ABAO is a non-profit-making Association, founded in 1953, and recognized as an "Organization of Public Benefit" by Decree 247/1983 of 31 October.

Its primary aim is to develop and disseminate the art of music in general, and that of opera in particular, understood as an open, plural cultural project. And so it has chosen the slogan: "Opera within everyone's reach".

The Association’s main activity is organizing a stable opera season of recognized prestige, at both national and international level, attended by some 70,000 persons.

It has a membership base of approximately 6,500 persons, 15% of whom reside outside Bizkaia and 5% outside the Basque Autonomous Community.

Its organizational model is based on the following principles:

• Minimal fixed structure.
• Unpaid managerial positions.
• Organization based on unpaid Offices filled by members and helpers.
• A balanced financial model, with sources of income as follows: box office takings, public sponsorship and private sponsorship.

ABAO's activity has been declared "A Priority Activity to Receive Patronage for 2004", by Bizkaia Provincial Government’s Regulation 1/2004 on the Tax System for Non-Profit-Making Organizations.

n the medium term, ABAO is working to achieve the following aims:

• A stable opera season made up of eight titles and four performances, including premiering titles, infrequent titles and standard-repertory operas.
• To build up the membership base to at least 7,000 persons, expanding its sphere of influence and boosting the presence of young opera-goers.
• A balanced financial model, in which the specific weights of the three sources of income – box office takings, ­public sponsorship and private sponsorship – are similar.
• To expand activities aimed at fostering a knowledge of, and predilection for, opera amongst society in general and young opera-goers in particular, so as to turn the slogan "OPERA WITHIN EVERYONE'S REACH" into a reality.