PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA

What PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA does

Puget Sound Concert Opera (PSCO) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity founded in 2007 and headquartered in Seattle, Washington, that stages opera in concert-style productions at intimate venues across the Puget Sound region. The organization operates on a season-based calendar of live performances, with the 2025-2026 lineup including Rachmaninoff's Aleko, Stravinsky's Mavra, a Norwegian American Centennial program featuring Gerard Tonning's Leif Erikson, the West Coast Premiere of Borzoni and Coppinger's La Callas, and Menotti's The Consul. It is governed by an eight-member Board of Trustees led by President John Burkhardt and staffed by fewer than 10 employees, relying on a volunteer base that includes performers, arrangers, and conductors such as Board members Ericka Kendall (bass), Jenna Calixto (flute), and Bernard Kwiram (arranger/conductor).

The company's product surface has two core lines: the seasonal opera performance series and the Studio Artists Program, established in 2018-2019, which understudies principal roles, performs supporting roles, and participates in Season Preview events to develop emerging professional singers. There is no proprietary technology disclosed; production, marketing, and broadcast functions rely on the organizational website (pugetsoundconcertopera.org), Facebook, an email newsletter, and YouTube live/archived broadcasts. Performances are delivered through at least six partner venues across Seattle, Bellevue, and Federal Way, including churches (Cross of Christ Lutheran, Calvary Lutheran, Ballard First Lutheran), performance halls (Broadway Performance Hall), and arts spaces (Art Love Salon, Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute).

The revenue model combines donations, grants, and admission income. Standard ticket pricing had been $25-$30 per performance, but the 2026 Aleko/Mavra production is being run on a "pay what you wish" basis funded by a 4Culture Public Free Access grant under the newly enacted Doors Open legislation. Donations are solicited through an online portal with preset tiers from $20 to $1,000 and one-time, monthly, quarterly, or annual cadences. PSCO reports no parent company, subsidiaries, or external investors; financial figures (revenue, donor totals, grant amounts) are not publicly disclosed.

Name

PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA

Legal name

Puget Sound Concert Opera

Website

https://pugetsoundconcertopera.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Puget Sound Concert Opera is a Seattle-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that presents opera in concert-style productions at intimate venues across the Puget Sound region, supporting emerging professional singers through its Studio Artists Program and funded by donations, grants, and ticket admissions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Opera Performing Arts

NAICS

Performing Arts Companies (7111), Musical Groups and Artists (711130)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPAGABAB

Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Theater, Broadway & Performing Arts

Keywords

• Opera performances
• Concert opera
• Nonprofit performing arts
• Studio artist program
• Live opera productions

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Puget Sound Concert Opera relies primarily on donations from supporters and grants. The organization received a generous grant from 4Culture to support free admission opportunities under the Public Free Access program, funded by the Doors Open legislation.
2. Ticket Sales: Traditional admission fees were $25-30 per performance. Due to 4Culture grant funding, currently offering 'pay what you wish' model for the 2026 season to expand access.
3. Donation Portal: Online donation system available at tickets.pugetsoundconcertopera.org with options for one-time, monthly, quarterly, or yearly giving at preset amounts ($20-$1000) plus custom amounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Puget Sound Concert Opera is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that produces live opera performances in intimate venues across the Puget Sound region, featuring works such as Aleko, Mavra, The Consul, Norwegian American Centennial, and La Callas. The organization complements its performance season with the Studio Artists Program, a professional development initiative supporting emerging opera singers through understudying major roles, performing supporting roles, and participating in Season Preview events.

Product overview

Puget Sound Concert Opera is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit performing arts organization presenting live opera productions in intimate settings across the Puget Sound region. The organization operates two main offerings: a season of opera performances featuring classical and contemporary works performed in local venues, and a Studio Artists Program that supports emerging professional singers through role understudying and performance opportunities. The company receives grant support from 4Culture for free admission programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Opera Performances Live opera performances in intimate settings featuring works from the classical and contemporary repertoire, including productions such as Aleko, Mavra, The Consul, Norwegian American Centennial, and La Callas. Intended for general audiences in the Puget Sound region.
• Studio Artists Program A professional development program supporting emerging professional opera singers in the community. Studio Artists understudy major roles, perform supporting roles, and participate in Season Preview events. Established in 2018-19 season.

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Northwest Edvard Grieg SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Norwegian American Centennial commemorations, including performances of Gerard Tonning's opera Leif Erikson alongside F. Melius Christiansen's Centennial Cantata, reflecting on 200 years of Norwegian immigration to America.
• Crossings 200minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommemorating Crossings 200, a celebration of Norwegian-American immigrant history, with performances of Seattle's own Norwegian-American immigrant Gerard Tonning's Norwegian-language opera Leif Erikson.
• Art Love SalonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVenue partner for La Callas: A Birthday Celebration West Coast Premiere & Gala on December 5, 2025.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Skagit Opera: Small regional opera company in Washington State presenting concert-style and fully-staged productions with community and emerging-artist programming. Operates at a similar scale and repertoire philosophy to PSCO.
• Bellevue Opera: Community-based opera company operating on the Eastside of the Seattle metro (Bellevue). Directly comparable geographic and operational positioning to PSCO's Bellevue venue activity.
• Tacoma Opera: Direct geographic peer operating in the same Puget Sound region with a community-focused, smaller-scale opera model. Closely comparable mission, venue type (community/partner venues), and audience-development approach.
• Northwest Opera (formerly Tacoma City Opera): Small-scale regional opera company in the Puget Sound area producing accessible performances in intimate community venues. Highly comparable in operating model, scale, and nonprofit funding structure.

Regional players

• Vancouver Opera: Regional opera company in the broader Pacific Northwest corridor (Vancouver, BC). Comparable as a mid-sized nonprofit opera presenter, though serving a different national market.
• Portland Opera: Pacific Northwest regional opera company presenting a multi-production season in a neighboring metro market. Comparable as a mid-sized nonprofit opera organization, though with a larger budget and longer institutional history.
• Opera San Jose: Mid-sized regional opera company producing a mainstage season plus emerging-artist programming. Comparable institutional archetype (regional nonprofit opera with artist development), though at larger scale and in a different geographic market.

Emerging players

• Pacific MusicWorks: Seattle-based early-music and classical opera nonprofit presenting concert-style and staged works. Comparable in repertoire philosophy (period and concert opera), scale, and nonprofit/intimate-venue model.
• Seattle Chamber Music Society: Puget Sound-based performing arts nonprofit presenting live classical music in intimate settings. Comparable as a small nonprofit presenting classical performances in community venues, though specializing in instrumental chamber music rather than vocal/opera.

Broad incumbents

• Seattle Opera: The dominant opera company in the Seattle/Puget Sound market, presenting a full mainstage season at McCaw Hall. Operates at substantially larger scale than PSCO and competes for the same regional donor, audience, and emerging-singer pools.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pugetsoundconcertopera6661
• Facebookfacebook.com/114458898589563
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/puget-sound-concert-opera

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 PUGET SOUND CONCERT OPERA