Feb 20, 2025

Academy Florist has been creating beautiful floral designs since 1980. In 2022, Allyson Coleman and Kayla Robinson took over as the proud new owners and have continued the company’s tradition of creative floral arrangements.

For the longtime floral sponsor for Manitoba Opera, it was a happy accident that Academy Florist was randomly paired with Manitoba Opera for the Fleurs de Villes Artiste show which took place in January at Assiniboine Park’s The Leaf.

With the mission to create a floral interpretation of the character Musetta from the company’s upcoming production of the La Bohème, the Academy Florist team dove deep into the story and armed with costume and set design inspiration, they envisioned a full scene, complete with a real lamp post.

Over 150 hours went into designing and assembling the display, with four florists bringing it to life. The team braved minus 35°C temperatures to transport their work and spent eight hours the next morning on site to assemble the display. As sustainability is important to Academy Florist, water-filled vases and compostable Oshun pouches were used instead of floral foam, ensuring a vibrant display throughout the 11-day event.

This wasn’t their first venture into large-scale floral art. Academy Florist also participated in last year’s Fleurs de Villes Voyage show, and that experience gave the team the confidence to craft a breathtaking floral interpretation of Musetta. Their dedication to detail paid off as the display certainly captured the essence of the beloved character.

What’s next for Academy Florist? With spring on the horizon, they’re gearing up for a busy season filled with Mother’s Day celebrations and the excitement of wedding florals.

Manitoba Opera is grateful to have Academy Florist as our Season Floral Sponsor.
Thank you to Academy Florist!