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Long Beach Opera

EIN 95-3387074 · Long Beach, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood81 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

ENGAGING PEOPLE THROUGH PROVOCATIVE MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES THAT CHALLENGE, CONNECT AND INSPIRE. LONG BEACH OPERA PRODUCES OPERAS IN PERFORMING ARTS VENUES IN LONG BEACH AND REGIONALLY, AND PRODUCES OPERA FOR YOUTH IN SCHOOLS.

Income
$2.7 million
Spending
$2.0 million
Spent on programs
71%
Reserves
4.4 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 91%
Employees
37
Volunteers
25
Highest pay
$100,962, interim executive director

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

Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 63% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    20 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 4.4 months of spending.

  • Debt

    16 of 20

    It owes 27% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 24% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 49% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    71% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 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

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 65% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    11 of 12 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or 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)
  1. $1.4 million spent. IN FY25, LBO OFFERED A TRULY DISTINCTIVE SERIES OF PERFORMANCES BASED ON THE IMPROVISATIONAL OPERAS OF QUEER LATINA COMPOSER PAULINE OLIVEROS. BUILDING ON THE SUCCESS OF BYE BYE BUTTERFLY, WHICH PREMIERED IN JULY 2024, WE LAUNCHED OUR NEW SEASON IN DECEMBER 2024 WITH EARTH EARS, AN HOUR-LONG SCRIPTED IMPROVISATIONAL PIECE FOR INSTRUMENTALISTS AND TWO SINGERS THAT WAS PERFORMED IN AND AROUND THE ANGELS GATE CULTURAL CENTER IN SAN PEDRO. OUR SECOND PRODUCTION, EL RELICARIO DE LOS ANIMALES, FEATURED A CAST OF PERFORMERS WHO BOTH SANG AND PLAYED INSTRUMENTS OR CONDUCTED. AGAIN, THE PIECE WAS IMPROVISED, AND FEATURED A MAJOR OPERA STAR, JAMIE BARTON, IN HER CONDUCTING DEBUT. THE CENTRAL PRODUCTION WAS PRECEDED BY A SERIES OF SMALLER PERFORMANCES PRESENTED SIMULTANEOUSLY IN THE HOUSES AND (CONTINUED ON SCH. O) GARDENS OF HERITAGE SQUARE IN GLASSELL PARK IN FEBRUARY 2025. OUR FINAL PRODUCTION OF THE SEASON WAS LIBRARY OF MAPS, AN IMPROVISATION CREATED BY THREE COMPOSER-PERFORMERS AND A TEAM OF ADDITIONAL SINGERS AND ACTORS. PERFORMED ON THE QUEEN MARY IN APRIL 2025, THESE SHOWS TOOK PLACE IN A CABARET-LIKE SETTING, AND OFFERED AUDIENCES A CHANCE TO INTERACT WITH THE PERFORMERS AND ASK QUESTIONS FOLLOWING THE PERFORMANCE. EACH OPENING NIGHT PERFORMANCE INCLUDED A FREE RECEPTION SPONSORED BY THE PORT OF LONG BEACH. LBO SOLD OUT ALL PERFORMANCES FOR THE SEASON AND RECEIVED CRITICAL ACCLAIM IN THE LA TIMES, SF CLASSICAL VOICE AND OTHER OUTLETS FOR THE DARING AND ORIGINALITY OF OUR WORK. BECAUSE OUR PRODUCTIONS WERE PRESENTED AT SMALLER AND INFORMAL OR UNCONVENTIONAL PERFORMANCE VENUES WITH LIMITED SEATING, OUR TICKET INCOME DECLINED, CONTINUING A TREND BEGUN IN FY24. TO ENSURE ACCESSIBILITY, LBO OFFERED MODERATELY PRICED AND PAY-WHAT-YOU-WILL TICKETS, WHICH GREW OUR PAYING AUDIENCE AND REDUCED THE NUMBER OF COMPS WE OFFERED, BUT ULTIMATELY HURT OUR BOTTOM LINE.
  2. $55,721 spent. LBO'S OPERA @ SCHOOL BRINGS FREE LIVE OPERA TO LONG BEACH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOLS AND BEYOND. OUR MOST POPULAR SHOW, THE PLAYGROUND KING, CREATED BY SARAH SQUIRE, UNFOLDS ON AN ACTUAL SCHOOL PLAYGROUND, FEATURING MELODIES FROM FAMOUS OPERAS LIKE CARMEN AND LA BOHEME. PERFORMED BY PROFESSIONAL OPERA SINGERS, THE STORY FOLLOWS A SELFISH BULLY WHO LEARNS KINDNESS AND SHARING AFTER BEING INVITED TO PLAY WITH THREE CLASSMATES. THROUGH FAMILIAR OPERA EXCERPTS, CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT PROBLEM-SOLVING, TEAMWORK AND CONFRONTING BULLYING. AFTERWARD, OUR SINGERS LEAD A DISCUSSION ON THESE THEMES, TEACH OPERA BASICS AND ANSWER QUESTIONS--PROVIDING STUDENTS INSIGHT INTO BOTH ANTI-BULLYING AND THE LIVES OF PERFORMING ARTISTS. IN FY 25, THE OPERA @ SCHOOL PROGRAM REACHED APPROXIMATELY 2,800 (CONTINUED ON SCH. O) STUDENTS AT 10 TITLE I SCHOOLS IN LONG BEACH.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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 October 13, 2026.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since July 1979.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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 October 21, 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.