Opera Rara
Analysis
Opera Rara is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in London. It was registered in August 1970, 56 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training and arts/culture/heritage/science, which this site groups under arts, culture, heritage and science. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 00982535). It says it sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending March 2025, Opera Rara reported income of £996k and spending of £1.2m, spending 117% of what it took in. Across the 5 years on record, from March 2021 to March 2025, income grew from £930k to £996k (+7.0%), an average of +1.7% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to March 2024, when income rose by 26%. Over the whole period it spent 90% of the income it received.
Among 17,634 England and Wales charities whose main cause is arts, culture, heritage and science and that reported income, Opera Rara sits at the 95th percentile: it is larger than about 95% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 94th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Gabrieli (£994k), Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation (£996k) and Rosehill Arts Trust Limited (£989k).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from donations and legacies 81%, charitable activities 17% and investments 1.6%. Charitable activities took 89% of spending and raising funds 10%. Reserves of £500k would cover about 5 months of spending at that rate. It employed 6 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 81%
- Charitable activities 17%
- Investments 1.6%
In the charity's own words
Opera Rara widens the operatic repertoire and develops artistic talent by restoring,recording, performing and promiting rare and forgotten works from the 19th and 20th centuries. We spend our charitable income on the execution of recording projects and on the production of concerts while nurturing the current and next generation of remarkable singers, as we have done since 1970.
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Gabrieli | London | £994k |
| Coram Shakespeare Schools Foundation | London | £996k |
| Rosehill Arts Trust Limited | Whitehaven | £989k |
| David Parr House & Gallery | Cambridge | £997k |