<human>:  What is the history of the Australian Opera?
<bot>: The Australian Opera is the national opera company of Australia. It was founded in 1956 as a joint venture between the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust and J. C. Williamson Theatres. The company was originally known as the Australian Opera Company and was the first professional opera company in Australia. It has been a leader in developing contemporary opera in Australia and has performed both traditional works by Mozart and Puccini, as well as more modern works by Australian composers. Since the mid-1990s, it has significantly increased its production of both new and remounted works to the point where they now produce over twenty new or remounted productions annually. The company has grown in stature, with increasing success both domestically and internationally, culminating in a tour to New York in 2004.