The Minnesota Orchestra ended its fiscal year with an operating surplus of $1.1 million on a budget of $42 million, the orchestra announced Thursday.

“The 2022-23 season saw audiences returning to Orchestra Hall in the highest numbers yet since the pandemic began,” said board chair Nancy E. Lindahl in a news release. “The enduring connection between the orchestra and its audiences is a real source of inspiration, with this community of donors and concertgoers continuing to show remarkable support for their orchestra.”

Attendance across all concerts reached a total capacity of 82 percent during the year running from September 2022 to August 2023, up from the prior year’s 79 percent and the highest level reached since 2019’s 87 percent capacity.

Thomas Sondergard made his debut as music director designate, while the orchestra offered its first Young People’s Concerts for in-person student audiences since the start of the pandemic, resumed touring activity with a week-long visit to Austin, released an album featuring Gustav Mahler’s Ninth Symphony and performed and recorded a new work by Carlos Simon and Marc Bamuthi Joseph.

The orchestra performed 138 ticketed and free concerts and events during the season, seven of which were broadcast on TV, radio and online. Nearly 230,000 guests attended in-person Minnesota Orchestra concerts and an additional 235,000 watched digitally.

Operating revenue reached $9.5 million, an increase of 17 percent from the previous year. Expenses were $42 million, compared to the prior year’s $39 million, reflecting a return to full operations and activities following the pandemic.

Contributions — including annual fund donations, major gifts, Symphony Ball gifts, trust distributions and Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness — reached $32.6 million, compared to $28.8 million in the previous year.

“The 2022-23 season was marked by the most regular operations we’ve experienced in four years,” said president and CEO Michelle Miller Burns. “Our path forward involves carefully controlling expenses and increasing earned and contributed revenues as part of our multi-year financial plan.”

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