Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

What Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera does

The Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera (SP&O) is a nonprofit performing arts organization established in 2015 through the combination of the Sacramento Philharmonic and the Sacramento Opera, headquartered at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center at 1301 L Street in Downtown Sacramento, California. The organization presents a unified program of orchestral concerts and operatic productions for the Greater Sacramento Region, led by Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor Ari Pelto, and collaborates with peer institutions including the Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra and the Sacramento State University Chorale. Its portfolio includes full subscription seasons (2025-26 and 2026-27), chamber opera productions such as Three Decembers, guest conductor and guest artist appearances, special film-in-concert events, and educational outreach programs such as Link Up: The Orchestra Swings.

The organization's revenue model blends earned and contributed income across five streams: single ticket sales through its own box office, the venue box office, and Ticketmaster; annual season subscriptions with exchange and refund privileges; individual giving including a Sustainer's Club and planned giving; corporate sponsorships; and bequest-based planned giving. The 2025-2026 Season is underwritten by the Nancy and Hank Fisher Family Fund, and the organization distributes via a comprehensive website, email newsletters, and an active presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Distribution of tickets spans a first-party online box office, the in-venue box office, and Ticketmaster, with the flagship venue serving as both primary performance location and operational hub.

In 2025, Congresswoman Doris Matsui recognized the organization's 10th Anniversary in the U.S. Congressional Record, reflecting a decade of consolidated philharmonic-opera programming in the Sacramento market. The organization markets to concert and opera patrons, students and educational institutions, and donor/sponsor segments, with educational outreach and free pre-concert conversations hosted by ABC10 anchor Lora Painter supporting audience development. Headcount is primarily contracted, with a chorus ranging from 10 to 60 members depending on repertoire requirements; broader staff composition (administration, orchestra musicians, artistic operations) is not publicly detailed.

Name

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

Legal name

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera

Website

https://sacphilopera.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera is a Sacramento-based nonprofit performing arts organization presenting orchestral concerts and opera productions at the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center for the Greater Sacramento Region, supported by ticket sales, subscriptions, and donor giving.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts / Live Classical Music

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (711130), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts Centers & Presenters (Programming/Booking) (MPAGABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Broadway & Commercial Theatre Productions (MPAGABAA), Musical Theatre (Non-Broadway/Fringe) (MPAGABAG)

Keywords

• Classical music performances
• Orchestral concerts
• Opera productions
• Live performing arts
• Symphony orchestra

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue from single ticket sales for individual concert and opera performances. Tickets are sold through the SP&O Box Office, SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center Box Office, and Ticketmaster. All single ticket sales are final with no refunds.
2. Season Subscriptions: Season subscription packages offering discounted access to multiple performances. Subscribers receive benefits including exchanges, ticket donation options, and refund availability not available to single ticket buyers.
3. Individual Giving: Donations from individual patrons including sustainer's club membership and planned giving options. The organization emphasizes that donations support state-of-the-art classical programming and educational/community initiatives.
4. Corporate Giving: Corporate sponsorships and giving programs. The 2025-2026 Season is underwritten by the Nancy and Hank Fisher Family Fund.
5. Planned Giving: Bequest and planned giving opportunities for long-term donor engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera is a combined professional philharmonic orchestra and opera company that produces and presents live classical orchestral concerts, staged operatic productions, and pops/film-in-concert events for Sacramento-area audiences. Programming is delivered through seasonal subscription series (e.g., 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons) and individual ticket sales, supported by guest conductor and guest artist engagements. The organization also runs community and education outreach programs serving local schools and residents.

Product overview

Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera presents a unified performing arts program combining orchestral concerts and operatic productions. The organization operates as a single presenting organization offering seasonal programming through its main venue, the SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center. The product portfolio includes subscription concert seasons, individual opera productions, guest artist performances, chamber opera presentations, and special events such as film-in-concert experiences. Key offerings include the 2026-27 Season and 2025-26 Season subscriptions, chamber opera productions (Three Decembers), and orchestral programs featuring guest conductors and soloists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 2025-26 Subscription Season Multi-concert subscription package granting patrons access to the organization's 2025-26 season of orchestral and operatic performances at Sacramento venues; intended for individual classical arts patrons and households.
• 2026-27 Subscription Season Multi-concert subscription package granting patrons access to the organization's 2026-27 season of orchestral and operatic performances at Sacramento venues; intended for individual classical arts patrons and households.
• Chamber Opera: Three Decembers A chamber opera production staged by Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera, intended for individual opera patrons and classical arts audiences seeking smaller-scale operatic repertoire.
• Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert A film-in-concert presentation in which the orchestra performs the film score live in synchronization with the screened film; intended for broad audience appeal including families and pops-program subscribers.
• Guest Conductors Program Engagement of visiting conductors for selected concerts across the season, providing programming variety and artistic breadth for patrons.
• Guest Artists Program Engagement of visiting soloists and featured artists for individual concerts and productions, expanding repertoire and patron draw.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SAFE Credit Union Performing Arts Center serves as the primary venue for Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera performances. Located at 1301 L St in Downtown Sacramento, this freshly renovated venue is described as the 'new creative home' for the organization and many Sacramento arts organizations.
• Sacramento Choral Society & OrchestracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra (founded 1996) collaborates with SP&O, having presented over 180 concerts with its large chorus and professional orchestra. Founded in 1996, dedicated to making classical choral-orchestral music accessible to Sacramento-area audiences.
• Sacramento State University ChoralecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University Chorale from California State University, Sacramento collaborates with SP&O. Under the direction of Dr. Brett A. Judson, it is the premier choral ensemble at the university comprising undergraduate and graduate singers.
• ABC10 (KXTV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABC10 evening news anchor Lora Painter hosts pre-concert conversations before performances, providing media exposure and audience engagement.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Fresno Philharmonic: Regional philharmonic in California's Central Valley offering classical concert programming. Comparable in scale, mission, and reliance on ticket and donor revenue within a similar California regional market.
• Modesto Symphony Orchestra: Regional symphony orchestra serving California's Central Valley with subscription-based concert seasons. Directly comparable as a regional classical orchestra competing for similar Sacramento-adjacent audiences and donor pools.
• Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra: Regional symphony serving California's Central Valley. Comparable in scale, geographic context, and reliance on a mix of ticket sales, subscriptions, and donor contributions.
• Sacramento Choral Society & Orchestra: Sacramento-based choral-orchestral ensemble founded in 1996 that collaborates directly with SP&O. Closely comparable in geography, repertoire overlap, and audience demographic.

Broad incumbents

• San Francisco Opera: Major professional opera company in the broader San Francisco Bay Area. Comparable as an opera presenter with subscription and donor-funded model, though it operates at a much larger scale and is not a direct Sacramento competitor.
• San Francisco Symphony: Major U.S. orchestra and performing arts institution in Northern California. Comparable in symphonic programming model and donor/subscription revenue mix, though at significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Reno Philharmonic: Regional philharmonic based in Reno, Nevada, close to the Greater Sacramento region. Comparable as a subscription-based regional orchestra, though serving an adjacent geographic market.
• Pacific Symphony: Larger Southern California-based regional symphony. Comparable in regional orchestra model and subscription programming, though it operates at meaningfully larger scale and in a different geography.
• California Philharmonic: California-based regional orchestra with classical and pops programming. Comparable as a subscription-driven California orchestra, though focused on a different Southern California market segment.

Others

• California State University, Sacramento (Music Department): Sacramento State University Chorale is an active SP&O collaboration partner. Comparable as an adjacent educational/institutional music entity that supplies choral talent and pipeline programming, but is not a commercial competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SacramentoPhilharmonicOpera
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sacramento-philharmonic-&-opera
• Instagraminstagram.com/sacphilopera

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera