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Metropolitan Opera Association Inc

New York, NY · EIN 131624087 · Form 990 · FY2023 · NTEE A6A0 · Arts, Culture & Humanities · Very Large (>$50M) · metopera.org
revenue
$284.0M
expenses
$331.0M
net assets
$180.2M
employees
5,417
volunteers
725
program ratio
85%
mission · from form 990

PERFORMANCE OF OPERA TO THE PUBLIC.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Metropolitan Opera Association Inc is a nonprofit performing arts organization based in New York City that produces and presents opera performances for the public. It operates one of the leading opera companies in the United States, offering live performances at its Lincoln Center venue and digital access to its productions through the Met Opera on Demand streaming service. The organization also sells tickets, merchandise, and memberships as part of its operations.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2023

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $24.83M
    MEDIA PRESENTATION OF OPERA PERFORMANCES, LIVE PERFORMANCES BROADCAST IN HIGH DEFINITION TO MOVIE THEATERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL LIVE AUDIO TRANSMISSIONS OF PERFORMANCES ON RADIO AND THE MET'S WEBSITE. PAST PERFORMANCES BROADCAST ON TELEVISION, RADIO STATIONS AND THE INTERNET GLOBALLY. MEDIA PRESENTATIONS REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 10 MILLION.
  2. #2 $8.99M
    PRESENTATION OF EVENTS OTHER THAN OPERA WHERE THE MET EITHER PRESENTS OR CO-PRESENTS THE EVENT OR LICENSES THE OPERA HOUSE TO THIRD PARTIES. THE ATTENDANCE AT THESE EVENTS, PRINCIPALLY BALLET, WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000 PEOPLE PER YEAR.
named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Live Performances at the Met
Stages live opera performances at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, New York City, featuring world-renowned artists and productions
Met Opera Shop
Online store selling opera-related merchandise, recordings, apparel, and gifts to the public
Met Opera on Demand
Streaming service offering on-demand access to recorded Met performances, available via subscription or rental through the website and mobile apps
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Free Outdoor Music Concerts 1 activity
    • Hosts free summer recital series in New York City parks
      Hosts a free concert series across New York City parks, including Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, and boroughs such as the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, and Staten Island, featuring young Metropolitan Opera artists and established performers presenting arias, duets, and works by American composers.
  • Professional Opera and Operetta Production 1 activity
    • Presents limited-run productions of new and adapted operas and musicals
      Presents limited-run productions such as Sting's The Last Ship, including newly adapted versions with revised songs and book by Barney Norris, performed live at the Metropolitan Opera.
  • Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
    • Provides digital and subscription-based access to opera content
      Offers Met Opera on Demand, a subscription-based digital service accessible via website and app, providing on-demand access to opera performances, artist presentations, and Met Talks, along with exclusive digital content for members.
  • Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
    • Sells tickets and manages ticket subscription programs
      Offers ticket sales through multiple channels, including discounted pricing for purchasing three or more operas, customizable ticket series programs, telephone-based sales for series subscriptions, and online sales for performances, memberships, and merchandise.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Designs sets and costumes for major Metropolitan Opera productions
      Created set and costume designs for significant Metropolitan Opera productions including the 1981 Parade triple bill, a Stravinsky triple bill in the following season, and the 1991 production of Die Zauberflöte, which was revived multiple times.
    • Rebroadcasts past Live in HD performances in movie theaters
      Rebroadcasts popular operas from its Live in HD series, including The Merry Widow (2015) and Aida (2025), in movie theaters during the summer as part of the Summer Encores series.
financials · form 990 · fy2023
revenue
Total revenue$283.99M
Contributions & grants$152.62M54%
Program service revenue$105.08M37%
Investment income$23.28M8%
Other revenue$3.01M
expenses
Total expenses$330.98M
Program expenses85%
Admin / overhead10%
Fundraising4%
Salaries & benefits$239.85M
Grants paid out$663K
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$466.64M
Cash$7.24M
Investments$241.75M
Liabilities$286.45M
Net assets$180.19M
Liquid reserves9.0 mo
5 years on record · 2019–2023 · YoY revenue -6.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2023

Who runs it

paid leadership · 12
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
PETER GELB GENERAL MANAGER 60 $2.24M
YANNICK NEZET-SEGUIN MUSIC DIRECTOR 60 $2.07M
DONALD PALUMBO CHORUS MASTER 60 $624K
CORALIE TOEVS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, DEVELOPMENT 60 $576K
DAVID CHAN CONCERT MASTER 60 $560K
Jason Hamilton PROPERTY MASTER 60 $487K
JOHN SELLARS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, PRODUCTION 60 $474K
BENJAMIN BOWMAN CONCERT MASTER 60 $468K
Diana Fortuna DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER/CFO/ASSISTANT TREASURER 59 $451K
MICHAEL HEASTON ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER, ARTISTIC 60 $337K
STEPHANIE BASTA GENERAL COUNSEL/ASSISTANT SECRETARY 60 $305K
Rebecca Wui Former Assistant Secretary to 9/29/22 0 $214K
board members · 12
  • AL ROKER — MANAGING DIRECTOR FR 9/28/23
  • ALEXA BATOR CHAE — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • ANDREW MARTIN-WEBER — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • ANN ZIFF — CHAIRMAN
  • AUSTIN T FRAGOMEN JR — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • BARBARA WALKOWSKI — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • BETH A GROSSHANS — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • BETSY COHEN — MANAGING DIRECTOR / TREASURER TO 9/11/23
  • BRUCE KOVNER — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • C GRAHAM BERWIND III — VP/CHAIR OF EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
  • CAROL E DOMINA — MANAGING DIRECTOR
  • DOUGLAS DOCKERY THOMAS — MANAGING DIRECTOR
relationships · 11

Who they work with

  • American Ballet Theatre Partner — Third party permitted to send marketing and fundraising communications to Metropolitan Opera patrons, consistent with their choices.
  • Barney Norris Partner — Collaborated on the creation of The Last Ship, with Barney Norris writing the new book.
  • Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage Partner — Collaborates with the Metropolitan Opera Association Inc to present the Summer Recital Series in New York City parks.
  • Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage Partner — Collaborating partner in presenting the Met's Summer Recital Series in New York City parks.
  • Carnegie Hall Partner — Collaborated with the Met on the United in Sound: America at 250 festival, featuring works by American composers in the Summer Recital Series.
  • John Cox Partner — Collaborated on the Metropolitan Opera's 1991 production of Die Zauberflöte.
  • John Dexter Partner — Collaborated on multiple Metropolitan Opera productions, including Parade and the Stravinsky triple bill.
  • Local movie theaters Partner — Distributes Live in HD performances through screenings at independent and chain movie theaters.
  • Met Opera Shop Partner — Provides member discounts through the Met Opera Shop and online store.
  • New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Government — Provided public funding support for the Summer Recital Series in partnership with the City Council.
  • New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Government — Collaborated on the presentation of the Summer Recital Series in city parks.
strategies · 1

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.

  • Community Access Through Free Public Performances
    methodology: community_access_through_free_public_performances
    By offering free opera performances in public spaces like city parks, the Met increases community engagement and broadens access to opera among populations who might not attend traditional performances, because removing financial and institutional barriers invites new audiences into the art form.