Another donor - another name

The Royal Opera House is to receive a £10m donation from the foundation of late philanthropist Lord Hamlyn. The Covent Garden venue's Floral Hall (left) will be renamed the Paul Hamlyn Hall in honour of the publisher and arts patron, who died in 2001. It is one of the largest donations ever received by the Royal Opera House ~ reports BBC News. Last time round it was called the Vilar Floral Hall in honour of another donor, but that all ended in tears.

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Henry Holland said…
Ah, Vilar. Man did he have people bamboozled for a while. Thanks to the collapse of his financial empire, a Kirov War and Peace got cancelled here in Los Angeles, a Ring that was to be done with George Lucas' ILM effects group never happened and generally, a big hole in the Los Angeles Opera's budget and much egg on Placido Domingo's face were created. Good times, good times.....
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