named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Engagement Initiatives
Partnerships with regional schools, organizations, and businesses to broaden access and dialogue around opera and social themes
Summer Festival Opera Productions
Annual summer festival featuring innovative productions of new, rare, and well-known operas and musical theater works
Young Artists Program
Professional training and performance opportunities for emerging opera singers, conductors, and stage directors
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 2 activities
- Ensure youth access to performancesProvides free admission to children aged 12 and under for youth opera productions through sponsored funding, increasing accessibility for young audiences.
- Provide ticket package benefits and discountsOffers incentives for ticket package holders including a 10% discount on additional tickets, early access to single tickets and events, waived exchange fees within the same price level, a 10% discount at the Festival Gift Shop, and reciprocal discounts at participating U.S. and Canadian opera companies via the Opera America Passport program.
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Event and Production Volunteer Coordination 1 activity
- Engage volunteers in audience servicesOrganizes volunteer ushers to assist with ticket-taking, seating, program distribution, and welcoming guests during summer performances, enhancing the audience experience.
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Corporate Sponsorship Programs 1 activity
- Facilitate sponsorship and corporate partnershipsOffers a tiered business partner program to engage local and corporate sponsors in supporting the summer opera festival, fostering community investment and financial sustainability.
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Post-Performance Audience Engagement 1 activity
- Offer educational and contextual programmingProvides educational resources about the historical, cultural, and social contexts of productions—such as the 1950s "Lavender Scare" in Fellow Travelers—through initiatives like the dramaturg's desk to deepen audience engagement and foster dialogue around contemporary issues.
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Professional Opera and Operetta Production 1 activity
- Produce mainstage opera and musical theater productionsProduces four fully staged productions annually, including three operas and one American musical theater work, performed with full orchestra, large cast, and no sound amplification. These include new, innovative stagings of familiar, little-known, and contemporary works such as Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, Madame Butterfly, Così fan tutte, Fellow Travelers, and Robin Hood, often reimagined with modern or culturally relevant themes.
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Arts and Cultural Workforce Training 1 activity
- Support emerging artists through professional trainingOffers professional training and performance opportunities for emerging artists, interns, and youth performers through collaborations with professional Festival artists and creative teams, contributing to artistic development and high standards of achievement.
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Uncategorized 3 activities
- Operate box office and ticketing servicesRuns a box office with regular public hours for ticket sales, inquiries, and customer service, offering flexible payment plans (25%, 33%, or 50% upfront) and exchange policies for package holders.
- Present supplementary performances and eventsSupplements its summer season with special performances, cabarets, concerts, lectures, symposiums, and regional tours, such as a Prohibition-era speakeasy-themed tour of Happy End, to expand audience engagement beyond mainstage productions.
- Provide audience accessibility and comprehension supportEnhances audience understanding by providing English projected titles for all operatic performances conducted in non-English languages, with performances typically lasting approximately three hours including intermission.
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financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$8.41M
Contributions & grants$4.53M54%
Program service revenue$2.27M27%
Investment income$1.05M12%
Other revenue$573K
expenses
Total expenses$10.11M
Program expenses78%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising12%
Salaries & benefits$6.67M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$16.48M
Cash$544K
Investments$9.46M
Liabilities$2.77M
Net assets$13.71M
Liquid reserves11.9 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue +8.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT AINSLEY | ARTISTIC & GENERAL DIRECTO | 30 | $241K |
| CARYN REEVES | DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL | 40 | $128K |
| ANDREA LYONS | COO/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $108K |
| KAREN FLANAGAN | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE | 40 | $94K |
board members · 20
- ALLISON HILL-EDGAR — TRUSTEE
- ANNE M CURTIS — TRUSTEE
- DEBRA VALENTINE — TRUSTEE
- ERNA MORGAN MCREYNOLDS — SECRETARY/VICE CHAIR
- GEORGE BUDENBENDER — TRUSTEE
- JAMES L SEWARD — TRUSTEE
- JOHN RYLAND — TRUSTEE
- KARA UNTERBERG — TRUSTEE
- MARK VILLAMAR — TREASURER
- MARY-JO MERK — FOUNDING TRUSTEE
- MICHAEL SEKUS — TRUSTEE
- MICHAEL YOUNG — PRESIDENT/CHAIR
- NELLIE GIPSON — TRUSTEE
- PATRICIA CHADWICK — TRUSTEE
- PETER DUCHIN — HONORARY CHAIRMAN
- SHERWIN M GOLDMAN — TRUSTEE
- TED SNOWDON — TRUSTEE
- THOMAS C RAGAN — TRUSTEE
- THOMAS SIMPSON — TRUSTEE/SECRETARY
- TIM LORD — TRUSTEE
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Beekman 1802 Kindness Shop Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Cooperstown Natural Foods Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Elizabeth M. and Jean-Marie R. Eveillard Funder — Generous sponsor of the Oklahoma! production
- Eric Einhorn Partner — Collaborates with the organization as director of the production of Così.
- Fenimore Art Museum Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Fenimore Asset Management and FAM Funds Partner — Generous sponsors supporting the production of Robin Hood
- Fenimore Farm & Country Village Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Five Star Subaru Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Glimmerglass Festival Guild Partner — Collaborates with the Glimmerglass Festival Guild to offer additional volunteer opportunities.
- Jacqueline B. Mars Funder — Generous sponsor of the Oklahoma! production
- Jacqueline B. Mars Partner — Generous sponsor supporting the production of Robin Hood
- Joseph Colaneri Partner — Collaborates with the organization as conductor of the production of Così.
- Kelley Rourke Partner — Collaborates with the organization as the English adapter and projected titles creator for Così.
- Lake ‘N Pines Motel Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Landmark Inn Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Nellie and Robert Gipson Funder — Generously sponsored the production of Madame Butterfly
- New York State Council on the Arts Government — Public funder supporting the 2026 Festival season
- Opera America Partner — Partners with Opera America to provide ticket package holders with discounts at other participating opera companies through the Opera America Passport program.
- Stagecoach Coffee Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Sunflower Cafe Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- The Buzz Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- The Clark Foundation Funder — Sponsor of the 2026 Glimmerglass Festival season
- The White House Inn Partner — Business partner in the 2025 Festival Business Partner Program
- Up Until Now Collective Partner — National tour co-producer of the opera _Fellow Travelers_ in collaboration with The Glimmerglass Festival.
- Van Broughton Ramsey and Robert Nelson Partner — Generous sponsors supporting the production of Robin Hood
- businesses Partner — Collaborates with local businesses to enhance life in Central New York.
- regional organizations Partner — Collaborates with regional organizations to enhance life in Central New York.
- schools Partner — Collaborates with schools in Central New York to enhance community life.
strategies · 5
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.
- Art as Dialogue for Social Engagementmethodology: art_as_dialogueBy producing innovative opera and musical theater, the organization provokes public discussion on contemporary issues, because art that engages with current social and political themes fosters deeper audience reflection and connection.
- Contemporary Adaptation for Accessibility and Relevancemethodology: contemporary_adaptationBy updating classic operas with modern settings and English-language libretti, the organization increases audience engagement, because making works linguistically and contextually accessible helps contemporary audiences relate to the narratives.
- Cultural Representation and Inclusive Programmingmethodology: cultural_representation_and_inclusionThrough intentional programming and casting that reflect diverse identities and stories, the organization increases inclusion in opera, because representation fosters audience connection and broadens the cultural relevance of the art form.
- Integrated Apprenticeship Through Mainstage Productionmethodology: apprenticeship_through_productionBy integrating emerging artists into professional mainstage productions, the organization develops the next generation of performers, because hands-on experience in high-quality artistic environments accelerates artistic growth and professional readiness.
- Youth Engagement Through Collaborative Performancemethodology: youth_engagement_through_collaborative_performanceBy involving local youth performers in mainstage productions alongside professionals, the organization fosters community investment and artistic development, because collaborative intergenerational performance builds skills, belonging, and long-term engagement with the arts.