under one roof. In a news release, the 51-year-old opera company announced that it will be moving to new premises at 1945 McLean Avenue off Commercial Drive, a space large enough to accommodate staging, dance and orchestra rehearsals, practice and meeting rooms, wardrobe facilities, a construction shop, and a warehouse space for set storage, along with production and administrative offices. Its mainstage season will continue to be presented at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, its home theatre.

Currently, VO occupies several facilities: its administrative offices in the downtown core, separate costume and properties shops, set storage facilities and halls for staging and orchestra rehearsals.

James W. Wright, the company’s general director, said the new facility was a dream come true. “We have dreamed about an all-inclusive space for many years,” he said in the news release. “We have been keeping our ears to the ground for the right opportunity, and I am thrilled that we finally found a building that really works for us. The benefits will be enormous. By bringing together artists, artisans, production and administrative staff, everyone’s creative processes will be mutually inspired.” He added that the consolidation of activities would result in a significant reduction in overhead expenses.

The new centre will make its music library and rehearsal and meeting rooms available to music, theatre, dance and community groups, said Wright: “This move makes it possible for Vancouver Opera to offer to the immediate community, and to the broader community, some of the resources and considerable energy we can provide.”

He noted the move marked a milestone in the company’s history. “This is an important step in the organizational growth of Vancouver Opera,” he said. “In recent years we have significantly increased our investment in the musical and visual qualities of our productions. We have continued to broaden our engagement with the many communities we serve. We have challenged ourselves artistically with new productions and world premieres. Now, creating the opportunity for higher and deeper communication, both of which will undoubtedly result from our working more closely together, leads us into a new phase of maturity.”

To cover renovation and adaptation costs of the new building VO will be running a capital campaign which may include naming rights for the new Vancouver Opera Centre. Opportunities to support the company will include a fund to purchase music stands and chairs, gifts in-kind for a “wish list”, and underwriting the renovations of particular rooms in the centre.