Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Aug 1957.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
68 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
37 people listed on the 990; $440K paid to officers and key staff.
Mark Shattuck’s $171K as Dir of Finance is at the 75th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3925 $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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mark Shattuck | $171,264 | $134,033 | $134,033 | $123,777 | $110,251 | $107,290 |
| Jean Kellogg | $54,912 | $166,340 | $166,340 | $158,770 | $154,320 | $150,271 |
| Nancy Petrisko | — | $139,388 | $139,388 | — | — | — |
| Sean Waugh | $129,161 | $26,535 | — | — | — | — |
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
Trains and develops talented young opera singers, coaches, conductors, and directors for professional careers.
Questions for Merola Opera Program
Your first name shows with your question. Merola Opera Program answers here, for everyone.
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The Merola Opera Program
In general, more than 1200 artists between the ages of 20 and 34 audition at sitesacross the country and approximately 30 are chosen to participate in the merola opera program. Merola participants receive intensive training for 11-12WEEKS.
The Program Includes
Musical style and interpretation; stage technique; ensemble work; movement;accompaniment; makeup; acting; stage combat; conducting; vocal role coaching; prompting; languages and diction; and career COACHING.A highlight of the program is the offering of master classes, where some ofopera's most exciting legends transfer their knowledge to…
The program is offered free of financial burden to the artists, including their transportation, housing, all training, and a weekly stipend. To accomplish this goal, the program relies on the support of numerous individuals, foundations, and other granting ENTITIES.MEROLA artists complete the program with a clear idea of what their next…
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
| Line | Start FY23 | End FY23 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $2.4M | $2.2M |
| InvestmentsLn 11–13 | $32.4M | $36.2M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $6K | $8K |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $35.7M | $39.3M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $472K | $303K |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $35.2M | $39.0M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1 | $0 | |||
| Grants to domestic individualsLn 2 | $164K | $164K | ||
| Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3 | $24K | $24K | ||
| Benefits paid to or for membersLn 4 | $0 | |||
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $355K | $124K | $85K | $146K |
| Pay of disqualified personsLn 6 | $0 | |||
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $419K | $147K | $101K | $172K |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $23K | $8K | $6K | $9K |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $30K | $10K | $7K | $12K |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $55K | $19K | $13K | $23K |
| Management feesLn 11a | $0 | |||
| Legal feesLn 11b | $0 | |||
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $22K | $22K | ||
| Lobbying feesLn 11d | $0 | |||
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $0 | |||
| Investment management feesLn 11f | $241K | $241K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $48K | $13K | $5K | $30K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $121K | $121K | ||
| Office expensesLn 13 | $0 | |||
| Information technologyLn 14 | $0 | |||
| RoyaltiesLn 15 | $0 | |||
| OccupancyLn 16 | $129K | $44K | $30K | $55K |
| TravelLn 17 | $0 | |||
| Travel and entertainment for public officialsLn 18 | $0 | |||
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $0 | |||
| InterestLn 20 | $0 | |||
| Payments to affiliatesLn 21 | $0 | |||
| Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22 | $3K | $3K | ||
| InsuranceLn 23 | $0 | |||
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $2.0M | $2.0M | $192 | $62K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $103K | $27K | $42K | $34K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $3.8M | $2.5M | $554K | $665K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $9.5M | $4.0M | $5.6M | $48.9M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 | $7.8M | $4.0M | $3.8M | $45.4M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 Viewing | $5.3M | $3.8M | $1.5M | $39.0M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $3.5M | $3.9M | −$463K | $35.2M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $7.0M | $3.2M | $3.8M | $43.6M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $6.9M | $2.3M | $4.6M | $37.3M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2023 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $5,285,149 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 34 of 34 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $5,285,149 across 12 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $3,756,624 across 31 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $39,312,804 assets, 20 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $39,010,197 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2023 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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