Opera on Tap

What Opera on Tap does

Opera on Tap is a nonprofit arts performing organization founded in 2005 and headquartered in Brooklyn, NY, that delivers opera programming through a network of 25-35 national and international chapters spanning the US, Austria, and Germany. The organization operates two main business lines: a community-based live performance program (Chapter Program, Theme of the Month Series, New Brew contemporary composer commissions, OPERACADES mobile performances, and an Immersive Opera Project that includes the Grammy-nominated production 'LOOKING AT YOU') performed in bars, cafes, cultural spaces, and outdoor venues; and a STEAM education program (Playground Opera suite, launched 2015) that integrates opera production with technology through partnerships with Chibitronics (paper circuits), Makey Makey/Joylabz (music invention kits), Elementari (digital narration tools), Indiana University's MILL Makerspace, and the Pathfinders Online Institute delivery platform. Education is delivered to Title I schools free of charge and via sliding-scale fees elsewhere, reaching 400 Title I classrooms, 12,000 students, and 400 classroom teachers.

Revenue is generated primarily through foundation grants (Infosys Foundation USA, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Renée Fleming Foundation, Miranda Family Fund, NEA, NYSCA, and others), supplemented by individual donations structured in tiers from $100 (Friend) to $2,600 (Fairy Godmother), ticketed event revenue ($8 advance, $10 door, with many performances free), and educational program fees. The organization is led by co-founder and Executive and Artistic Director Anne Hiatt, with a small staff team and a Board of Directors that has established a standing Equity Committee.

Name

Opera on Tap

Legal name

Opera on Tap

Website

https://operaontap.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Opera on Tap is a Brooklyn-based nonprofit arts organization that runs 25-35 chapters delivering accessible live opera in alternative venues and a STEAM-based Playground Opera education program serving Title I schools across the US, Austria, and Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts and Music Education

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Other Performing Arts Companies (71119)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG), Theater & Drama Education (Acting, Improvisation, Musical Theater) (EDAMAAAG), Media Arts & Performance (Film, Stagecraft, Lighting, Sound) (EDAMAAAJ)

Keywords

• Live opera performances
• STEAM arts education
• Immersive opera productions
• Community opera programming
• Contemporary opera commissions

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Opera on Tap relies heavily on donations from individuals and grants from foundations. Donation tiers range from $100 (Friend) to $2,600 (Fairy Godmother). Major grants have come from Infosys Foundation USA, Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Renée Fleming Foundation, and others.
2. Ticket Sales and Event Revenue: The organization sells tickets to some performances ($10 at door, $8 in advance for certain events). Many events are free, with donations accepted.
3. Educational Program Fees: Playground Opera uses a sliding-scale pricing model. Title I schools receive programming free of charge, while other schools pay based on ability. The program serves 400 Title 1 classrooms, 12,000 students, and 400 classroom teachers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Opera on Tap produces accessible live opera performances in alternative venues (bars, cafes, cultural spaces) through a network of 25+ local chapters and delivers STEAM-based opera education programs for elementary and middle school students, including Playground Opera, Playground Operatronics, Opera Maker Lab, and AI Puppet Music Theatre. The organization also commissions contemporary works and produces immersive VR/AR opera productions.

Product overview

Opera on Tap is a nonprofit arts organization offering a portfolio of programs centered on making opera accessible to new audiences. The core offerings include: the Playground Opera suite of STEAM education programs (Playground Opera, Playground Operatronics with Chibitronics integration, Opera Maker Lab, and AI Puppet Music Theatre) that teach children opera production and performance; and live performance programs including The Theme of the Month Series, New Brew (contemporary composer commissions), the Immersive Opera Project (VR/AR productions), and OPERACADES (mobile performances). The organization also produces signature works like 'Looking at You' and 'Joan of the City'. Opera on Tap operates through a Chapter network spanning 20+ locations across the US, Austria and Germany, headquartered in Brooklyn, NY.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Playground Opera STEAM interdisciplinary program that immerses elementary and middle school students in the production and performance of operas and music theatre pieces of their own creation, with guidance from working professional opera singers. Targets Title I schools with free programming.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400 Title 1 classrooms reached with free STEAM education programming
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Makey Makey/JoylabzmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 June 2023Inaugural partner for OPERA MAKER LAB providing Makey Makey Music Education Activity Kits for students to create their own music and invent instruments.
• Indiana University School of EducationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership with Professor Adam Maltese and MILL Makerspace + Uplands Maker Mobile for hands-on summer camp for opera-maker learning, serving rural communities.
• Deaf Kids CodeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership to integrate curriculum resources including sign language, visual rhythm cues, and musical methods for non-hearing students.
• ChibitronicscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2022Partnership for Playground Operatronics program. Chibitronics provides circuit-building tools that enable students to create electronic costume and prop assets.
• Art and Culture Association TAKE 5coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Austrian-based organization committed to supporting artists administratively. Partnership for Opera on Tap Vienna with production series 'Oper für Einsteiger' (Opera for Beginners).
• HERE Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term co-production partner for immersive opera projects including LOOKING AT YOU (Grammy-nominated) and JOAN OF THE CITY. HERE provides venue and production support.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• English National Opera: Major UK opera company known for English-language productions, contemporary works, and community outreach. Comparable in its commitment to making opera accessible and to commissioning new works, but at substantially larger scale.
• New York City Opera: Historic NYC opera company with similar accessible-opera positioning ('the people's opera'). Larger and more established than Opera on Tap, but competes for the same donor pool, audience, and emerging-artist talent.
• LA Opera: Major regional opera company with extensive education and community programs (including school-based initiatives). Comparable in its dual mission of mainstage productions and education outreach, though at much larger institutional scale.
• Metropolitan Opera (The Met): The largest classical music organization in North America. Competes with Opera on Tap for foundation funding, audience share, and national media attention; serves as the dominant benchmark against which smaller accessible-opera innovators are measured.

Direct peers

• Heartbeat Opera: NYC-based opera company with a similar mission of making opera accessible, modern, and relevant to new audiences. Operates through intimate, non-traditional venues and contemporary reinterpretations of works — directly comparable to Opera on Tap's accessible-venue approach.
• Pacific Opera Project: LA-based opera company performing in unconventional venues (bars, rooftops, warehouses) with English translations and accessible programming. Shares Opera on Tap's bar-venue touring model and mission to demystify opera for new audiences.
• On Site Opera: Produces site-specific opera performances in non-traditional venues (museums, mansions, parks). Closely comparable to Opera on Tap's venue-innovation strategy, including immersive and location-based productions like Looking at You and Joan of the City.
• Beth Morrison Projects: NYC-based producer dedicated to commissioning and presenting new opera and music-theatre works. Comparable to Opera on Tap's New Brew program, which commissions living composers and presents contemporary works.
• Little Opera Theatre of NY: Small NYC opera company producing intimate, accessible performances. Comparable in size, mission, and operational model to Opera on Tap — both target new audiences through smaller-scale, lower-cost productions.

Others

• HERE Arts Center: NYC-based arts organization and Opera on Tap's co-production partner on Looking at You and Joan of the City. Comparable as a venue/production partner for immersive and hybrid opera-theatre work, and as an incubator of new performance formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/operaontapnyc
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9sKr09gihzH0v47gCEn9QQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/operaontap.nyc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/operaontap
• Instagraminstagram.com/operaontap
• TikToktiktok.com/@operaontap

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Opera on Tap