Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
The opera house, situated at the southeast corner of Queen Street and University Avenue, is a 2000-seat theatre specifically designed for opera and ballet with the finest possible level of acoustics. The contemporary expression of a traditional five-tiered, European horseshoe-shaped auditorium provides unparalleled intimacy between the audience and the stage. A glittering five-storey transparent Isadore & Rosalie Sharp City Room faces University Avenue, encouraging the public to experience the artistic life of the building through regular informal public recitals and performances. This first Canadian purpose-built opera house is designed by the award-winning Toronto-based firm Diamond Schmitt Architects.
The Brief
The COC enjoys a loyal audience, including a dedicated base of subscribers, and has an international reputation for artistic excellence and creative innovation. Its diverse repertoire includes new commissions and productions, local and international collaborations with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracts the world’s foremost Canadian and international artists.
COC Canadian Opera Company
The company is an incubator for the future of the art form, nurturing Canada’s new wave of opera performers and creators with customized training and support. The COC’s purpose-built opera house, the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, is hailed internationally as one of the finest in the world.
