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AMERICAN LYRIC THEATER CENTER INC
New York, NY · EIN 202990023 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · altnyc.org
revenue
$316K
expenses
$406K
net assets
$94K
employees
3
volunteers
7
program ratio
80%
mission · from form 990

To diversify participation in opera through the mentorship of emerging operatic writers and the development of new works.

profile · synthesized from sources

American Lyric Theater Center Inc. advances opera by mentoring emerging composers and librettists through its flagship Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP). The organization commissions new operatic works and provides intensive, tuition-free training to diversify voices in opera. Based in New York City, it supports artists through workshops, residencies, and professional development, with a focus on underrepresented groups including women, non-binary, and BIPOC creators.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $56K
    COMPOSER LIBRETTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - COMMISSIONS: ALT continued the development of 3 commissioned operas: TEVYE'S DAUGHTERS, by Evan Meier and Stephanie Fleischmann; SHE WHO DARED by Jasmine Barnes and Deborah D.E.E.P. Mouton; and WORKING FOR THE MACBETHS, by Johanny Navarro and Marcus Yi. (6 artists were served directly by the commissioning program).
  2. #2 $120K
    COMPOSER LIBRETTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM - WORKSHOPS: ALT held developmental workshops for operas commissioned by the company under the auspices of the Composer Librettist Development Program. These orchestral workshops were carried out to provide artists with the resources necessary to further develop their operas in progress. Public performances took place at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in Manhattan; and these performances were also recorded and shared for free via social media. (150 in person, over 500 individuals viewed workshop programming online)
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
Free virtual symposium offering mini-seminars and workshops on opera writing, collaboration, legal issues, and innovation, designed to support both new and experienced creators interested in opera.
Commissioning Program
Commissions and develops new operas by emerging artists, providing resources and mentorship to support the creation of works such as "Tevye's Daughters" and "She Who Dared."
Composer Librettist Development Program (CLDP)
Tuition-free, full-time mentorship program for emerging opera composers and librettists, including over 250 hours of workshops, classes, and residencies focused on developing new operatic works and professional skills.
Developmental Workshops
Holds public orchestral, piano/vocal, and libretto workshops in Manhattan for commissioned operas, with recordings shared online to expand access.
activities · 4 groups

What they do

  • Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 3 activities
    • Influencing opera artist training nationally through innovative programming
      Develops and shares mentorship and new works development programs that are recognized as innovative models by opera companies across the U.S., supporting alumni in writing operas for major companies such as The Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, and Santa Fe Opera.
    • Operatic writer mentorship through the Composer Librettist Development Program
      Provides a tuition-free, full-time mentorship program for opera composers, librettists, and dramaturgs, including classroom training, workshops with leading artists, and personalized mentorship. The program includes virtual and in-person instruction, offers over 250 hours of classes and workshops in the first year, and has supported over 50 operatic writers since inception.
    • Public education and training programs in opera creation
      Offers public opera training classes, including select courses from the Composer Librettist Development Program and new initiatives like Opera Dramaturgy, open to creators, performers, and administrators. Classes are held in-person at The National Opera Center in Manhattan and include financial assistance for participants based on need.
  • Commissioning New Musical Works 2 activities
    • Commissioning and developmental workshops for new operas
      Commissions new operas from composers and librettists, particularly those completing the first year of the Composer Librettist Development Program, and supports their development through libretto, piano/vocal, and orchestral workshops. Public performances of these works are held at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music, with free online access, reaching hundreds of in-person and online viewers annually.
    • Licensing and free distribution of contemporary American arias and operas
      Makes over 20 new operas available for licensing, all created by alumni of the Composer Librettist Development Program, and provides free online access to 20 unpublished arias by contemporary American composers and librettists for educational and audition use through the Aria Access Project.
  • New Play Development Programs 1 activity
    • Public access to new opera development and artist discussions
      Hosts concert readings, panel discussions, seminars, and symposia on opera writing, offering public access to behind-the-scenes processes of new opera development. Events include audience-writer discussions using the Critical Response Process and have been offered both in-person and online, with archival videos available to a global audience.
  • Artist Residencies and Studio Programs 1 activity
    • Resident artist program for opera creators
      Hosts a resident artist program that supports emerging and returning artists, including those currently creating commissioned operas, providing them with resources and developmental opportunities during the 2024–2025 season.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$316K
Contributions & grants$293K93%
Program service revenue$10K3%
Investment income$3K1%
Other revenue$9K
expenses
Total expenses$406K
Program expenses80%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising9%
Salaries & benefits$285K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$115K
Cash$56K
Investments$0
Liabilities$20K
Net assets$94K
Liquid reserves1.6 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -32.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
Lawrence Edelson President, Artistic and General Director 30 $47K
Kelly Kuo Trustee - Associate Artistic Director 20 $32K
board members · 7
  • Anna DeSimone — Trustee
  • Jorge Sosa — Trustee
  • Justine Chen — Trustee
  • Katherine Moldave — Secretary
  • Kevin Kotcher — Treasurer
  • Ralph Craviso — Trustee
  • Stephen Weiner — Chair
relationships · 26

Who they work with

  • ALT Catalyst Club Network — Monthly giving program that supports the development of new operas and connects donors with artists and fellow supporters.
  • Beth Morrison Projects Partner — Organization for which ALT alumni have written new operas.
  • Commissioning Circle Network — Donor program enabling supporters to invest in specific operas, with opportunities for engagement and recognition tied to individual works.
  • Cori Ellison Partner — Teaches the Opera Dramaturgy course as part of ALT's public class offerings.
  • Houston Grand Opera Partner — Opera company for which ALT alumni have written new operas.
  • Liz Lerman Partner — Collaborates with Liz Lerman, whose Critical Response Process is a core component of ALT's new works development approach.
  • Merkin Concert Hall Partner — Hosted ALT's 20th-anniversary gala concert.
  • OPERA America Network — Recognized as a Professional Company Member since 2012.
  • OPERA America Partner — Provides networking and membership resources for CLDP Resident Artists.
  • OPERA America Partner — Supported the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium through its Innovation Grant Program with support from The Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation
  • Opera News Partner — Recognized Heather Johnson as "a dramatic singer in the truest sense."
  • Opera Philadelphia Partner — Opera company for which ALT alumni have written new operas.
  • Santa Fe Opera Partner — Opera company for which ALT alumni have written new operas.
  • The Aaron Copland Fund for Music Funder — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The Amphion Foundation Funder — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Funder — Provided generous leadership support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The DiMenna Center for Classical Music Partner — Hosted public performances of developmental opera workshops.
  • The Dubose and Dorothy Heyward Memorial Fund Funder — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The Howard Gilman Foundation Funder — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The Howard and Sarah D. Solomon Foundation Funder — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The Metropolitan Opera Partner — Opera company for which ALT alumni have written new operas.
  • The Metropolitan Opera Partner — Provides residency observerships for CLDP artists to study the process of mounting fully staged operatic productions.
  • The Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust Partner — Presented Tevye’s Daughters in partnership with The Museum of Jewish Heritage.
  • The National Endowment for the Arts Funder — Provided generous leadership support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
  • The New York State Council on the Arts Government — Provided additional support for the 2021 CLDP Opera Writers Symposium
strategies · 3

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Artist-Centered Mentorship and Development
    methodology: artist-centered_development
    By providing full-time, individualized mentorship and commissioning works from emerging composers and librettists—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds—we cultivate diverse, innovative American operas because sustained artistic support and inclusion lead to richer creative output and professional integration.
  • Experiential Training in Music-Drama Craft
    methodology: experiential_music-drama_training
    By training opera creators through hands-on exercises, score study, and comparative analysis, we deepen their mastery of dramatic and musical structure because experiential learning produces more nuanced and stage-ready work than theoretical instruction alone.
  • Structured Creative Feedback via Critical Response Process
    methodology: critical-response-process
    By using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process to guide feedback during development, we improve the quality and resilience of new operatic works because structured, empathetic critique fosters artistic risk-taking and refinement without undermining creator agency.