named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Community Chorus
Local chorus program that involves community members in opera and oratorio productions alongside professional artists
Opera Goes to Church
Annual gala fundraiser held at historic venues such as the CV Rich Mansion, combining performance and community engagement
School Programs
Education initiatives that bring opera and classical music performances to schools in the Hudson Valley region
activities · 6 groups
What they do
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Youth Theater Arts Education 1 activity
- Delivers arts education and outreach to schoolsReaches approximately 6,000 school children annually through in-school arts outreach programs and has provided access to mainstage opera performances for over 12,000 children since 2000 via special school-day matinees. Provides free educational preparation materials to participating schools to support student engagement with opera performances.
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Benefit Events for Arts and Culture 1 activity
- Hosts annual gala and special eventsOrganizes an annual gala fundraiser, such as "Opera Goes to Church," featuring performances by Taconic Opera's leading singers centered on operatic scenes set in churches. The event is held at locations like CV Rich Mansion and includes recognition of three major supporters each year.
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Performing Arts Ticket Access Programs 1 activity
- Offers paid and free public access to performancesProvides a mix of free and ticketed public performances, with regular tickets priced at $35 in advance and $40 at the door, and discounted rates for seniors and students. Free events include select opera performances at the Croton Free Library and special school-day matinees. Admission is not recommended for children under age 6 for certain performances.
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Opera and Vocal Arts Training Programs 1 activity
- Operates a young artist summer training programRuns two five-week summer programs annually that provide emerging opera singers with opportunities to perform full leading roles, smaller roles, or engage in stage directing. Produces 3 to 4 casts per session, each presenting fully staged opera performances to local audiences with tickets available through the Taconic Opera website and at the door.
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Professional Opera and Operetta Production 1 activity
- Produces professional opera and concert performancesStages fully produced opera performances and concerts featuring works by composers such as Verdi, Donizetti, Beethoven, Poulenc, Prokofiev, and Boito. Performances include mainstage productions like "Rigoletto" and "La fille du Regiment," orchestral concerts including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and piano concertos, and oratorios performed by the Taconic Opera chorus. Events are held at venues including Tarrytown Music Hall, Saint Columbanus Catholic Church, and CV RICH Mansion.
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Digital Music and Performance Archiving 1 activity
- Records and distributes musical performancesReleased a CD and digital download of 20 art songs performed across its "Piano at Noon" concert series, accompanied by published sheet music, expanding public access to its artistic output beyond live events.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$126K
Contributions & grants$85K68%
Program service revenue$42K34%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$125K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$42K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$42K
4 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -8.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 1
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAN MORTEZ | GENERAL/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR | 25 | $34K |
board members · 11
- DANIEL SIMPSON — BOARD MEMBER
- DAVID RICHTY — BOARD MEMBER
- DEBRA SIEGEL — BOARD MEMBER
- DR EVARISTUS MAINSAH — BOARD MEMBER
- GEORGINA MITCHELL — BOARD MEMBER
- IRA LIPTON — BOARD MEMBER
- JUN NAKABAYASHI — MUSICAL DIRECTOR
- MARY CORDA — BOARD MEMBER
- SHARMAN PROPP — BOARD MEMBER
- SUSAN GRUNTHAL — BOARD MEMBER
- TOM GORA — BOARD MEMBER
relationships · 23
Who they work with
- Angela Usobiaga Partner — School outreach coordinator facilitating access for school groups to student performances.
- ArtsWestchester Funder — Partial funder of the opera season with funds from Westchester County Government
- BOCES of Northern Westchester Government — Administers the Arts in Education Program, which provides state aid eligible for use toward school participation fees in Taconic Opera's programs.
- CV Rich Mansion Partner — Venue partner for the annual "Opera Goes to Church" gala fundraiser.
- Columbanus Catholic Church Partner — Hosted performances of Beethoven's "Mass in C" and Poulenc's "Gloria" on March 13 and 14, 2027.
- Cortlandt Center for the Performing Arts Partner — Supports the production of the opera season
- Croton Free Library Partner — Hosted Taconic Opera performances at the Croton Free Library Performance Space.
- Dan Montez Partner — Collaborated on the performance and release of 20 art songs.
- Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook as a platform for outreach and audience engagement.
- Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram for visual storytelling and audience connection.
- Kessa Mefford Partner — Provided piano accompaniment for four Piano at Noon concerts featuring Taconic Opera singers.
- M&T Bank Funder — Provides a special grant to support the opera season
- New York Opera Conservatory Partner — Collaborates with Taconic Opera to present a young artist summer program.
- New York Opera Conservatory Partner — Partner organization that runs summer opera training programs in collaboration with Taconic Opera.
- New York State Council on the Arts Funder — Partial funder of the opera season
- Presbyterian Church of Mount Kisco Partner — Venue host for Taconic Opera's performance event.
- Presbyterian Church of Mt. Kisco Partner — Hosted the "Beethoven Roulette" event featuring all five of Beethoven's piano concertos on May 1, 2027.
- St. Columbanus Catholic Church Partner — Hosted performances of Beethoven's Mass in C and Poulenc's Gloria.
- Tarrytown Music Hall Partner — Collaborates with Tarrytown Music Hall for ticketing and hosting performances of Beethoven's works.
- Tarrytown Music Hall Partner — Hosted Taconic Opera's concert featuring Beethoven, Prokofiev, and Boito on November 14, 2026.
- TikTok Partner — Has an official presence on TikTok to share content and engage audiences.
- Twitter Partner — Engages with audiences and shares updates via Twitter.
- YouTube Partner — Hosts a YouTube channel to share performances and recordings.
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.
- Arts Integration for Cognitive and Academic Developmentmethodology: arts-integrationBy integrating opera with theater, music, history, and literature in educational programming, TACONIC OPERA supports cognitive development and reinforces academic curriculum, because interdisciplinary learning deepens understanding and engagement.
- Free Access with Voluntary Donations to Expand Community Engagementmethodology: free_access_with_voluntary_donationsBy offering free performances and relying on voluntary donations, TACONIC OPERA increases community access and participation because removing financial barriers broadens audience diversity and fosters inclusive cultural engagement.
- Hands-On Training Model for Emerging Artistsmethodology: hands-on trainingBy using a practical, "trade school" approach to opera training, TACONIC OPERA develops skilled performers because immersive, experience-based learning produces greater artistic competence than theoretical instruction alone.