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DETROIT OPERA

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Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

DETROIT OPERA

EIN 38-2052726 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A610)

What they do

DETROIT OPERAS MISSION is to PRESENT GROUNDBREAKING, GLOBALLY RECOGNIZED OPERA, DANCE, and MUSICAL THEATER; EXPAND ACCESS to THE ARTS THROUGH COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT; CULTIVATE EMERGING ARTISTS and YOUNG AUDIENCES THROUGH EDUCATION and TRAINING; and SUSTAIN A PERMANENT HOME for THE PERFORMING ARTS THROUGH THE PRESERVATION and OPERATION of THE HISTORIC DETROIT OPERA HOUSE.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check
Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $81.70 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders46 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

111.23%of revenue went to mission work81.7% of expenses · Program services
11.79%of revenue went to fundraising8.7% of expenses
$136.07spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.
13.04%of revenue went to management and office costs9.6% of expenses
$2.23in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.
47.3%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

  1. Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
  2. What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
  3. Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $5,566,984 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $406,243 for MS PATTY ISACSON SABEE (PRESIDENT & CEO (SEE SCHEDULE O)). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$15,434,434
Mission workProgram services$17,168,015111.23% of revenue81.7% of expenses
ManagementOffice and general costs$2,013,33613.04% of revenue9.6% of expenses
FundraisingAsking for donations$1,820,06711.79% of revenue8.7% of expenses
Total expenses$21,001,418136.07% of revenue

Expenses were greater than revenue, so the colored ring fills the available $100 and the total above 100% is shown below.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails
2024CurrentExpense mix: 81.7% mission · 9.6% management · 8.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 136.07% of revenue
2023Expense mix: 78.7% mission · 17.0% management · 4.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 114.72% of revenue
2022Expense mix: 77.7% mission · 17.2% management · 5.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.06% of revenue
2021Expense mix: 62.2% mission · 33.7% management · 4.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 88.19% of revenue
2020Expense mix: 55.0% mission · 41.8% management · 3.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 97.08% of revenue
2019Expense mix: 66.8% mission · 32.9% management · 0.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 113.27% of revenue
2018Expense mix: 76.7% mission · 17.8% management · 5.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 91.78% of revenue
2017Expense mix: 71.3% mission · 21.0% management · 7.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 126.94% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$15,434,434
Expenses$21,001,418
Annual shortfall $5,566,984 Expenses were higher than revenue for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$17,168,015 · 81.7% of expenses
Management and office costs$2,013,336 · 9.6% of expenses
Fundraising$1,820,067 · 8.7% of expenses
See all reported dollar amounts
Revenue$15,434,434
Expenses$21,001,418
Assets$46,843,503
Income$15,451,496
Contributions$7,297,884
Mission work (program services)$17,168,015
Fundraising$1,820,067
Management and general$2,013,336
Executive compensation (total)$610,852
Stocks and bonds$3,500,500
Accounting fees$366,076
People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation
MS PATTY ISACSON SABEEPRESIDENT & CEO (SEE SCHEDULE O) · 40 hrs/week $406,243Base $398,443 · Other $7,800
YUVAL SHARONDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION · 40 hrs/week $233,564Base $225,764 · Other $7,800
CHRISTINE HOLLOWAYASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR · 40 hrs/week $178,904Base $170,864 · Other $8,040
WAYNE BROWNFORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER · 40 hrs/week $148,981Base $147,981 · Other $1,000
DANIEL BRINKERGENERAL MANAGER · 40 hrs/week $136,935Base $135,935 · Other $1,000

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (46)

MS PATTY ISACSON SABEEPRESIDENT & CEO (SEE SCHEDULE O)

YUVAL SHARONDIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

CHRISTINE HOLLOWAYASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR

WAYNE BROWNFORMER CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

DANIEL BRINKERGENERAL MANAGER

MS LISA M DICHIERADIRECTOR

MR RICHARD A SONENKLARDIRECTOR

MR TERRY SHEADIRECTOR

MRS ANN NICHOLSONDIRECTOR

MRS BARBARA KRATCHMANDIRECTOR

MRS CARRIE PRYORDIRECTOR

MRS MARIANNE ENDICOTTDIRECTOR

MRS MARY ANN FONTANADIRECTOR

MS BARBARA WALKOWSKIDIRECTOR

MS DENISE J LEWISVICE CHAIR

MS ELLEN HILL ZERINGUEDIRECTOR

MR RICHARD A BRODIEDIRECTOR

MS MARIA C DUEYDIRECTOR

MS MARY L KRAMERVICE CHAIR

MS NEDDA SHAYOTADIRECTOR

DR IRVIN D REIDDIRECTOR

MS RUTH RATTNERDIRECTOR

PROF NAOMI ANDREDIRECTOR

PROF SARA POZZIDIRECTOR

DR FERN R ESPINODIRECTOR

DR ALI MOIINDIRECTOR

MR EVAN D ROSSDIRECTOR

DR SHAUNA RYDER DIGGSDIRECTOR

MR ALLAN NACHMANDIRECTOR

MR ARTHUR C LIEBLERDIRECTOR

MR BHARAT C GANDHITREASURER

MR DEXTER MASONDIRECTOR

MR DON MANVELVICE CHAIR

MR DONALD MORELOCKDIRECTOR

MR ENRICO DIGIROLAMODIRECTOR

MR ETHAN D DAVIDSONCHAIRMAN

DR LORNA THOMASDIRECTOR

MR GARY WASSERMANDIRECTOR

MR GENE P BOWENSECRETARY

MR JESSE VENEGASDIRECTOR

MR JOHN W INGLE IIIDIRECTOR

MR KEVIN DENNISDIRECTOR

MR MATTHEW SIMONCINIDIRECTOR

MR PAUL RAGHEBDIRECTOR

MR PAUL E EWINGDIRECTOR

MR R JAMISON WILLIAMSDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since
January 1968
Location
1526 BROADWAY ST, DETROIT, MI 48226-2115
County
Wayne
In care of
KATHY NAUER
Primary officer
KATHY NAUER, CHIEF ACCOUNTING OFFICER

How to reach them

Filing and classification

Latest tax year
2024
Tax period began
July 1, 2024
Return type
990
Tax preparer
UHY ADVISORS GREAT LAKES INC
NTEE classification
Arts, Culture & Humanities (A610)

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About this report: Information comes from public nonprofit records and may show the latest filing available.

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