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Nonprofiteer
← MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM.

Totals

Total revenue
$7,832,495
Total expenses
$3,997,886
Contributions and grants received
$2,401,790
Grants paid
$164,894
Program service revenue
$113,728
Investment income
$5,371,824
Other revenue
-$54,847
Total assets, end of year
$45,576,945
Total liabilities, end of year
$212,750
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$45,364,195
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$2,736,877
Management and general expenses
$768,167
Fundraising expenses
$492,842
Program service expenses (Part III)
$2,736,877

Program services were 68.5% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1c · Fundraising events

    $294,074

  • 1e · Government grants (contributions)

    $60,075

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $2,047,641

  • 1g · Noncash contributions included above

    $321,261

  • 2a · Program service revenue: Performance Revenues

    total $113,728 · related or exempt $113,728

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $1,299,992 · excluded $1,299,992

  • 4 · Income from investment of tax-exempt bond proceeds

    total $0

  • 5 · Royalties

    total $0

  • 6d · Net rental income or loss

    total $0

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $40,294,799

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $36,222,967

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $4,071,832

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $4,071,832 · excluded $4,071,832

  • 8a · Fundraising events: gross income

    $19,350

  • 8a · Fundraising events: contributions included on line 1c

    $294,074

  • 8b · Fundraising events: direct expenses

    $74,197

  • 8c · Net income from fundraising events

    total -$54,847

  • 9c · Net income from gaming

    total $0

  • 10c · Net income from sales of inventory

    total $0

  • 11e · Other revenue, total

    $0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $0

  • 2 · Grants to domestic individuals

    total $130,449 · program services $130,449

  • 3 · Grants to foreign organizations and individuals

    total $34,445 · program services $34,445

  • 4 · Benefits paid to or for members

    total $0

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $392,967 · program services $137,538 · management and general $94,313 · fundraising $161,116

  • 6 · Compensation of disqualified persons

    total $0

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $346,441 · program services $170,206 · management and general $111,118 · fundraising $65,117

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $19,642 · program services $9,371 · management and general $6,140 · fundraising $4,131

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $21,929 · program services $10,896 · management and general $7,103 · fundraising $3,930

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $54,626 · program services $22,943 · management and general $15,295 · fundraising $16,388

  • 11a · Fees: management

    total $0

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $728 · management and general $728

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $24,044 · management and general $24,044

  • 11d · Fees: lobbying

    total $0

  • 11e · Fees: professional fundraising services

    total $0

  • 11f · Fees: investment management

    total $223,309 · management and general $223,309

  • 11g · Fees: other

    total $100,893 · management and general $98,858 · fundraising $2,035

  • 12 · Advertising and promotion

    total $147,044 · program services $8,869 · fundraising $138,175

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $0

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $0

  • 15 · Royalties

    total $0

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $131,596 · program services $2,830 · management and general $126,745 · fundraising $2,021

  • 17 · Travel

    total $0

  • 18 · Travel or entertainment for public officials

    total $0

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $0

  • 20 · Interest

    total $0

  • 21 · Payments to affiliates

    total $0

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $6,285 · management and general $6,285

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $0

  • 24a · Other expenses: Contracted Artist Dev (SFOA)

    total $1,906,010 · program services $1,906,010

  • 24b · Other expenses: Lodging

    total $155,946 · program services $155,164 · fundraising $782

  • 24c · Other expenses: Hospitality

    total $110,891 · program services $60,768 · management and general $4,268 · fundraising $45,855

  • 24d · Other expenses: Printing and Publications

    total $80,537 · program services $53,529 · management and general $226 · fundraising $26,782

  • 24e · All other expenses

    total $110,104 · program services $33,859 · management and general $49,735 · fundraising $26,510

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $391,152 · end of year $452,616

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,847,517 · end of year $1,631,592

  • 3 · Pledges and grants receivable

    beginning of year $138,487 · end of year $4,250

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    end of year $0

  • 5 · Loans and receivables from officers and key people

    end of year $0

  • 6 · Loans and receivables from disqualified persons

    end of year $0

  • 7 · Other notes and loans receivable

    end of year $0

  • 8 · Inventories for sale or use

    end of year $0

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $22,875 · end of year $146,095

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $140,316

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $101,837

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $7,836 · end of year $38,479

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $33,946,322 · end of year $40,390,919

  • 12 · Investments: other securities

    beginning of year $2,292,306 · end of year $2,252,363

  • 13 · Investments: program-related

    end of year $0

  • 14 · Intangible assets

    end of year $0

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $666,309 · end of year $660,631

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $86,374 · end of year $123,195

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $216,233 · end of year $89,555

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $20,395,927 · end of year $23,460,841

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $18,614,270 · end of year $21,903,354

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

Merola Opera Program is a San Francisco-based training program for opera singers, pianists, and stage directors.

Activities or mission (Part I)

Merola Opera Program's mission is the continuing education and professional training of the finest young operatic talent and the development of this talent into professional opera singers, pianists, conductors, and directors of the highest artistic caliber.

  • THE MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM:THE MEROLA OPERA PROGRAM IS A NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SUMMER TRAINING PROGRAM THAT SELECTS APPROXIMATELY 30 EMERGING OPERA ARTISTS FROM OVER 1,300 APPLICANTS AGED 20 TO 34 THROUGH A COMPETITIVE AUDITION PROCESS. THE 9- TO 12-WEEK PROGRAM PREPARES PARTICIPANTS FOR SUSTAINABLE CAREERS THROUGH VOCAL, DRAMATIC, AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING. MEROLA ENJOYS A UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH SAN FRANCISCO OPERA, WHERE SOME ALUMNI ADVANCE TO THE PRESTIGIOUS ADLER FELLOWSHIP, AND OTHERS JOIN OPERA COMPANIES AND TRAINING PROGRAMS NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. PARTICIPANTS RECEIVE HOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, TRAINING, AND A WEEKLY STIPEND AT NO COST.

    Expenses $2,736,877 · Grants $164,894 · Revenue $113,728

  • THE PROGRAM INTEGRATES TRAINING IN VOCAL STYLE, ROLE INTERPRETATION, ACTING, STAGECRAFT, MOVEMENT, CONDUCTING, PROMPTING, LANGUAGES, AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT, WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON HOLISTIC ARTIST PREPARATION. MASTER CLASSES LED BY INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED FACULTY OFFER DEEP INSIGHT INTO THE CRAFT, WHILE PUBLIC PERFORMANCESINCLUDING FULLY STAGED OPERAS, A SCENES PROGRAM, AND THE MEROLA GRAND FINALEALLOW PARTICIPANTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR GROWTH AND TALENT TO BROAD AUDIENCES.

  • MEROLA PROVIDES THIS TRAINING ENTIRELY FREE TO PARTICIPANTS, FUNDED THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF INDIVIDUAL DONORS, FOUNDATIONS, AND GRANTING AGENCIES. THE PROGRAM EQUIPS ARTISTS WITH A STRONG PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATION AND A CLEAR PATH FORWARD, SUPPORTING THEIR CAREER TRAJECTORIES THROUGH POST-PROGRAM GRANTS, MENTORSHIP, AND A GLOBAL ALUMNI NETWORK.

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Jean Kellogg

    Exec Director

    Total calculated
    $184,640
    From this org
    $166,340
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $18,300
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $166,340
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    $8,433
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,867
    Filer's total
    $184,640
  • Mark Shattuck

    Dir of Finance

    Total calculated
    $157,250
    From this org
    $134,033
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $23,217
    Hours/week
    35

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $134,033
    Bonus
    not reported
    Other
    not reported
    Deferred
    $6,761
    Nontaxable benefits
    $16,456
    Filer's total
    $157,250
  • Nancy Petrisko

    Dir of Advancement

    Total calculated
    $147,621
    From this org
    $139,388
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $8,233
    Hours/week
    35
  • Sean Waugh

    Exec Director

    Total calculated
    $26,535
    From this org
    $26,535
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Hours/week
    35
  • Patrick Wilken

    Chairman

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10
  • Jayne C Davis

    Vice Chairman

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Dr James Cross

    President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10
  • Ruth Uchimura

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Beatrice Gomory

    Vice President

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    5
  • Jeanne Dorward

    Secretary

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10
  • Stephen Zilles

    Treasurer

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    10
  • Robert Beadle

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Adam Arthur Bier

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Jennifer Brahm

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Carlyn Clause

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michael Colbruno

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • The Hon Marie Collins

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • George Crow

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Michael Darnaud

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • James Busterud

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Barbara Bruser Clark

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Mary Henderson

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Sylvia Lindsey

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Lindsay MacDermid

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Dr Myron Marx

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Donald McGee

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Robert Mison

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Carlos Penikis

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Dr Pamela Zell Rigg

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Dr David D Stein

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Camille Chan

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Aaron Fan

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Carol Weitz

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Susan York

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2
  • Dennis Zhang

    Director

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Compensation committee
  • 3 · Form 990 of other organizations
  • 3 · Compensation survey or study
  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

No itemized grants to organizations on this return.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
15 August 2025
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202542279349302869

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