Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Oct 1974.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
82 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
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
40 people listed on the 990; $214K paid to officers and key staff.
Lawrence Edelson’s $151K as General Dir. is at the 67th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3924 $1–10M 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 · 4 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence Edelson | $150,815 | $72,115 | — | — | — | — |
| Lidiya Yankovskaya | — | $126,308 | — | $103,417 | — | — |
| Ashley Magnus | — | $36,154 | $107,055 | $115,139 | $108,939 | $96,791 |
| Meaghan Smallwood | $97,115 | $103,266 | — | — | — | — |
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
Programs and updates
Presents innovative opera experiences, focusing on new and rarely performed works.
Questions for Chicago Opera Theater
Your first name shows with your question. Chicago Opera Theater answers here, for everyone.
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Production
Since its founding in 1973, in a city where storefront theaters and global icons thrive side by side, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) has grown from a grassroots organization to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant , diverse, and forward-looking art form.
Production
Since its founding in 1973, in a city where storefront theaters and global icons thrive side by side, Chicago Opera Theater (COT) has grown from a grassroots organization to a national leader in an increasingly vibrant , diverse, and forward-looking art form.
Professional Artist Development
COT is committed to mentoring the next generation of opera artists through two distinct initiatives: the Young Artist Program for singers and pianists; and the Vanguard Program for emerging opera composers.
Professional Artist Development
COT is committed to mentoring the next generation of opera artists through two distinct initiatives: the Young Artist Program for singers and pianists; and the Vanguard Program for emerging opera composers.
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2023 990, line by line.
Download 990
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $2.2M | $2.6M | −$373K | $905K | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $2.1M | $2.7M | −$616K | $1.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 Viewing | $2.7M | $3.4M | −$759K | $2.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $4.1M | $3.1M | $1.1M | $2.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $2.7M | $2.4M | $355K | $1.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $3.3M | $2.5M | $803K | $1.2M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2023 990 (1 part)
Part VI · Governance 19 of 19 board members independent, no flags
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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