Straz Center announces million dollar endowment for Opera Tampa

Picture courtesy of the Straz Center: Dr. Zena Lansky, Clearwater Physician, endows Opera Tampa with a $1 million dollar gift

By Virginia Johnson, Entertainment Host/Reporter
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See our story on Opera Tampa's Vocal Arts Festival
Opera Tampa has been endowed with a $1 million dollar gift that will name the Dr. Zena Lansky Endowed Principal Artist. This naming will apply to the principal performer in all Opera Tampa productions in perpetuity.

TAMPA --

The David A. Straz, Jr Center for the Performing Arts announced today a million dollar endowment for it's resident opera company Opera Tampa.

The contribution comes from a Bay area physician, Dr. Zena Lansky:

"I think of this as the ‘lead’ gift to Opera Tampa, since such a small percentage of operating costs are actually covered by ticket sales it is my hope that this gift encourages others to thoughtfully and generously support the work of this outstanding company.”

Lasky lives in Clearwater, along with her husband, Warren L. Rodgers

Strz Center CEO Judith Lisi says this gift will allow the company to continue to grow.

It stared in 1996 with a performance Madame Butterfly.

The announcement comes in the midst of their Vocal Arts Festival. Tampa Bay On Demand recently sat in on an Opera Master Classes with world-renowned Maestro Tito Capobianco.

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