Research, Publications & Directories
Benchmarking Surveys & Consultations

Research is invaluable for understanding the health of an opera company and for developing short- and long-term growth strategies. OPERA America collects extensive data on professional companies dating back more than two decades and presents it in the Professional Opera Survey and the Annual Field Report. These publications present a detailed look at fiscal practices within the industry, but it is important to note that many factors affect the operation of each member company. In these studies, organizations are compared not only by budget size, but also by geography, demography, season schedule, hall size and age of the company.

OPERA America frequently conducts 10-, 15- and 20-year trend analyses for trustees and general directors using carefully selected comparative organizations. The OPERA America staff has the expertise and knowledge to discern and present invaluable information to your company in a clear and concise user-friendly report.

A complete OPERA America benchmarking analysis includes the following information:

Financial & Operational Analysis
  • Budget Growth
  • Endowment as Percentage of Total Expense
  • Artistic Expense as Pecentage of Total Expense
  • Artistic Expense Growth Rate vs. Total Expense Growth Rate
  • Program Margin (Pecentage of Artistic Budget Covered by Ticket Sales)
  • Artistic Expense per Available Seat
  • Artistic Expense per Production
  • Artistic Expense per Performance
  • Personnel vs. Non-personnel Expenses
  • Ticket Income/Contributed Income/Other Operating Income as Percentage of Unrestricted Income
  • Development Productivity
  • Sources of Contributed Income
  • Individual Contributions per Attendance
  • Marketing Productivity
  • Box Office Income per Attendance
  • Ticket Prices
  • Capacity Utilization
  • Subscription Renewal Rates
  • Liquidity Indicators

City Profile
  • City and Metropolitan Area Population
  • Median City and Metropolitan Area Age, Education Level and Income
  • Cost of Living Averages
  • Cultural Assessments — Number of Higher Education Institutions, Number of Performing Arts Organization and Cultural Vitality Rankings

Repertoire Analysis
  • Explores how the repertoire is being shaped
  • Measures the frequency that individual operas are performed in the U.S.
  • Tracks repertory selection by demographic, budget level and location
  • Assesses a company’s programming choices over a given time period in relationship with the entire field


  Pricing Guide
• Finance and Operations Report
Delivered via e-mail in PDF format 		$250
• City Profile Report
Delivered via e-mail in PDF format 		$250
• Repertoire Analysis
Delivered via e-mail in PDF format 		$250
• Complete Benchmarking Analysis
Includes the above three reports plus client questions via conference call and/or e-mail 		$500
• Videoconference Consultation
Marc A. Scorca, President and CEO, meets with board members via videoconference to present a complete benchmarking analysis. For companies without access to formal videoconferencing equipment, compatible software for computers is available for $250 from Polycom. 		$750
• On-Site Consultation
Marc A. Scorca, President and CEO, meets on site with board members to present a complete benchmarking analysis. (Company also pays hotel, airfare and per diem expenses.) 		$1,000


For more information on commissioning a benchmarking study, contact Larry Bomback at LBomback@operaamerica.org.

Winter 2009 Magazine Issue
  • Letter from the President/CEO
  • New Works
  • NEA Opera Honors
  • Opera Conference 2010
  • Creative Connections with Opera.Ca
Contact Us
330 Seventh Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001
P 212-796-8620 • F 212-796-8631
Info@operaamerica.org • Directions
From Airport:
The easiest way to reach the OPERA America offices is to get a cab at the airport. Cost is $40-45
(not including tip).
  • JFK - Take the AirTrain ($5 - approx. 15 minutes) to the Jamaica Street Station and transfer to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Take the LIRR to Penn Station ($12 - approx. 35 minutes). See Penn Station directions below.
  • LaGuardia - Take the M60 Bus to the Hoyt Ave/31st Street. Get on the or Train and take that to 42nd/Times Square Station. Follow the Times Square Station directions below.
  • Newark - Take the New Jersey Transit train to Penn Station ($15 - approx. 45 min). See the Penn Station Directions below.

From Penn Station/Madison Square Garden:
Leave the station through the 7th Avenue/33rd Street exit and walk south for four blocks. The building is on
the right hand side.

From Grand Central Station:
Take the Train to the 42nd/Times Square station and transfer to the Train.
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

From 42nd Street/Times Square:
Take the Train to the 28th Street stop and walk north on 7th Avenue.
The building is on the same block as the train stop.

For more detailed directions, most up-to-date pricing or to specify a different starting location, please visit the
MTA Web site.