Opera Colorado
EIN: 84-0850527
IRS 501(c) type: 501(c)(3)
Num. employees: 287
City: Englewood
State: Colorado
Year formed: 1981
Most recent tax filings: 2024-06-01
NTEE code, primary: A6A: Opera
Description: See Page 2, Part III, Line 1. To create a stronger, differentiated artistic vision for Opera Colorado, addressing target audiences and defining our "community" with regards to education and community engagement programs.
Total revenues: $5,952,354
Total expenses: $6,818,559
Total assets: $2,756,200
Program areas at Opera Colorado
Opera Colorado produces three fully staged grand operas at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House for audiences in greater Denver and the Rocky Mountain region at large. This program serves over 20,000 patrons per year.
Opera Colorado annually serves over 20,000 students of all ages through education and community engagement programs in greater Denver and the Rocky Mountain region at large. A major piece of the company's education program is its artist in residence program. This program focuses on developing emerging artists through an eight-month residency where artists receive training and performance opportunities in other education and community engagement programming and mainstage performances.
Who funds Opera Colorado
Grants from foundations and other nonprofits
| Grantmaker | Grantmaker tax period | Description | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Denver Foundation | 2024-12 | Opera | $1,073,754 |
| Opera Colorado Foundation | 2024-06 | General Operations | $314,328 |
| Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund | 2024-06 | For Grant Recipient's Exempt Purposes | $194,850 |
| ...and 28 more grants received totalling $2,295,525 |
Personnel at Opera Colorado
| Name | Title | Compensation | Date of data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ellie Caulkins | General Director and Chief Executive Officer | $0 | 2026-01-31 |
| Tom Kirkpatrick | Chief Financial Officer | $97,462 | 2026-01-31 |
| Nathan Salazar | Principal | 2025-10-16 | |
| Jennifer Colgan | Director of Marketing and Communications | $109,643 | 2026-01-31 |
| Erin Wenzel | Director of Development / Development Director | $118,098 | 2024-10-19 |
| ...and 16 more key personnel |
Financials for Opera Colorado
| Revenues | FYE 06/2024 | FYE 06/2023 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total grants, contributions, etc. | $3,980,941 | $3,642,046 | 9.3% |
| Program services | $2,052,225 | $2,216,026 | -7.4% |
| Investment income and dividends | $3,139 | $14,807 | -78.8% |
| Tax-exempt bond proceeds | $0 | $0 | - |
| Royalty revenue | $0 | $0 | - |
| Net rental income | $12,650 | $16,350 | -22.6% |
| Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets | $-142 | $-432 | 67.1% |
| Net income from fundraising events | $-96,845 | $-351,315 | 72.4% |
| Net income from gaming activities | $0 | $0 | - |
| Net income from sales of inventory | $0 | $0 | - |
| Miscellaneous revenues | $386 | $13,687 | -97.2% |
| Total revenues | $5,952,354 | $5,551,169 | 7.2% |
Form 990s for Opera Colorado
| Fiscal year ending | Date received by IRS | Form | PDF link |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-06 | 2025-05-15 | 990 | View PDF |
| 2023-06 | 2024-05-15 | 990 | View PDF |
| 2022-06 | 2023-05-01 | 990 | View PDF |
| 2021-06 | 2021-11-12 | 990 | View PDF |
| 2020-06 | 2021-03-30 | 990 | View PDF |
| ...and 10 more Form 990s |
General Information
- Address: 4121 S Navajo St Ste 100, Englewood, CO 80110
- Metro area: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
- County: Arapahoe County, CO
- Website URL: operacolorado.org
- Phone: (303) 778-1500
- Facebook page: operacolorado
- Twitter profile: @operacolorado
Categorization
- NTEE code, primary: A6A: Opera
- NAICS code, primary: 711110: Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters
- Parent/child status: Central organization
Data Update History
February 5, 2026 - Received grants
Identified 15 new grants, including a grant for $1,073,754 from The Denver Foundation.
January 13, 2026 - Received grants
Identified 1 new grant, including a grant for $27,500 from The Jess and Rose Kortz and Pearle Rae Levey Foundation.
October 16, 2025 - Updated personnel
Identified 11 new personnel.
September 23, 2025 - Received grants
Identified 3 new grants, including a grant for $30,600 from Genesee Mountain Foundation.
September 21, 2025 - Received grants
Identified 4 new grants, including a grant for $10,000 from Kenneth Kendal King Foundation.