Los Angeles’s Long Beach Opera Receives $1.25 Million Gift

The opera company received the donation from the estate of its late board member Carol Richards

Long Beach Opera (LBO) has received a historic $1.25 million from the late Carol Richards, who bequeathed the gift through her estate plans. Serving on LBO's board since its founding in 1979, Richards passed away in 2021.

With the donation, LBO plans to make strategic investments, expand its artistic offerings across the next five years, and utilize greater resources to celebrate its 50th anniversary season.

Additionally, the LBO has received a $100,000 capacity-building grant from Los Angeles’s Perenchio Foundation, which has helped upgrade LBO's ticketing and database platform in time for sales for its 2024 season. 

“We are so grateful to both Carol Richards and the Perenchio Foundation for their belief that LBO, as a hub for artistic innovation and expression that supports emerging artists and adventurous programming, warrants major support,” said LBO’s general director and CEO Jennifer Rivera.

“We plan to utilize these gifts to make important investments in the future of LBO, allowing the company to thrive and grow, while continuing to focus on changing the artistic landscape with non-traditional programming like our 2024 season.”

Founded in 1979, the LBO is the longest-running opera organization in the greater Los Angeles region, having presented over 100 productions since then. The company’s highlights include the 2019 commission and world premiere of Anthony Davis’ The Central Park Five, which consequently won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize.