Houston Grand Opera's Inspiring Performance fund drive breezed past its $165 million goal, attracting $172.9 million.
The campaign, which will support the company's operations and endowment, launched behind the scenes in 2007 and publicly in 2012. It attracted gifts from 6,648 donors, 4,558 of them first-time contributors. The drive ended Dec. 31.
As the money came in, the company said, it helped fund world premieres, new productions of established operas and the company's first staging of Richard Wagner's "The Ring of the Nibelung." The revenue helped the company's annual budget grow from $18.2 million in 2007-08 to $27.8 million in 2013-14.
The company is using $94.2 million for what it terms artistic excellence, such as commissioning operas, creating new productions and performing "Ring." The breakdown of the rest of the money includes:
$17.1 million for the company's endowment. The majority of those pledges have been paid, bringing the endowment's total to about $51 million as of Dec. 31.
$13 million for the Nexus affordability program, which has funded more than 175,000 free or reduced-priced subscriptions and single tickets since 2008.
$11 million for HGOco, whose projects have included the East & West multicultural operas and partnerships with Writers in the Schools and other groups.
$6 million for the Houston Grand Opera Studio training program.
The campaign total includes $31.6 million in bequests the company will receive on their donors' passing.
John Scott Arnoldy, chief executive of Triten Corporation, co-chaired the drive with Albert Chao, chief executive of Westlake Chemical Corporation. Both men serve on Houston Grand Opera's board.
"Thanks to the tremendous generosity of donors from across Houston, the great state of Texas and beyond," Arnoldy said, "Houston will have great opera for years to come, and a stronger future as a great American city."
Details: houstongrandopera.org.
The campaign, which will support the company's operations and endowment, launched behind the scenes in 2007 and publicly in 2012. It attracted gifts from 6,648 donors, 4,558 of them first-time contributors. The drive ended Dec. 31.
As the money came in, the company said, it helped fund world premieres, new productions of established operas and the company's first staging of Richard Wagner's "The Ring of the Nibelung." The revenue helped the company's annual budget grow from $18.2 million in 2007-08 to $27.8 million in 2013-14.
The company is using $94.2 million for what it terms artistic excellence, such as commissioning operas, creating new productions and performing "Ring." The breakdown of the rest of the money includes:
$17.1 million for the company's endowment. The majority of those pledges have been paid, bringing the endowment's total to about $51 million as of Dec. 31.
$13 million for the Nexus affordability program, which has funded more than 175,000 free or reduced-priced subscriptions and single tickets since 2008.
$11 million for HGOco, whose projects have included the East & West multicultural operas and partnerships with Writers in the Schools and other groups.
$6 million for the Houston Grand Opera Studio training program.
The campaign total includes $31.6 million in bequests the company will receive on their donors' passing.
John Scott Arnoldy, chief executive of Triten Corporation, co-chaired the drive with Albert Chao, chief executive of Westlake Chemical Corporation. Both men serve on Houston Grand Opera's board.
"Thanks to the tremendous generosity of donors from across Houston, the great state of Texas and beyond," Arnoldy said, "Houston will have great opera for years to come, and a stronger future as a great American city."
Details: houstongrandopera.org.
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