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Hawaii Opera Theatre

EIN 99-0197758 · Honolulu, HI

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair55 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

HAWAI'I OPERA THEATRE (HOT) BELIEVES THAT DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES, CULTURAL HISTORIES, LIFE EXPERIENCES AND PERSONAL STORIES ENRICH THE OPERATIC REPERTOIRE AND HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO MAKE MEANINGFUL LOCAL AND WORLDWIDE IMPACTS. AS A REGIONAL COMPANY, HOT IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING AND ENGAGING CREATORS AND MUSIC LOVERS WHO REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF HAWAI'I.

Income
$4.8 million
Spending
$3.3 million
Spent on programs
73%
Reserves
-14 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 76%
Employees
71
Volunteers
90
Highest pay
$193,309, general director & ceo

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Fair: 55 out of 100. Higher than 26% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    0 of 35

    Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.

  • Debt

    10 of 20

    It owes 34% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 86% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    73% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 15 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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

    28 of 28 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 May 31, 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. $2.0 million spent. OPERA PERFORMANCES HOT'S 2024-2025 SEASON INCLUDED TWO MAINSTAGE PRODUCTIONS, ONE OF WHICH WAS PRESENTED AT THE BLAISDELL ARENA AND THE OTHER AT HOT'S LONGTIME VENUE, THE NEWLY RENOVATED BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL.PRODUCTIONS: BASED ON THE TRUE STORY OF AN UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT WHO SURVIVED 81 HOURS (ABOUT 3 AND A HALF DAYS) IN A BRONX ELEVATOR, "STUCK ELEVATOR", TELLS THE STORY OF A CHINESE FOOD DELIVERYMAN STRUGGLING FOR FREEDOM FROM DEBT, HUMAN SMUGGLERS, LOUD-MOUTH COWORKERS, AND THE TEMPTATIONS OF GENERAL TSO (OCTOBER 2024) AT THE BLAISDELL ARENA; "CARMEN," BIZET'S SMOLDERING TALE OF SEDUCTION AND ADDICTION, FILLED WITH SOME OF OPERA'S MOST BELOVED MELODIES (APRIL 2025) AT THE BLAISDELL CONCERT HALL. BOTH PRODUCTIONS FEATURED THE HAWAII SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND PROFESSIONAL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAMS.FOR THE THIRD FULL SEASON IN HOT'S INTIMATE STUDIO101 SPACE, HOT PRESENTED ELEVEN ECLECTIC PROGRAMS (UP FROM SIX THE PRIOR SEASON) THAT BLENDED OPERA, ART SONG, VOCAL JAZZ AND TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN MUSIC, FOCUSING ON LOCAL TALENT IN ONE-HOUR PERFORMANCES IN A CABARET-LIKE SETTING.
  2. $475,241 spent. EDUCATION PROGRAMS HOT'S EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REACHED OVER 15,000 STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS ACROSS THE STATE OF HAWAII. PROGRAMMING INCLUDED HOT'S OPERA EXPRESS TOURING SHOW, A FAMILY-FRIENDLY ADAPTATION OF MOZARTS "THE MAGIC FLUTE" VISITING SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES AND OTHER VENUES ON OAHU, HAWAII ISLAND, AND KAUAI. HOT'S RESIDENCY PROGRAM WENT TO FIVE SCHOOLS, FOUR OF WHICH ARE CLASSIFIED AS TITLE 1, TO CREATE ORIGINAL OPERAS WRITTEN BY STUDENTS; ALL RESIDENCIES CULMINATED IN PERFORMANCES FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BODY AND A PERFORMANCE FOR FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY.OPERA FOR EVERYONE, A PROGRAM THAT INVITED STUDENTS AND TEACHERS TO THE FINAL DRESS REHEARSAL OF EACH MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION, COMPLETE WITH ORCHESTRA, SETS, AND COSTUMES, SERVED OVER 1,200 STUDENTS. IN A COLLABORATION WITH HAWAII YOUTH OPERA CHORUS (HYOC), HOT'S EDUCATION TEAM ASSISTED IN THE PRODUCTION OF AN ORIGINAL OPERA FOR PERFORMANCE BY CHILDREN TITLED "SCALES," BASED ON THE HAWAIIAN STORY OF DRAGONS ON MAUI. THIS PRODUCTION WAS THE CULMINATION OF OPERATUNITIES, A SUMMER PROGRAM CREATED BY HYOC WITH HOT TO TEACH OPERA SKILLS TO A NEW GENERATION OF PERFORMERS. HOT'S ORVIS OPERA STUDIO AND ORVIS YOUNG VOICES STUDIO PROGRAMS PROVIDED FREE, YEAR-ROUND WORKSHOPS AND MASTER CLASSES WITH LOCAL AND VISITING ARTISTS TO ADULT AND HIGH-SCHOOL-LEVEL SINGERS WANTING TO EXPAND THEIR SKILLS IN PRESENTATION, DICTION, STAGE COMBAT, AND VOCAL TECHNIQUE. BOTH PROGRAMS PROVIDE ACCESS TO MAINSTAGE EXPERIENCES IN THE HOT CHORUS AS WELL AS MINOR SOLO OPPORTUNITIES, IN ADDITION TO RECITALS AND OTHER PERFORMING OPPORTUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending May 31, 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 May 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 June 1980.

    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.