named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Engagement Programming
Year-round community events including in-school performances, shows at elder care facilities, and collaborative events with local organizations, running from February to November.
Juneteenth Celebration
Annual free program marking the start of the summer festival, celebrating freedom, justice, and equality through music and performance, featuring local choirs and cast members.
Opera Goes Digital
Virtual performance series launched during the 2020 pandemic, including Aria Nights, Summer Scenes, and Online HITS!, produced by young artists from remote locations.
Summer Festival
Annual summer festival featuring mainstage opera productions such as Verdi's Aida and Puccini's Gianni Schicchi, performed by professional and emerging artists.
Young Artist Program
Training program for emerging opera singers, established in 2018 and restructured in 2019 to eliminate tuition, providing performance and professional development opportunities.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Original Music-Theater and Opera Production 1 activity
- Commissions and premieres original opera worksCommissions and produces original operatic works, including the world premiere of Two Corners by B.E. Boykin and Jarrod Lee, scheduled for June 2024, marking the organization’s first commissioned opera.
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Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
- Hosts annual Juneteenth commemorative programsHosts annual free Juneteenth programs as part of its Summer Festival, beginning in 2024, to highlight joy, resilience, and the journey toward freedom, justice, and equality through operatic and community-focused performances.
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Community Music Performances & Education 1 activity
- Hosts community engagement and educational eventsOrganizes and hosts over 30 community engagement events annually, including in-school visits, performances at elder care homes, virtual recitals, online performances by Young Artists, and educational podcast series such as Great Voices of the 20th Century and Behind the Curtain, expanding access beyond traditional stage productions.
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Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 1 activity
- Operates the Tomita Young Artist Program to train emerging opera professionalsRuns a professional Young Artist Program launched in 2018 that trains emerging operatic talent, including performances, tours, and educational outreach, with over 300 applications received annually and expanded access following a major gift in 2019 that eliminated pay-to-sing participation fees.
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Professional Opera and Operetta Production 1 activity
- Produces professional mainstage opera performancesProduces annual professional opera performances during the summer season in Rochester and the Finger Lakes region, including full-scale productions such as Tosca, La Traviata, Carmen, La Bohème, Die Fledermaus, and Aida, with recent collaborative productions involving local arts organizations and reaching over 2,000 attendees annually.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$509K
Contributions & grants$438K86%
Program service revenue$66K13%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$5K
expenses
Total expenses$552K
Program expenses81%
Admin / overhead18%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$331K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$33K
Cash$33K
Investments$0
Liabilities$121K
Net assets$-89K
Liquid reserves0.7 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -6.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH LONG | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $51K |
board members · 10
- BLISS OWEN — Treasurer
- CHRIS DAHL — Trustee
- DANIELLE ABRAMSON — Trustee
- HELEN ZAMBONI — Secretary
- JAMES WALKER — Trustee
- KAREN TINSMON — Trustee
- MARGARET SANCHEZ — Trustee
- MARION ROBINSON — Trustee
- ROBERT SHAPIRO — Trustee
- ROSE-MARIE KLIPSTEIN — President
relationships · 43
Who they work with
- Black Opera Alliance Coalition — Signatory to the Black Opera Alliance pledge, working toward racial equity and systemic change in opera.
- Canandaigua Academy Partner — Served as performance venue for FLO from 2017 to 2019.
- Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- Davie Kaplan CPA Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- Eastman Community Music School Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- Garth Fagan Dance Partner — Collaborates on performance productions integrating dance and opera.
- Garth Fagan Dance Partner — Collaborating organization supported by or partnering with Finger Lakes Opera.
- Garth Fagan Dance Partner — Partnered with FLO on the 2023 production of Verdi's Aida, contributing choreography to the Act II dance sequence.
- George Eastman Museum Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- Geva Theatre Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- Joseph Avenue Arts & Culture Alliance Partner — Community arts collaborator in the Rochester area.
- Memorial Art Gallery Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- OPERA America Network — Member of OPERA America and recipient of an OPERA America Grant.
- OPERA America Network — Member of OPERA America network
- OPERA America Network — Member organization and grant recipient from OPERA America
- OPERA America Network — Member organization and grant recipient within OPERA America's network.
- OPERA America Network — Member organization receiving grants and participating in network activities.
- OPERA America Network — Professional Company Member of OPERA America since November 2019
- Opera Guild of Rochester Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
- RACF Funder — Grant recipient of the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF).
- RIT/NTID Partner — Community partner supporting inclusive arts programming.
- RIT/NTID Partner — Partner institution collaborating with Finger Lakes Opera.
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Funder — Grant funder supporting Finger Lakes Opera.
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Funder — Grant recipient from the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF)
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Funder — Grant recipient from the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF).
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Funder — Grant recipient of the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF).
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Funder — Recipient of a grant from RACF
- Rochester Area Community Foundation Government — Receives grant funding from the Rochester Area Community Foundation (RACF).
- Rochester Oratorio Society Partner — Collaborated with FLO on the 2023 production of Verdi's Aida, doubling the size of the chorus.
- Rochester Oratorio Society Partner — Corporate supporter advertising in FLO programs.
+ 13 more
strategies · 4
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.
- Audience-Centered Educational Programmingmethodology: audience-centered educational programmingBy delivering educational programming in accessible, affordable, and welcoming community venues, we engage diverse audiences, because lowering structural and cultural barriers to participation increases inclusivity and deepens public connection to opera.
- Community-Engaged Opera Productionmethodology: community-engaged opera productionBy producing opera with diverse and emerging artists and presenting it through accessible programming, we enhance community cultural and economic vitality, because inclusive and locally rooted artistic production strengthens civic engagement and broadens audience investment.
- Digital Engagement for Continuity and Outreachmethodology: digital-engagementBy using digital platforms such as online performances and podcasts, we maintain audience engagement and educational outreach during disruptions, because flexible, media-based access preserves connection and extends reach beyond physical venues.
- Young Artist Training through Professional Integrationmethodology: young-artist-trainingBy training emerging opera artists through performance and mentorship within professional productions, we develop skilled artists and enrich mainstage quality, because immersive, professional-level experience accelerates artistic development and strengthens the regional arts ecosystem.