Pittsburgh Opera has announced the creation of The Henry J. and Mary Louise Gailliot Fund for Classical Opera.

The new fund is being seeded by a $3 million gift from Henry and Mary Louise Gailliot and it will support the production, performance, and staging of operas composed before 1950.

In a statement, General Director Christopher Hahn said, “This gift will help ensure that seminal works of the opera canon continue to delight future generations of Pittsburghers. Music by composers such as Mozart, Verdi, and Puccini stand the test of time for a reason, and we deeply appreciate the Gailliots’ support of them. This will help us propel the art form into the future by continuing to appreciate its past.”

For his part, Henry Gailliot said, “We are delighted to make this gift to Pittsburgh Opera. Pittsburgh Opera is a vital contributor to the region’s vibrant cultural life and we are proud to support classical opera through the creation of this Fund.”