(Photo credit: Ken Benson)

The George and Nora London Foundation has been gifted $215,000 from the estate of Lois Kirschenbaum.

The foundation made the news public on Jan. 8, which would have been Nora London’s 100th birthday. The contribution goes towards cash prizes for foundation’s competition, allowing approximately a dozen singers to compete for George London Awards of $12,000 each. These awards will also be given in memory of Kirschenbaum.

John Hauser, the foundation’s president says of Kirschenbaum, “Lois’s love and dedication to opera and its artists was absolute. She was a real friend to the foundation, and whenever she was in the audience, we were the center of the New York opera world.” She was described by The New York Times as “one of New York’s biggest and longest-standing opera buffs,” who was a regular figure in the audience and at the stage door of the Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall. Kirschenbaum was good friends with the Londons, and a regular attendee at the London Foundation’s vocal recitals and annual competition.

Rounding out the foundation’s season of events at The Morgan, baritone Blake Denson, a 2020 George London Award winner, performs in recital with pianist Kevin Miller on April 28.