TheLa companycompagnia wasè foundedstata infondata nel 1972 as thecome Southern Alberta Opera Association. L'associazione Theinizialmente associationeseguì initiallydue performedproduzioni twooperistiche opera productions per yearall'anno, fromdal 1973 toal 1977. Alexander Gray was thefu firstil artisticprimo directordirettore ofartistico thedella Southern Alberta Opera Association,ande heldmantenne thela postcarica untilfino al 1976. InNel 1976,the associationl'associazione appointednominò Brian Hanson assia bothcome itsdirettore generalgenerale managerche anddirettore artistic directorartistico. Durante Duringil Hanson'smandato tenuredi Hanson, thel'associazione associationha expandedampliato itsla seasonsua tostagione threea productionstre produzioni per seasonstagione, beginninga inpartire dal 1978. Hanson describedha hisdescritto generalla philosophysua offilosofia programminggenerale operasdi forprogrammazione thedi companyopere asper la compagnia come "somethingqualcosa olddi vecchio, somethingqualcosa newdi nuovo, somethingqualcosa di lightleggero".<ref>{{cite news | author=Kenneth Delong | title=Review: Marriage of Figaro is opera at its best | url=https://calgaryherald.com/entertainment/local-arts/review-calgary-opera-presents-marriage-of-figaro | work=Calgary Herald | date=2015-02-01 | accessdate=2017-03-06}}</ref>
In 1983, the Southern Alberta Opera Association officially changed its name to the Calgary Opera. The company presented further expanded seasons of four productions in 1983, 1985, 1986 and 1988. Hanson retired from his posts in 1988. David Speers, previously the assistant general manager of the company, succeeded Hanson in 1988. The company staged five operas in 1990, and four operas in 1991. Speers concluded his tenure in 1998.
