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The Dallas Opera
The Dallas Opera reported $20.5 million in revenue and $17.7 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $68.02 went to program services, $23.65 to management and general costs and $8.33 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 84.4% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $429,013 (Music Director). 8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 145% 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 $18MFor 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 $21M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$84.34 $17M
- Program service revenue$15.10 $3.1M
- Investment income$0.56 $114K
Other revenue was negative: −$21,005. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 68.0% | 78.5% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 23.6% | 13.6% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 8.3% | 6.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.09 | $0.10 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 84.4% | 57.5% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 1.7% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 15.1% | 20.8% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $429,013 | $385,706 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.42% | 2.03% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 6.2 | 36.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 96 of 97 | 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 expenseMAINSTAGE AUDIENCE: 30,515 ticket holders at 18 performances across four productions at the Winspear Opera House; 3,656 participants for pre- and post-opera talks, backstage tours, and related mainstage activities; 4,897 final dress rehearsal tickets distributed; 129,213 viewers of mainstage opera livestreams and rebroadcasts
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION PROGRAMS: 9,772 participants in community outreach programs, including 2,849 ticket holders at five special concerts, 5,601 at four family performances of PEPITO and THE THREE LITTLE PIGS, and 656 OperaTruck and other community-based performance patrons. 17,036 participants in youth arts education programming, including four student matinee performances of PEPITO at the Winspear Opera House, Touring Opera performances in schools, Opera in a Suitcase workshops, and related educational activities
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Music Director Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $412,412 | $0 | $16,601 | $429,013 |
| General Director & CEO Director/trustee, officer, 40.0 hrs/week | $311,811 | $0 | $17,027 | $328,838 |
| Director of Development Key employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $164,449 | $0 | $9,429 | $173,878 |
| Director of Operations Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $146,813 | $0 | $12,144 | $158,957 |
| Director of Marketing Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $136,075 | $0 | $12,083 | $148,158 |
| Planned Giving & Major Gifts Officer Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $124,700 | $0 | $2,494 | $127,194 |
| Director of Financial Planning and Analysis Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $112,097 | $0 | $14,523 | $126,620 |
| Director of Accounting Highest compensated employee, 40.0 hrs/week | $104,616 | $0 | $11,054 | $115,670 |
8 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Dallas Opera (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $938K (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–1b97 · 96 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- 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 2Yes
- 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 5483
- Volunteers Part I, line 675
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| Allied Global Marketing Marketing/Advertising | $237,551 |
| Ussery Printing Company Printing services | $178,910 |
| PrototypeIT IT Services | $157,431 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 4 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
30 private foundations reported grants to The Dallas Opera totaling $2.4M 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 The Dallas Opera's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Dallas Opera, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Dallas Opera spent in FY2025, $68.02 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- The Maritime Aquarium at NorwalkNorwalk, CT · revenue $20M · programs 76.8% · FY2025
- Colorado Symphony AssociationDenver, CO · revenue $21M · programs 80.8% · FY2025
- Union Station Kansas CityKansas City, MO · revenue $20M · programs 83.9% · 2024
- The Da Vinci Discovery Center of Science and TechnologyAllentown, PA · revenue $21M · programs 86.9% · FY2025
- The National Black Theatre WorkshopNew York, NY · revenue $20M · programs 75.3% · FY2025
All arts, culture & humanities charities · Largest charities in Texas
Questions people ask
How much of The Dallas Opera's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, The Dallas Opera reported that 68.0% of its $17.7 million in expenses went to program services, 23.6% to management and general and 8.3% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Dallas Opera pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Dallas Opera reported for one person in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025 was $429,013, for the role of Music Director (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Dallas Opera get its money?
Of $20.5 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, 84.4% came from contributions and grants and 15.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Dallas Opera a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 75-6004746 as a 501(c)(3) organization (governmental unit), 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 202641329349306649 · read the filing
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024, object 202433539349300628 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, object 202323559349300617 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, object 202321319349303562 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2021, object 202231329349307028 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, object 202130689349301443 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 75-6004746: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.