Since launching in 2018, Irish National Opera has established itself as Ireland’s national opera company, with fresh productions of major works in Dublin, touring productions and collaboration with festivals and other promoters in Ireland and abroad. It embraces everything from the operatic mainstream to contemporary compositions and commits to showcase both established and rising Irish opera singers, alongside guest artists from all over the world.

The 2020-21 season includes digital project 20 Shots of Opera, the biggest single-event commissioning project in Irish musical history, where the company asked 20 Irish composers to write a short opera each during the COVID-19 pandemic. Featured singers include Gavan Ring, Claudia Boyle, Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Sinead Campbell Wallace, Anne Marie Gibbons, Gyula Nagy and Mairéad Buicke, while a team of directors and designers will be led by series director Hugh O’Conor. All operas will be filmed in Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre, with Elaine Kelly and INO’s Artistic Director Fergus Sheil conducting the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. 20 Shots of Opera will be made available to stream worldwide for free from 17 December 2020 on the company's website.