ARIZONA OPERA COMPANY Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

ARIZONA OPERA COMPANY

EIN 23-7169261 · Arts, Culture & Humanities (A6A0)

What they do

ARIZONA OPERA ELEVATES THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER of STORYTELLING THROUGH MUSIC - CULTIVATING COMMUNITY and STRENGTHENING A STATE and PEOPLE AS ADVENTUROUS and DIVERSE AS THE PLACE THEY CALL HOME.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $62.80 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 leaders38 people are listed in the latest report.

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

Money made simple

81.98%of revenue went to mission work62.8% of expenses · Program services

17.02%of revenue went to fundraising13.0% of expenses

$130.62spent for every $100 of revenueSpending was higher than revenue this year.

31.62%of revenue went to management and office costs24.2% of expenses

$2.81in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

68.8%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

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

Worth asking: Expenses exceeded revenue by $1,377,377 this year. Ask whether that was planned or caused by a one-time event.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $280,480 for JOSEPH SPECTER (PRES. & GENERAL DIRECTOR (THRU 4/25)). 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.

$100revenue

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$4,497,801

Mission workProgram services$3,687,26281.98% of revenue62.8% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$1,422,29031.62% of revenue24.2% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$765,62617.02% of revenue13.0% of expenses

Total expenses$5,875,178130.62% 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: 62.8% mission · 24.2% management · 13.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 130.62% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 69.8% mission · 21.3% management · 8.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 123.66% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 73.7% mission · 20.9% management · 5.5% fundraisingTotal expenses: 160.56% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 74.3% mission · 19.8% management · 5.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 66.49% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 61.7% mission · 29.5% management · 8.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 82.56% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 72.2% mission · 16.9% management · 10.9% fundraisingTotal expenses: 104.96% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 74.3% mission · 17.0% management · 8.7% fundraisingTotal expenses: 77.64% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 76.7% mission · 15.8% management · 7.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 75.99% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$4,497,801

Expenses$5,875,178

Annual shortfall $1,377,377 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)$3,687,262 · 62.8% of expenses

Management and office costs$1,422,290 · 24.2% of expenses

Fundraising$765,626 · 13.0% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$4,497,801

Expenses$5,875,178

Assets$16,510,817

Income$10,136,772

Contributions$3,094,110

Mission work (program services)$3,687,262

Fundraising$765,626

Management and general$1,422,290

Stocks and bonds$35,363

Accounting fees$75,434

Investing fees$34,382

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

JOSEPH SPECTERPRES. & GENERAL DIRECTOR (THRU 4/25) · 45 hrs/week $280,480Base $271,875 · Other $8,605

JOANN SERRADIRECTOR OF FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION · 40 hrs/week $131,105Base $122,500 · Other $8,605

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 (38)

JOSEPH SPECTERPRES. & GENERAL DIRECTOR (THRU 4/25)

JOANN SERRADIRECTOR OF FINANCE, ADMINISTRATION

RICHARD CREATHDIRECTOR

JENNY HOLSMAN TETREAULTDIRECTOR

KAREN WADMANDIRECTOR

KAY MCDOUGALLDIRECTOR

KIMBERLY J KAUFFMANVICE CHAIR

MATTHEW ENGLEDIRECTOR

MIRANDA LUMERDIRECTOR

NANCY FOSTERDIRECTOR

JENNY AUGER MAWDIRECTOR

ROMA WITTCOFFDIRECTOR

ROSIE GARCIADIRECTOR

SCOTT STALLARDDIRECTOR

SHARON LANDISDIRECTOR

SHERRY MIDDLEMASDIRECTOR

STEPHEN HARDYDIRECTOR

SUSAN ESCO CHANDLERDIRECTOR

VIKIE HARITONDIRECTOR

DR JUDITH G WOLFSECRETARY

BARBARA MARLERDIRECTOR

BARRY FINGERHUTDIRECTOR

BRIAN DEMARISPRESDIENT AND GENERAL DIRECTOR

BRUCE WEBERDIRECTOR

CASH NICKERSONDIRECTOR

COLONEL RET KIMBERLEY SMITHDIRECTOR

DAVID HEAPCHAIR

DEBORRAH HIMSELDIRECTOR

DR HERSCHEL ROSENZWEIGDIRECTOR

ANDREA CRANETREASURER

DR STEPHEN MUNKIMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR

ERIK PETERSONVICE CHAIR (THRU DEC 2024)

GARY GREENBAUMDIRECTOR

GARY JACKSONDIRECTOR

HEATHER M STRICKLANDDIRECTOR

HOWARD H BELL IVDIRECTOR

JEAN S COOPERDIRECTOR

JEANNETTE J SEGELDIRECTOR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1972
Location: 1636 N CENTRAL AVENUE, PHOENIX, AZ 85004
County: Maricopa
In care of: BRIAN DEMARIS
Primary officer: BRIAN DEMARIS, PRESIDENT & GENERAL DIRECTOR

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Phone(602) 266-7464

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: July 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: BAKER TILLY ADVISORY GROUP LP
NTEE classification: Arts, Culture & Humanities (A6A0)