Opera Atelier is a 2-star charity. It is not financially transparent. The charity has a C- Results Reporting grade, which is below average. Its overhead costs are within Ci’s reasonable range. The charity’s reserves can cover program costs for six months, which is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Founded in 1985, Opera Atelier (OA) is a Toronto-based opera and ballet company that puts on period productions, with a special focus on the Baroque era. The charity runs two programs: productions, and education and outreach programs. OA spent $2.0m on its programs in the fiscal year ending in June (F2024). It did not break down spending by program.

OA puts on two productions per year. In F2024, the charity performed Orpheus and Eurydice at Elgin Theatre and All is Love at Koerner Hall. Around 4,900 people attended the performances.

Education and outreach programs include the School of Atelier Ballet, Making of an Opera, and In-School Workshops. The School of Atelier Ballet teaches ballet to dancers of all ages. Making of an Opera is a one-day event where students learn about and participate in an opera. There were over 2,400 students who participated in the event in F2024. OA offers In-School Workshops to students from kindergarten to university on topics like opera, instrumental music, and dance. The charity ran 13 workshops for 1,400 students in F2024.

Opera Atelier is not financially transparent, meaning Ci had to obtain its financial statements from the CRA. The charity’s audited financial statements follow line-item costing, which is not a best practice. It received $1.6m in donations in F2024, which is 65% of revenue. It received $479k in government funding, $354k in fees for service, and $47k in investment income.

OA spent $2.0m on its programs in F2024, which is 80% of revenue. It ran a deficit of $216k, meaning it drew on its reserves to fund its programs. The charity spent $35k on fundraising, which is 2% of donations, and $664k on administration, which is 27% of revenue, excluding investment income. For every dollar donated to the charity, 71 cents are available to go to the cause. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

OA has $1.0m in its funding reserves (cash and investments), which can cover program costs for six months. This is within Ci’s reasonable range.

Updated on August 12, 2025 by Joshua Leduc. This update has been sent to the charity and changes may be forthcoming.