Metropolitan Opera Association INC

Tax-deductible

New York, NY501(c)(3)Since 1883Arts & CultureEIN 13-1624087Revenue $304.1M in FY2025

On file with the IRSmetopera.org30 Lincoln Center, 10023-6922 · New York, NYTax-exempt since Oct 1940Publicly supported charity — 170(b)(1)(A)(vi)

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Performance of Opera to the public.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
85¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
Run by 831 volunteers and 5,455 employees.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · People: Part I, lines 5–6

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $11.3M a year · 4% of revenue · last 6 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
85%
of spending
Looks good: 85% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$6.9M
to officers and key staff · 2% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 92% of similar orgs
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 2% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
<1 mo
of spending, in cash
Concern: 0.2 months of spending in cash; under 2 weeks.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
9
named funders · $282K
Looks good: 9 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$269.1M
62% of total assets
Fine: liabilities are 62% of assets; 50% to 65%.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
46
of 47 voting members
Looks good: 46 of 47 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$304.1M
+7% vs prior year
Spent
$325.3M
To programs
85%
Net assets
$168.2M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$304.1M
FY2025▲ +7%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$294.5M
FY2021$163.8M
FY2022$281.6M
FY2023$303.1M
FY2024$284.0M
FY2025$304.1M
Expenses
$325.3M
FY2025▼ -2%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$263.3M
FY2021$132.0M
FY2022$315.1M
FY2023$332.3M
FY2024$331.0M
FY2025$325.3M
Net assets
$168.2M
FY2025▼ -7%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$77.8M
FY2021$240.4M
FY2022$232.2M
FY2023$219.0M
FY2024$180.2M
FY2025$168.2M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending July 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1940.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 85% · $276.9M Management & general 11% · $34.5M Fundraising 4% · $13.9M

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

65 people listed on the 990; $6.9M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Music Director
$2,035,560Pt VII · Sec A
General Manager
$1,446,282Pt VII · Sec A
Concert Master
$515,613Pt VII · Sec A
Concert Master
$426,501Pt VII · Sec A
Master Electrician
$421,570Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy General Manager
$413,512Pt VII · Sec A
Assistant General Manager, Production
$412,120Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy General Manager/CFO/Assistant Treasurer
$393,208Pt VII · Sec A

Yannick Nezet-Seguin’s $2.0M as Music Director is at the 92nd percentile of top reported officer pay among 53 $100M+ arts & culture nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Yannick Nezet-Seguin$2,035,560$2,045,038$1,307,583$1,195,702$662,283$915,571
Peter Gelb$1,446,282$1,395,216$1,379,032$1,094,327$1,331,060$1,460,864
David Chan$515,613$497,107$498,035——$375,186
Donald Palumbo—$485,985$486,344$423,779$430,337$496,922
Coralie Toevs$259,356$434,528$345,617$290,448$289,865$360,317
Benjamin Bowman$426,501$405,631$391,077———
Josh W Marks$421,570—————
Bernard M Plum$413,512—————

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
  • Loans to or from officersSch L · Pt II1 listed

Programs and updates

Produces world-class opera performances, hosts ballet and other live events, and licenses its iconic venue to enrich the public through the performing arts.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $269.6M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

Preparation and presentation of opera performances at the metropolitan opera house as well as symphonic repertory at carnegie hall. Also includes outdoor presentation of concerts throughout parks in new york city. Parks concerts are presented to the public at no charge.

$236.5Mprogram expense
02

Media presentation of opera performances, live performances broadcast in high definition to movie theaters throughout the world, domestic and international live audio transmissions of performances on radio and the met's website. Past performances broadcast on television, radio stations and the internet globally.

$23.0Mprogram expense
03

Presentation of events other than opera where the met either presents or co-presents the event or licenses the opera house to third parties. The attendance at these events, principally ballet, was approximately 140,000 people per year.

$10.1Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
See all 9 funders →
Grants paid · 58 grants · $3.7M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$345,750
Unitemized GrantFY2024$100,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$58,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$55,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$16,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$7,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$308,590
Unitemized GrantFY2023$100,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$50,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$42,500
Unitemized GrantFY2023$40,000
Unitemized GrantFY2023$14,400
Unitemized GrantFY2023$10,000
See all 58 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$304.1M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$179.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$101.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$20.9M
Money outPt IX
$325.3M
Ln 25
Programscol B$276.9M
Managementcol C$34.5M
Fundraisingcol D$13.9M
Owns and owesPt X
$168.2M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$5.4M
Total assetsLn 16$437.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$269.1M
PeoplePt VI, VII
65
listed · VII A
PaidVII A11
Voting boardVI 1a47
IndependentVI 1b46
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$179.8M
Government grantsLn 1e$360K
Noncash giftsLn 1g$5.9M
Fundraising eventsLn 1c$7.7M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$101.5M
Investment incomeLn 3$20.9M
Other incomeLn 4–11$1.9M
Gains on assetsLn 7$18.3M
Total revenueLn 12$304.1M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$5.4M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$198.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$83.5M
Other assetsLn 15$19.3M
Total assetsLn 16$437.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$269.1M
Net assetsLn 32$168.2M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 55,455
VolunteersI 6831
Fiscal year endsHeaderJuly
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$7.2M$5.4M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$241.7M$198.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$82.7M$83.5M
Total assetsLn 16$466.6M$437.3M
LiabilitiesLn 26$286.5M$269.1M
Net assetsLn 32$180.2M$168.2M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$683K$683K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3$23K$23K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$4.2M$872K$3.0M$407K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$163.1M$151.1M$8.0M$4.0M
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$16.4M$14.9M$1.2M$397K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$44.3M$40.2M$2.6M$1.4M
Payroll taxesLn 10$13.0M$11.6M$975K$417K
Legal feesLn 11b$2.7M$875K$1.8M
Accounting feesLn 11c$428K$428K
Lobbying feesLn 11d$138K$138K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$599K$599K
Investment management feesLn 11f$1.3M$1.3M
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$5.6M$5.0M$547K$37K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$7.6M$5.8M$1.8M
Office expensesLn 13$7.5M$5.5M$301K$1.7M
Information technologyLn 14$4.1M$914K$2.8M$440K
RoyaltiesLn 15$766K$766K
OccupancyLn 16$7.0M$6.9M$1K
TravelLn 17$2.4M$2.0M$254K$66K
InterestLn 20$10.1M$5K$10.1M
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$5.6M$5.2M$351K
InsuranceLn 23$3.2M$2.7M$410K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$22.5M$21.5M$201K$784K
All other expensesLn 24e$2.3M$228K$378K$1.6M
Total functional expensesLn 25$325.3M$276.9M$34.5M$13.9M

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $304.1M$325.3M−$21.2M$168.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $284.0M$331.0M−$47.0M$180.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $303.1M$332.3M−$29.2M$219.0M 990 PDF
FY2022 $281.6M$315.1M−$33.5M$232.2M 990 PDF
FY2021 $163.8M$132.0M$31.8M$240.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $294.5M$263.3M$31.2M$77.8M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $304,122,827 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $152,619,908$179,783,313
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $105,077,212$101,534,612
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $23,282,795$20,876,547
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $3,007,636$1,928,355
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $283,987,551$304,122,827
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $662,690$705,350
I-14 Benefits paid to members$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $239,854,293$241,001,686
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $326,537$599,215
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $90,133,515$83,027,542
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $330,977,035$325,333,793
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$46,989,484−$21,210,966
Part VI · Governance 46 of 47 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body47
VI-1b Independent voting members46
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $304,122,827 across 13 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $1,465,230 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1c Fundraising events$7,701,301
VIII-1d Related organizations$3,446,823
VIII-1e Government grants$360,470
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$168,274,719
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$5,903,971
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$179,783,313
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $100,701,083 · Unrelated business $833,529$101,534,612
VIII-3 Investment incomeUnrelated business −$35,475 · Excluded from tax $2,578,492$2,543,017
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $409,624$409,624
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $18,333,530$18,333,530
VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$1,821,282−$1,821,282
VIII-11a-d Other revenue, itemized rows (sum of 11a–11d as filed)Related to mission $532,039 · Excluded from tax $1,342,744$1,874,783
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $102,463,708 · Unrelated business $1,032,698 · Excluded from tax $20,843,108$304,122,827
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $325,333,793 across 24 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $682,750$682,750
IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $22,600$22,600
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $872,233 · Management $2,953,281 · Fundraising $407,212$4,232,726
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $151,070,232 · Management $7,953,935 · Fundraising $4,035,958$163,060,125
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $14,852,571 · Management $1,190,809 · Fundraising $396,890$16,440,270
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $40,239,417 · Management $2,612,950 · Fundraising $1,431,461$44,283,828
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $11,592,516 · Management $975,317 · Fundraising $416,904$12,984,737
IX-11b Legal feesPrograms $875,375 · Management $1,802,882$2,678,257
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $427,568$427,568
IX-11d Lobbying feesFundraising $137,950$137,950
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $599,215$599,215
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $1,261,580$1,261,580
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $4,967,650 · Management $546,944 · Fundraising $36,967$5,551,561
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $5,779,468 · Fundraising $1,772,674$7,552,142
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $5,523,374 · Management $300,943 · Fundraising $1,725,438$7,549,755
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $913,915 · Management $2,774,685 · Fundraising $439,507$4,128,107
IX-15 RoyaltiesPrograms $766,134$766,134
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $6,949,112 · Fundraising $1,403$6,950,515
IX-17 TravelPrograms $2,038,909 · Management $253,895 · Fundraising $65,591$2,358,395
IX-20 InterestPrograms $5,000 · Management $10,134,126$10,139,126
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $5,249,798 · Management $350,893$5,600,691
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $2,743,451 · Management $409,846$3,153,297
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $21,533,863 · Management $200,572 · Fundraising $784,103$22,518,538
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $228,478 · Management $378,133 · Fundraising $1,647,315$2,253,926
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $276,906,846 · Management $34,528,359 · Fundraising $13,898,588$325,333,793
Part X · Balance sheet $437,269,202 assets, 19 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $7,241,827$5,405,968
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $100,020,994$113,242,402
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $4,320,146$4,269,656
X-8 Inventories for sale or useStart of year $452,470$357,694
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $17,103,246$12,839,495
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $82,726,225$83,480,989
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $76,797,501$64,294,454
X-12 Other securitiesStart of year $164,951,375$134,120,648
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $13,028,338$19,257,896
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $466,642,122$437,269,202
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $29,718,998$30,337,346
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $25,092,962$28,698,201
X-24 Unsecured notes and loans payableStart of year $91,905,721$81,368,809
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $52,735,924$41,708,255
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $286,453,605$269,112,611
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year −$145,787,094−$134,857,731
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $325,975,611$303,014,322
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $180,188,517$168,156,591
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $466,642,122$437,269,202
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $168,156,591 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$304,122,827
XI-2 Total expenses$325,333,793
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$21,210,966
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$180,188,517
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments−$3,481,830
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$12,660,870
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$168,156,591

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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