Winspear Gift Establishes UNT Opera Chair

A $1.5 million gift from the estate of the late philanthropist and arts patron Bill Winspear has established the endowed Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera Studies at the University of North Texas College of Music. Paula Homer, director of opera who joined the UNT faculty in 1992, has been selected as the first person to hold the chair, effective immediately. “We know how much opera meant to Bill Winspear, and his generous estate gift to UNT could serve no better purpose than helping to assure the future of opera in the College of Music,” said James C. Scott, dean of the UNT College of Music. “The Margot and Bill Winspear Chair in Opera will create a place of distinction for opera here in the same way the opera house in their name does for the city of Dallas. The designation will join that of our Winspear Performance Hall as a defining presence in music at UNT.” The endowed fund will be used for opera production costs, financial support for voice students in opera, supplementary salary or other professional support for the chair and other opera-related expenses. “This generous gift and the endowed chair in opera provide the stability needed for training aspiring opera singers,” Homer said. “Our students can look forward to exciting opportunities to perform in full productions and our patrons can thrill at the top quality singing and acting provided by the best recruits in the nation.”