▁the ▁Opera - Com ique , ▁Hamburg ▁Opera ▁and ▁the ▁Netherlands ▁Opera . ▁From ▁the ▁mid ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁the ▁Society , ▁concentr ated ▁on ▁Italian ▁opera ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁spons or ship ▁from ▁the ▁Italian ▁government . ▁During ▁that ▁time ▁numerous ▁Italian ▁stars ▁and ▁rising ▁stars ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁appeared ▁there , ▁including ▁Luci ano ▁Pav ar otti ▁who ▁sang ▁in ▁R igo let to , ▁La ▁tra vi ata , ▁and ▁La ▁bo h ème . ▁The ▁Italian ▁spons or ship ▁ended ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 6 , ▁but ▁the ▁Arts ▁Council ▁of ▁Ireland ▁and ▁the ▁B ord ▁F á il te ▁( I reland ' s ▁tour ist ▁board ) ▁continued ▁to ▁provide ▁guarante es ▁for ▁any ▁financial ▁losses . ▁New ▁opera ▁companies ▁were ▁brought ▁in , ▁including ▁the ▁Roman ian ▁National ▁Opera ▁and ▁the ▁Prag ue ▁National ▁Theatre . ▁ ▁Development ▁and ▁dem ise ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 8 0 s , ▁after ▁a ▁particularly ▁sh amb ol ic ▁production ▁of ▁T os ca , ▁the ▁D G OS ▁came ▁under ▁pressure ▁from ▁the ▁Arts ▁Council ▁to ▁move ▁towards ▁mount ing ▁its ▁own ▁produ ctions ▁and ▁sp ending ▁more ▁on ▁sets ▁and ▁cost umes . ▁The ▁Society ▁was ▁reconst it uted ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁company ▁limited ▁by ▁guarantee ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁and ▁began ▁the ▁transition ▁from ▁an ▁amateur ▁society ▁to ▁a ▁fully - f led ged ▁professional ▁company , ▁taking ▁on ▁its