It was developed by Emaar Properties to host a variety of performances and events including theatre, opera, ballet, concerts, conferences and exhibitions.

Its plans were announced by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in March 2012 and it was completed in 2016.

[12] In 2017 the venue staged the inaugural BBC Proms Dubai - just the second time ever that the United Kingdom's premier classical music series hosted events abroad in its 112-year history.

[17][18] For his contributions to the development of the organization, Paolo Petrocelli has been nominated in 2024 by Fast Company among the most creative people in business in the Middle East.

[19] The 2023-24 season of Dubai Opera featured a record-breaking 250,000 audience members, the highest number since its opening in 2016.

[9] It has 1,800-square-metre flat floor space which can hold up to 1,000 or more people for weddings, gala dinners, fashion shows, product launches, exhibitions and more.