When Khori Dastoor first joined the Houston Grand Opera as general director and CEO in January 2022, she said she had a decision to make: manage decline in a responsible way or stress test the opportunity for growth. She chose the latter — and that bet is already paying off.
The Houston Grand Opera saw significant growth during the 2023-24 season even as opera houses around the country face continued challenges. The organization sold 57,310 tickets generating approximately $6.34 million in revenue during the 2023-24 season, according to the organization’s latest annual report. Ticket sales and ticket revenue were up 13.5% and 30.5% compared to the previous season, respectively.
The Houston Grand Opera also welcomed 8,575 new-to-file audience members — or first-time opera visitors — last season, a 69% increase from the previous season.
Additionally, the organization performed even better last season than it did in the five seasons before the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020. Between 2016 and 2020, the Houston Grand Opera sold an average of 55,018 tickets with average ticket revenue of just over $4.49 million.
The opera also continues to grow its funding base, adding a record 860 new donors last season. The organization received its largest gift ever in February 2023, a $22 million donation from Sarah and Ernest Butler. The Houston Grand Opera also received its first-ever grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, securing a $385,000 award in August 2023. Its endowment is up 8% to $100.97 million, as well.