According to many historians, the first opera performance was Claudio Monteverdi’s Orfeo in 1607. More than 400 years later, Orfeo is still performed regularly. Ana Sokolović has nothing against it. But she would like to see more attention paid to contemporary opera. “Since the birth of cinema at the beginning of the 20th century, opera has languished,” says Sokolović. “There has been no innovation in the recent past. From the end of the 19th century to the 21^st century, there’s an operatic vacuum. It’s time we began filling it.”

Sokolović is using her Canada Research Chair in Opera Creation to find the answers to some hard questions about where contemporary opera should go: “What contemporary artistic or technological knowledge can we draw on to bring opera into the 21st century? We can’t keep using the same romantic—and often misogynistic—tropes. Or, if we do, we have to make them relevant to today’s world.” How can we offer a fresh take on Orpheus in a way that reflects current challenges, such as climate change, the migration crisis, and gender diversity?

Much has changed since Monteverdi. “Technology has made it possible for opera to transcend the stage,” says Sokolović. She and her team are working on an audacious new concept: during the 2024–2025 season, the Opéra de Montréal will present five 15-minute operas in virtual reality. Viewers will be able to download an app to their tablet or smartphone, and for a fraction of the cost of a regular ticket, attend the performance virtually. Sokolović’s guiding principles are modernity, democratization and accessibility. “I don’t mean to imply that the opera house is obsolete,” she says. “We just have to find a way to stay relevant in the 21st century. Maybe we’ll invent a whole new art form!”