Frequenly Asked Questions (F.A.Q)

 Whatever you want. Opera is a living experience of ART, some people like to enjoy the experience of walking our red carpet in formal dress, while other folks like to take in the opera spectacle in the comfort of casual dress.  At Eugene Opera, all styles are welcome.

Eugene Opera presents our principle production at the Hult Center in January. Contemporary and additional performances are schedule throughout the season. Please join our mailing list for up to date performance information.

Traditional operas run from 2 hours and 30 minutes to 3 hours, usually with multiple intermissions.

Tickets to Eugene Opera at the Hult Center are available through the Hult website. Please see each production page for more specific ticket information.

Yes! Eugene Opera is exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code, and donations are tax deductible as provided by the IRS code.

Our federal tax id is 93-0679959.

Eugene Opera hosts periodic donor appreciation events to which high-level donors are invited.

In addition, all donors of $25 or more are acknowledged in the program book distributed at opera performances, at the appropriate recognition level as follows:

Season Sponsor ($20,000 and up)
Production Sponsor ($10,000 to $19,999)
Performance Sponsor ($5,000 to $9,999)
Conductor’s Circle ($2,000 to $4,999)
Director’s Circle ($1,000 to $1,999)
Patron ($500 to $999)
Contributor ($350 to $499)
Member ($200 to $349)
Donor ($100 to $199)
Friend ($25 to $99)

Make a One-Time Gift

Your contribution will make a difference! Donate online, over the phone, or send us a check.

Become a Eugene Opera STAR — Pledge!

Everyone appreciates having a steady income stream. When you choose a convenient monthly pledge of $25, $50, $200 or whatever you can afford, you also provide stability that we can count on. Monthly donors of $10 or more are identified as STARS in the program book distributed at opera performances.

Make a Gift in Honor or in Memory

A gift to Eugene Opera is always a thoughtful way to honor a friend, relative, or associate who cares about the opera — for any occasion! Or consider a memorial gift — an especially meaningful way to honor the memory of someone who cared about the arts. Tribute gifts also receive special recognition in the program book distributed at opera performances.

Purchase Community Tix

Opera lovers know how the human heart can be uplifted by this amazing art form, but there are many who cannot afford the price of a ticket. You can share the joy of opera with a deserving neighbor through the Community Tix program. Your tax-deductible contribution of $30 enables an approved social service organization to purchase an opera ticket for one of its clients for only $5.

Participating organizations have included St. Vincent de Paul, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lane County, Womenspace, Sponsors Inc., and Catholic Community Services of Lane County.

Give a gift of appreciated securities
If you have appreciated stock or fund shares, you may reduce your taxes by making your donation in the form of securities. You pay no capital gains tax, and the full market value qualifies as a tax-deductible donation. Eugene Opera receives the full market value of the securities, because as a non-profit we pay no capital gains tax. To qualify, you must transfer the securities directly to Eugene Opera (rather than selling and sending us the proceeds). You can easily do this through your brokerage; contact us directly for our routing information.

Make a direct transfer from your IRA account
If you are over age 70½, you may benefit from a special IRS provision, the “qualified charitable distribution” (QCD) from your otherwise-taxable IRA. When you make a direct transfer from your traditional IRA to a qualifying charity such as Eugene Opera, the transfer is exempt from income tax and can count toward your annual required minimum distribution (RMD). There are some restrictions on eligibility; contact your IRA administrator for details and forms. You’ll need Eugene Opera’s tax ID: 93-0679959.

Give from a donor-advised fund
These relatively new funds are increasingly popular as a way to consolidate your charitable giving and simplify your record-keeping. They may also have tax advantages for some individuals. They provide a convenient mechanism to “bunch” multiple years’ worth of donations into a single year, to benefit from itemizing deductions that otherwise might fall below thresholds under the recent tax reform act. With such a fund, you receive the tax benefit of your donation in a single year but can spread the distribution of gifts over multiple years. And you can donate appreciated securities to gain additional tax benefits (see above). Many investment firms offer donor-advised funds. Minimum initial investments are typically $5,000 or $10,000.

Recurring donations
Instead of a one-time gift, you may prefer to make smaller monthly donations that can really add up over time. You can easily do this by authorizing us to charge your credit card a monthly gift amount; contact us at 541-485-3985 or eugeneopera.com/donate. Or your financial institution may allow you to set up a recurring payment from your checking or money market account. Such donations are particularly helpful to us in smoothing out our cash flow, so that we have a regular income stream.

Oregon Cultural Trust credit
Oregon offers a unique tax benefit to encourage support for the arts. Here’s how it works: make a donation to a qualifying organization such as Eugene Opera. Make an equivalent donation (up to $500 for individuals, $1000 for couples) to the Oregon Cultural Trust. Your Oregon Cultural Trust donation then qualifies as a tax credit on your Oregon income tax – meaning you subtract it directly from your tax due. In effect, you are choosing to direct your tax dollars to the arts in Oregon. And both your Eugene Opera donation and your Oregon Cultural Trust donation may also be eligible charitable deductions on your federal tax return.

We encourage you to consult your financial and/or legal advisors to determine which type of gift is best for you and for legal requirements regarding these gifts.

Yes! The Opera greatly appreciates legacy gifts.

When you give to support the future of Eugene Opera, you know your gift will ensure that our shared commitment to the community and its vital cultural resources will continue for years to come. Often, the largest and most meaningful gift anyone can make is a bequest in a will or living trust. Many of us cannot afford to make a major gift in our lifetime. But we can set up a legacy gift now so that Eugene Opera receives these invaluable gifts in the future.

Bequests
Bequests are gifts made in a will, trust, or estate plan. The gift is most often made as a specific amount, a percentage, or a remainder amount, and can be as easy to establish as adding the following sentence to your Will, either directly or by a codicil:

“I devise and bequeath to Eugene Opera, Eugene, Oregon, [dollar amount of gift or a percentage of the estate] to be used for its general purposes.”

You may also designate your gift to a specific program or purpose; please discuss your planned giving intentions with Eugene Opera in order to ensure your wishes may be accommodated.

Beneficiary designations

You may prefer to manage your legacy planning through beneficiary designations. Such designations are generally easy to establish, easily revocable if your plans change, and do not require changes to your will. Your legacy may bypass probate, simplifying the process for your heirs. Some options may have significant tax advantages.

• Retirement plans
  You can name Eugene Opera as the sole or partial beneficiary in your retirement plans such as IRAs, 401(k) plans and 403(b) plans. By naming Eugene Opera as a beneficiary of your retirement plans, you may be able to avoid both income and estate tax, allowing you to leave your lower-taxed assets to your family.
• Life insurance policies
  By naming Eugene Opera as the sole or partial beneficiary of your fully paid life insurance policy, you may be able to avoid the estate tax on the proceeds.
• Investment accounts
  Many investment accounts permit you to add a Transfer on Death designee to your account. By naming Eugene Opera as the “TOD” recipient, your gift will pass directly to the Opera, bypassing probate.
• Donor-advised funds
  Do you have a donor-advised fund? If so, you may want to consider naming Eugene Opera as your Charitable Beneficiary, which simply indicates your wish that any funds remaining in the account at your death be donated to Eugene Opera.

Contact your plan or account administrator for the forms required to name Eugene Opera as a beneficiary.

Legacy recognition

Please be sure to let Eugene Opera know of your legacy plans. With your permission, you will be recognized in our Silva Hall production programs as a member of our Legacy Society, encouraging others to follow your example.