POP was founded in 2011 to make opera accessible, affordable, and entertaining. Since then, POP has grown into a professional opera company that presents six operas that host a total of 6,500 patrons each year. POP ensures its shows are accessible by maintaining low ticket prices and intentional accommodations for underserved populations.

To date, POP has presented more than thirty productions, including its critically acclaimed version of Mozart’s Abduction from the Seraglio set as an episode of Star Trek at the Ford Theater.

To connect with contemporary audiences, POP’s Artistic Director Josh Shaw creates custom translations for most foreign-language shows, transforming the libretto (sung text) with a modern vernacular. As a result, POP has become known for its entertaining new takes on classics and irreverent sense of humor. With accessibility as a pillar of POP’s structure, POP offers $15 general ticket prices and nearly all POP opera productions have been live streamed to the public for free since 2016. This digital archive gave POP a considerable opportunity during the pandemic to host digital “Watch Parties”. POP also offered 9 live opera performances in a drive-in format during the pandemic and continued to grow revenue through grants and major gifts.

POP has experienced fast and organic audience growth over the past ten years, as their accessible approach has become known among opera enthusiasts and the public. The POP 2021 Strategic Plan calls for POP to continue bringing opera to new audiences, with a focus on cultural equity and inclusion, including in-school programs for children in Title I schools.