Indianapolis Opera
Indianapolis Opera is a nonprofit professional opera company founded in 1975 that produces mainstage productions, free community concerts, cabaret events, and vocal-arts education programs for the central Indiana Hoosier community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersIndianapolis, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Indianapolis Opera does
Indianapolis Opera is a nonprofit performing arts organization founded in 1975 and headquartered at the Basile Opera Center at 4011 N. Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. The company presents professional mainstage opera productions (such as The Barber of Seville, Marriage of Figaro, Rigoletto, West Side Story, and Carmen) along with free community concerts (notably Opera in the Park), intimate cabaret and gala events, and a year-round education and community engagement portfolio that includes the Crescendo! Vocal Arts Camp, Sing Me A Story children's opera program, opera field trips, master classes, and senior-living outreach. The core "technology" is live operatic performance with orchestral accompaniment, vocal talent, theatrical staging, sets, costumes, and supertitles, delivered through both owned (Basile Opera Center) and partner venues (Booth Tarkington Theater in Carmel, Hilbert Circle Theater, MacAllister Amphitheater at Garfield Park, Union 50, Columbia Club).
Indianapolis Opera operates on a hybrid nonprofit revenue model combining earned and contributed income. Earned revenue comes from tiered ticket sales (Dress Circle $92, Level A $69, Level B $57, Level C $39 for mainstage productions), premium special-event tickets ($25-$300 for Voices of Christmas, cabaret dinners, and the Legacy Gala Dinner), venue rentals of the Basile Opera Center, and education program fees. Contributed revenue is sourced from individual donations, corporate giving, legacy gifts, the 50th Anniversary Campaign, and Fund-A-Need initiatives, supported by foundation and government partners including Lilly Endowment, the Indiana Arts Commission, the Central Indiana Community Foundation, and the City of Carmel.
The organization serves the diverse central Indiana and broader Hoosier community through differentiated programming in mainstage opera, free community access events, and education outreach. Strategic priorities include artistic excellence, audience development, diversity and Black opera history programming (e.g., Charlie Parker's Yardbird, Lift Ev'ry Voice), and talent development through the Resident Artist Program. Leadership comprises General Director David Craig Starkey, Artistic Advisor and Principal Conductor Alfred Savia, Artistic Cultural Ambassador Angela Brown, and Director of Education and Community Engagement Lyndsay Moy, with a board-governed nonprofit structure and no parent or PE ownership.
Indianapolis Opera firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Indianapolis Opera
- Legal name
- Indianapolis Opera
- Website
- https://indyopera.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Indianapolis Opera is a nonprofit professional opera company founded in 1975 that produces mainstage productions, free community concerts, cabaret events, and vocal-arts education programs for the central Indiana Hoosier community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Indianapolis Opera industry classification
Industry- NAICS
- Performing Arts Companies (7111), Other Performing Arts Companies (711190)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Opera & Operetta (MPAGABAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB), Performing Arts Organizations (Theater, Dance, Opera, Music) (BPAGAHAB)
Keywords
Where Indianapolis Opera is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Indianapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Indianapolis Opera business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from mainstage productions, special concerts, and cabaret events. Tickets are sold at various price levels (Dress Circle, Level A, B, C) for performances at Basile Opera Center, Booth Tarkington Theater, and Hilbert Circle Theater.
- Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, corporate giving, legacy gifts, and Fund-A-Need initiatives to support educational programming and general operations. The 50th Anniversary Campaign is a major fundraising effort.
- Event Revenue: Special events including Lobster Palooza, Legacy Gala Dinner, and Opera Cabaret events generate revenue through ticket sales and sponsorships.
- Venue Rentals: The Basile Opera Center (BOC) is available for rent to external groups for events, generating rental income.
- Education Programs: Revenue from educational programming including summer camps, field trips, master classes, and school performances through the Education & Community Engagement department.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Performance Pricing - Barber of Seville, Legacy Gala Concert |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Opera in the Park |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Voices of Christmas Concert |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Opera Cabaret at Union 50 |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Legacy Gala Dinner |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Lobster Palooza |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Indianapolis Opera product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Indianapolis Opera is a nonprofit professional opera company that produces and presents live staged opera productions, orchestral concerts, and cabaret performances for the central Indiana community. Its offerings include a seasonal mainstage series, free community concerts (Opera in the Park), intimate cabaret dinners, a Resident Artist Program for emerging singers, and educational outreach programs (Crescendo! Vocal Arts Camp, Sing Me A Story, field trips, master classes). The organization operates from the Basile Opera Center and is funded through ticket sales, donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Product overview
Indianapolis Opera is a performing arts organization presenting a portfolio of live opera productions and educational programs. The core offerings include mainstage opera productions at local theaters, free community concerts such as Opera in the Park, and intimate cabaret events. Educational programs encompass the Crescendo! Vocal Arts Camp, Sing Me A Story children's opera series, opera field trips, and master classes. The organization operates from the Basile Opera Center and runs special events including the annual Lobster Palooza, Legacy Gala Concert, and Voices of Christmas Concert. A Resident Artist Program provides professional development for emerging opera singers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Basile Opera Center: The company's primary performance and rehearsal venue located at 4011 N. Pennsylvania Street, Indianapolis.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free educational programming targeted for nearly 30 schools
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Indianapolis Opera
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Indianapolis Opera technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Indianapolis Opera partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Indianapolis Symphony OrchestracoreCollaboration for 50th Anniversary Legacy Opera Gala concert at Hilbert Circle Theater. First time working together in 20 seasons. ISO musicians join with IO performers for special anniversary celebration.
- Friends of Garfield ParkcoreAnnual collaboration for Opera in the Park free community concerts at MacAllister Amphitheater in Garfield Park. Partnership allows for accessible free performances serving the broader community.
- The Center for the Performing Arts in Carmelcore8-year partnership hosting mainstage productions at Booth Tarkington Theater. Provides professional performance venue for The Barber of Seville and other major productions.
- Indiana Arts Council / Indiana Arts CommissioncoreState arts agency providing grant funding and support for arts programming. Listed on sponsors page as government arts supporter.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Indianapolis Opera competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Opera Theatre of Saint Louis: Acclaimed regional opera company based in St. Louis with a strong reputation for innovative productions and emerging artist development. Comparable in scale and mission to Indianapolis Opera, focused on festival-style programming and new works.
- Fort Worth Opera: Regional opera company serving the Fort Worth area with mainstage productions, a renowned young artist program (similar to Indianapolis Opera's Resident Artist Program), and community outreach. Comparable scale and nonprofit structure.
- Minnesota Opera: Mid-sized regional opera company serving the Twin Cities with mainstage productions, education programs, and community initiatives. Comparable in structure and programming to Indianapolis Opera, though slightly larger in scope and budget.
- Michigan Opera Theatre: Detroit-based regional opera company with a comparable mix of mainstage productions, community programming, and education outreach. Similar mid-sized opera company model serving a single metropolitan market in the Midwest.
- Arizona Opera: Regional opera company serving multiple Arizona cities with a comparable mix of mainstage productions, educational programming, and community outreach. Similar nonprofit structure and season-based production model.
- Cincinnati Opera: Regional opera company of comparable size serving the greater Cincinnati area with mainstage productions, education programs, and community engagement. Operates in a similar mid-sized Midwest market with a comparable portfolio of full-scale productions and outreach initiatives.
- Florentine Opera: Milwaukee-based regional opera company similar in scale to Indianapolis Opera, offering mainstage productions, education programs, and community engagement. Comparable mission and audience-development focus.
- Pittsburgh Opera: Regional opera company serving the Pittsburgh metropolitan area with multiple mainstage productions per season, resident artist programs, and educational outreach. Directly comparable to Indianapolis Opera in scale and operations.
Others
- Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra: Strategic partner rather than competitor, also serving Indianapolis performing arts audiences. Overlapping audience base in the Indianapolis cultural ecosystem and shared patron/donor pool, with recent collaboration on the 50th Anniversary Legacy Gala.
Broad incumbents
- Lyric Opera of Chicago: Major American opera company significantly larger than Indianapolis Opera, operating an extensive season with international talent. Indirectly comparable in mission (mainstage opera and education) but operates at a much larger scale and budget.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Indianapolis Opera social profiles
Digital presenceIndianapolis Opera financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Indianapolis Opera leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Indianapolis Opera funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Indianapolis 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 Indianapolis Opera
What does Indianapolis Opera do?
Indianapolis Opera is a nonprofit professional opera company that produces and presents live staged opera productions, orchestral concerts, and cabaret performances for the central Indiana community. Its offerings include a seasonal mainstage series, free community concerts (Opera in the Park), intimate cabaret dinners, a Resident Artist Program for emerging singers, and educational outreach programs (Crescendo! Vocal Arts Camp, Sing Me A Story, field trips, master classes). The organization operates from the Basile Opera Center and is funded through ticket sales, donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Is Indianapolis Opera a public or private company?
Indianapolis Opera is a private company. It is currently operating.
When was Indianapolis Opera founded?
Indianapolis Opera was founded in 1975. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Indianapolis Opera based?
Indianapolis Opera is headquartered in Indianapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Indianapolis Opera make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, event Revenue, venue Rentals and education Programs.
Who are Indianapolis Opera's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Fort Worth Opera, Minnesota Opera, Michigan Opera Theatre, Arizona Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Florentine Opera and Pittsburgh Opera. Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra is listed as an others. Lyric Opera of Chicago is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Indianapolis Opera have an API?
No public API is recorded for Indianapolis Opera.
What industry is Indianapolis Opera in?
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 and its SIC code is 7990.