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Boston Lyric Opera Company
Boston Lyric Opera Company reported $14.5 million in revenue and $12.3 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $64.79 went to program services, $24.27 to management and general costs and $10.94 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $360,474 (GENERAL DIRECTOR AND CEO). 9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 88% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 876 covered arts, culture & humanities charities: $79.98 programs, $13.89 management, $6.13 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $14MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 64.8% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 24.3% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.9% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.11 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.1% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 8.2% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $360,474 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.92% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 20.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 28 of 28 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseProductions:the 2024/25 season welcomed more than 22,200 audience members the company's highest attendance in more than a decade. The production line-up included the rarely performed mitridate, mozart's first published opera; verdi's aida, bringing together nearly 200 artists, including 100 choristers and a full orchestra; the seasons, a world-premiere opera inspired by vivaldi and climate change with a libretto by american playwright sarah ruhl; and rodgers and hammerstein's carousel, marking the 80th anniversary of the production and returning the show to the home of its 1940s pre-broadway…
Community & education:more than 8,200 people participated in blo's free community and education programs this season. Programming included the street stage outdoor concert series, a mobile music venue that activated neighborhoods across greater boston and culminated in a boston city council resolution recognizing blo's cultural leadership. Youth engagement programing included blo's annual opera stories tour to more than 20 schools and libraries and the company's create your own opera" school partnership program supporting k-12 students as they write, compose, rehearse, and premiere original…
Space:this season marked the full activation of blo's opera + community studios, a 14,000+ square foot art-making and civic space in boston's fort point neighborhood. In 2024/25, the studios hosted more than 100 programs, rehearsals, exhibitions, community dialogues, and rentals; became the new home for all blo staging, design, orchestra, chorus, and masterclass rehearsals; and has strengthened relationships with neighbors, civic partners, and artists across the region
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENERAL DIRECTOR AND CEO Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $350,976 | $0 | $9,498 | $360,474 |
| CHIEF PHILANTHROPY OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,534 | $0 | $10,048 | $198,582 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $163,383 | $0 | $26,250 | $189,633 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $165,015 | $0 | $525 | $165,540 |
| SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $136,505 | $0 | $861 | $137,366 |
| SENIOR ADMINSTRATOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $127,354 | $0 | $1,753 | $129,107 |
| ARTISTIC DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $112,658 | $0 | $13,347 | $126,005 |
| COMMUNITY RELATION DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $116,328 | $0 | $302 | $116,630 |
9 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Boston Lyric Opera Company (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $815K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b28 · 28 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bNo
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5355
- Volunteers Part I, line 670
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| RESILIENT PHILANTHROPY Philanthropy consultant | $506,006 |
| FLANSBURGH ASSOCIATES INC Design development/construction | $282,219 |
| 4WALL Venue/theater infrastructure | $222,717 |
| CATERED AFFAIR Catering | $158,463 |
| THRIVE OPERATIONS It service | $144,876 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
20 private foundations reported grants to Boston Lyric Opera Company totaling $1.5M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Boston Lyric Opera Company's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Boston Lyric Opera Company, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Boston Lyric Opera Company spent in FY2025, $64.79 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Trinity Repertory CompanyProvidence, RI · revenue $14M · programs 82.4% · FY2025
- Montpelier FoundationOrange, VA · revenue $14M · programs 78.5% · FY2025
- New Hampshire Public RadioConcord, NH · revenue $14M · programs 69.6% · FY2025
- Friends of Montana PBSBozeman, MT · revenue $15M · programs 75.1% · FY2025
- The Center for the Performing ArtsCarmel, IN · revenue $14M · programs 68.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of Boston Lyric Opera Company's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, Boston Lyric Opera Company reported that 64.8% of its $12.3 million in expenses went to program services, 24.3% to management and general and 10.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Boston Lyric Opera Company pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Boston Lyric Opera Company reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $360,474, for the role of GENERAL DIRECTOR AND CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Boston Lyric Opera Company get its money?
Of $14.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 84.1% came from contributions and grants and 8.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Boston Lyric Opera Company a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2469627 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, object 202641349349306139 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202541359349302039 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202441359349308414 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321359349302832 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202211199349301901 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202140419349300904 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2469627: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.