Research, Publications & Directories
Quick Opera Facts 2008-2009
Number and Location of Companies OPERA America serves the opera field in its broadest dimension, supporting the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera. In the United States, it counts 117 professional companies in 43 states in its membership. It also serves 19 professional companies in six provinces in Canada, which are members of Opera.ca. Over half of these companies were established after 1970, and one quarter of the total were established since 1980, making the growth of opera throughout North America a relatively new phenomenon. In addition to its North American membership, OPERA America works in partnership with Opera Europa to serve 91 affiliated companies in Europe, as well as serving four additional companies from around the globe. (Source: OPERA America)
Attendance The National Endowment for the Arts reports that, in 2008, 4.8 million adults (2.1% of the adult population) attended at least one opera performance. According to a recent OPERA America survey, 5.6 million adults attended opera events in 2009.
Number of Performances In 2007-2008, North America's professional opera companies presented 1,990 performances of 414 fully-staged main season and festival productions. (Source: OPERA America)
Audience
Demographics		 In 2008, the median age of the opera attendee was 48, one year older than in 2002. In 2008, 5.2% of adults with a Bachelor's or higher degree attended an opera performance. (Source: National Endowment for the Arts)
Broadcast and
Recorded Media		 The percentage of adults viewing or listening to opera via broadcast and recorded media remains higher than live attendance. In 2008, 11 million adults, or 4.9% of the population, viewed or listened to an opera broadcast or recording. (Source: National Endowment for the Arts)
Economic Impact Currently, North American opera companies have over 55,000 full-time and part-time employees. The collective expenses of American and Canadian opera companies for 2007-2008 were $891 million, and the collective revenue was $936 million. (Source: OPERA America)
Box Office Income OPERA America and Opera.ca companies posted $310 million dollars in box office receipts for FY08. Box office income represents 36% of total operating income for all companies. (Source: OPERA America)
Private Support Private support of OPERA America companies in the United States totaled $505 million in FY08, representing 58% of the total income. (Source: OPERA America)
Federal Government
Support		 Support from the National Endowment for the Arts was $1.4 million in FY08. NEA support represented less than 1% of all income reported by U.S. companies in 2007-2008. Support from the Canada Council provided $7.2 million, or 11% of total income for Opera.ca companies, contributing 42% of all public support. (Source: OPERA America)
Education
Programs		 The audience for education and community programs served by U.S. and Canadian companies during the 2007-2008 season, including off-season performances and festivals, totaled 2.2 million people. (Source: OPERA America)
New Works In 2007-2008, North American opera companies produced 19 world premieres. Since 1990, over 200 new operatic works have been produced by professional opera companies in North America. (Source: OPERA America)
Most Frequently Produced
Operas		 The most frequently produced operas in the 2008-2009 season were: La bohème, Tosca, La traviata, Madama Butterfly, The Barber of Seville, The Magic Flute, Carmen, The Elixir of Love, Cavalleria rusticana and Lucia di Lammermoor.

The most frequently produced North American operas in the 2008-2009 season were: George Gerswin's Porgy and Bess, Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree, Leonard Bernstein's Candide and West Side Story, Marc Blitzstein's Regina, Gian Carlo Menotti's The Medium, Mark Adamo's Little Women and Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. (Source: OPERA America)
For more information, please contact:
Patricia Kiernan Johnson
OPERA America
330 Seventh Avenue, 16th Floor
New York, NY 10001
(212) 796-8620
www.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.