The Israeli Opera in Tel Aviv is the principal opera company of Israel. It was founded in 1985 as the New Israeli Opera, after the Israel National Opera had closed in 1982 for lack of government funding, as a partnership between the Cameri Theatre and the Israel Chamber Orchestra. Its first production, in the 1987/88 season, was Purcell's Dido and Aeneas. Since 1994 it has performed at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center on King Saul Boulevard, designed by Yaakov Rechter, with a foyer by Ron Arad. All productions are sung in the original language with Hebrew and English surtitles. The Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion has been its resident orchestra since 1989. In 1995 the company gave the world premiere of Josef Tal's Josef under Gary Bertini. Its festival presents outdoor productions, first at Caesarea and since 2010 at Masada.
The Israeli Opera Tel Aviv opened the Performing Arts Center in 1985 and is Israel's only professional opera house — it cultivates a repertoire with special focus on Jewish composers and Hebrew opera.
At a glance
- Type
- Opera house
- Location
- Tel Aviv, Israel