San Francisco Opera
San Francisco Opera is a 501(c)(3) non-profit opera company founded in 1923, producing a season-based slate of mainstage productions at the War Memorial Opera House for Bay Area audiences, supplemented by community touring, artist training programs, digital livestreaming, and a century-deep performance archive.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1923
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What San Francisco Opera does
San Francisco Opera, founded in 1923 by Gaetano Merola and headquartered at the War Memorial Opera House (301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco), is one of the oldest opera companies in the United States and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with 251-500 employees. The company produces a season-based slate of mainstage opera productions at the War Memorial Opera House — the 2026-27 season includes Simon Boccanegra, Mary Queen of Scots, Manon, The Marriage of Figaro, Strauss In Concert, Das Rheingold, Tosca, and a Pride Concert 2027 — alongside community programs such as Opera in the Park (free outdoor concerts in Golden Gate Park) and Bohème Out of the Box (scaled-down touring productions across ten-plus Bay Area cities). Its portfolio is anchored by a century-deep performance archive of 2,071+ productions from 1923 to present, housed in the Diane B. Wilsey Center for Opera.
The company's core technology infrastructure centers on the Taube Media Suite, which since 2007 has enabled industry-pioneering HD capture and season-long livestreaming of each production, and on the Streaming the First Century program, which makes archival audio and digital content globally accessible. A separately rebuilt relational Performance Archive Database, built on Drupal, organizes cast, creative/crew, photographs, and program PDFs and was cleaned through a review of 4+ million data bits. Training infrastructure is operated through the San Francisco Opera Center, which runs the Adler Fellowship Program (founded 1977) and oversees the affiliated Merola Opera Program; Opera Center leadership was refreshed in January 2021 with Artistic Director Carrie-Ann Matheson and General Manager Markus Beam.
Revenue is generated through three primary streams: ticket sales (individual tickets starting at $29 and annual subscription packages), donations and membership (including a 1:1 matching challenge grant from the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation for the Arts and the Opera Ball, San Francisco's largest annual fundraiser), and digital streaming. Co-commissioning and co-production partnerships — notably "It's a Wonderful Life" with Houston Grand Opera and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music — extend the new-work pipeline, while major donor partnerships (Taube, Gunn, Doll, Fenton/Greer, Ellis) underwrite the technology and digital programs. Customer segments span opera enthusiasts and performing arts patrons, families and students, and researchers/opera scholars, served through direct box-office and website sales, multi-platform social media (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok), email, and digital streaming.
San Francisco Opera firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- San Francisco Opera
- Legal name
- San Francisco Opera
- Website
- https://sfopera.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1923
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- San Francisco Opera is a 501(c)(3) non-profit opera company founded in 1923, producing a season-based slate of mainstage productions at the War Memorial Opera House for Bay Area audiences, supplemented by community touring, artist training programs, digital livestreaming, and a century-deep performance archive.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
San Francisco Opera industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Opera / Performing Arts
- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)
Keywords
Where San Francisco Opera is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
San Francisco Opera business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales for opera productions and special events. Individual tickets start at $29 with subscription options offering savings. Individual tickets for 2026-27 season go on sale July 7.
- Donations and Membership: Tax-deductible contributions as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Challenge grant from Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation matches new and increased gifts made by July 31. Membership program offers perks to supporters. The Opera Ball is described as San Francisco's biggest fundraiser of the year.
- Digital Streaming: Streaming the First Century project shares archival audio from the company's first 100 years. Digital content includes livestreams and on-demand programming.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual tickets starting at $29 |
| Subscription | Annual | Subscription packages with savings |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
San Francisco Opera product offering
Product offeringCore offering
San Francisco Opera produces and presents live opera performances at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, running a season-based repertoire of classical and contemporary operas (e.g., Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Strauss). Beyond mainstage productions, the company sells subscriptions and individual tickets (starting at $29), operates a digital/livestream offering, runs artist training programs through the San Francisco Opera Center, and conducts community engagement events such as Opera in the Park and Bohème Out of the Box across the Bay Area.
Product overview
San Francisco Opera offers a broad performing arts portfolio centered on live opera productions at the War Memorial Opera House, supplemented by digital streaming offerings, community outreach programs, and artist training initiatives. The core product consists of mainstage opera performances featuring classical and contemporary repertoire. Supporting offerings include the Adler Fellowship training program, the Bohème Out of the Box community touring initiative, Opera in the Park free outdoor concerts, and Streaming the First Century archival content. An extensive performance archive database provides historical records and photographs spanning the company's history from 1923.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mainstage Opera Performances
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 850 attendees at major events (referenced in MUAHS Awards coverage)
Companies that use San Francisco Opera
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
San Francisco Opera technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
San Francisco Opera partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Houston Grand OperacoreCo-commissioned and co-produced 'It's a Wonderful Life' opera with San Francisco Opera and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Premiered at Houston Grand Opera in 2016.
- Indiana University Jacobs School of MusiccoreCo-commissioned and co-produced 'It's a Wonderful Life' opera. Premiered at Indiana University in November 2017.
- Opera GuildminorAffiliated organization supporting San Francisco Opera through advocacy and community engagement.
- Merola Opera ProgramminorAffiliated artist training program. San Francisco Opera Center provides oversight and support for developing young opera artists.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
San Francisco Opera competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Minnesota Opera: Regional US opera company with a mix of classic and contemporary programming and education/community outreach. Comparable as a non-profit, season-based opera producer.
- Metropolitan Opera: The largest opera company in the US, presenting a full season at Lincoln Center. Most directly comparable to SF Opera in repertoire scope, orchestra/chorus scale, and institutional donor model.
- Houston Grand Opera: Major US opera company and an active co-commissioning partner with SF Opera (e.g., 'It's a Wonderful Life'). Comparable in producing model, season structure, and community programming.
- Lyric Opera of Chicago: One of the largest US opera companies by budget, producing a classical and contemporary season in a major US metro. Closely comparable in scale, repertoire, and institutional fundraising approach.
- New York City Opera: Historically significant US opera company ('The People's Opera') with a focus on contemporary and classic repertoire. Comparable in producing model and mission-driven programming.
- Washington National Opera: Kennedy Center-based opera company with comparable full-season programming and educational/outreach programs including young-artist training. Similar in scale and repertory mix.
- Los Angeles Opera: Major US opera company operating from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. Comparable in producing model, multi-tier season programming, and large-scale repertoire.
- Seattle Opera: Major US regional opera company known for its Ring Cycle productions. Comparable as a non-profit, season-based opera producer with community programming and training initiatives.
- Opera Philadelphia: Mid-size US opera company with an innovative festival model and active co-commissioning strategy. Comparable in producing new and classic works with a non-profit funding model.
Regional players
- San Francisco Symphony: Davies Symphony Hall-based performing arts organization sharing the SF Bay Area donor base, subscribers, and corporate sponsors. Comparable as a classical performing arts non-profit in the same geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
San Francisco Opera social profiles
Digital presenceSan Francisco Opera financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
San Francisco Opera leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
San Francisco Opera subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
San Francisco Opera funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
San Francisco Opera M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about San Francisco Opera
What does San Francisco Opera do?
San Francisco Opera produces and presents live opera performances at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, running a season-based repertoire of classical and contemporary operas (e.g., Verdi, Puccini, Wagner, Strauss). Beyond mainstage productions, the company sells subscriptions and individual tickets (starting at $29), operates a digital/livestream offering, runs artist training programs through the San Francisco Opera Center, and conducts community engagement events such as Opera in the Park and Bohème Out of the Box across the Bay Area.
Is San Francisco Opera a public or private company?
San Francisco Opera is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was San Francisco Opera founded?
San Francisco Opera was founded in 1923. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is San Francisco Opera based?
San Francisco Opera is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does San Francisco Opera make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Membership and digital Streaming.
Who are San Francisco Opera's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Minnesota Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, New York City Opera, Washington National Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Seattle Opera and Opera Philadelphia. San Francisco Symphony is listed as a regional player.
Does San Francisco Opera have an API?
No public API is recorded for San Francisco Opera.
What industry is San Francisco Opera in?
San Francisco Opera's product category is Opera / Performing Arts. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAF, Opera & Operetta, with a secondary code of MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses). Its NAICS code is 7111.