[1][2] As Atwood continued the process of revising the libretto, City Opera of Vancouver was unable to reach an agreement with Hatzis and the premiere was postponed.

By that time, the Pantages Theatre had been demolished, and Forst's commitments meant that she could no longer take on the title role.

Both Atwood and Stokes continued revising the work through December of that year with the final orchestration completed by April 2014, shortly before rehearsals began.

[5] The opera premiered on 23 May 2014 at the York Theatre in Vancouver, conducted by Charles Barber, directed by Norman Armour, and produced by Nora Kelly and Janet Lea.

The audience, which included Margaret Atwood, Mayor of Vancouver Gregor Robertson, Squamish Elder Sam George, and Mohawk poet Janet Marie Rogers, waited outside the 371-seat theatre while emergency generators were brought in.