Seattle Opera
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
Points to look into
- It reported loans to or from officers, directors or other insiders.
These come from the organization's own tax return. There may be a good explanation; ask the charity.
What it says it does
TO THRILL, INSPIRE AND EDUCATE THROUGH THE SHARED EXPERIENCE OF OPERA. SEATTLE OPERA IS VITAL TO THE DYNAMIC CULTURAL AND CIVIC LIFE OF OUR REGION AND TO THE EVOLUTION OF OPERA ACROSS THE WORLD.
- Income
- $22.2 million
- Spending
- $25.3 million
- Spent on programs
- 79%
- Reserves
- -0.8 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 58%
- Employees
- 597
- Volunteers
- 171
- Highest pay
- $304,409, general director until 10/31/24
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 50 out of 100. Higher than 16% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 17% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 14% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 39% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 7% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2546 of 46 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
0 of 10Reports at least one of: diversion of assets, excess benefits, loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (2)
- $18.8 million spent. DURING SEATTLE OPERA'S 2024/25 SEASON, THE COMPANY WITNESSED CONTINUED GROWTH OF IN-PERSON ATTENDENCE AT MCCAW HALL, TAGNEY JONES HALL, AND OTHER VENUES. THE COMPANY INCREASED THE NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE PRIOR SEASON (32 VS 24), ESPECIALLY FOR BLOCKBUSTER SHOWS LIKE THE MAGIC FLUTE, TOSCA, AND PAGLIACCI. WE SOLD MORE SINGLE TICKETS THAN ANY SEASON IN OUR HISTORY AND SOLD AS MANY TICKETS PER PERFORMANCE (~2,000 ON AVERAGE) AS WE DID IN THE LAST YEAR BEFORE COVID. THE SEASON FEATURED FOUR MAINSTAGE OPERAS, AMONG THEM ALL-TIME FAVORITES LIKE "PAGLIACCI", "THE MAGIC FLUTE", AND "TOSCA", A WORLD PREMIERE "JUBILEE", AND A CONCERT OPERA OF "LES TROYENS" FEATURING THE 60-MEMBER SEATTLE OPERA CHORUS AND THE 80-MEMBER SEATTLE SYMPHONY ORHCESTRA.
- $1.2 million spent. SEATTLE OPERA'S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND EDUCATION CONTINUED THROUGHOUT THE 2024/2025 SEASON. THROUGH NEW AND LONG-STANDING PARTNERSHIPS WITH CIVIC AND ARTS ORGANIZATIONS, SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS, AND DOZENS OF LOCAL INSTITUTIONS WE STRIVE TO MAKE LIVING IN WASHINGTON STATE HEALTHIER, SMARTER, MORE PEACEFUL AND MORE ENJOYABLE. IN THE FALL OF 2024 THE COMPANY HOSTED ITS FIRST SCHOOL DAY MATINEE SINCE THE 1970S WITH MORE THAN 1500 SCHOOL STUDENTS ATTENDING JUBILEE. NEARLY 700 PEOPLE ATTENDED OUR ANNUAL OPEN HOUSE. WHAT'S MORE, OUR SCHOOL PROGRAM VISITED 60 SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY CENTERS AND REACHED MORE THAN 24,000 K-12 STUDENTS.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since April 1964.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.