About the Foundation
Our vision is a world where Opera thrives as a vibrant art form, enriching cultural landscapes and ensuring it remains an enduring part of the world’s artistic heritage.
Read our story below:
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OUR HISTORY
The George and Nora London Foundation for Singers, a non-profit organization, has been nurturing the careers of exceptional young opera singers since 1971, offering crucial financial support during the challenging early stages of their professional journeys. George London, who rose to fame despite his humble beginnings, understood the difficulties these artists face. With a desire to ease their path, he established the Foundation with the backing of the National Opera Institute and the National Endowment for the Arts.
For over 45 years, the Foundation has awarded prizes to talented American and Canadian singers, with past winners now counted among opera’s most celebrated names. After George’s passing, the Foundation was renamed in his honor. In 1990, his widow, Nora London, moved the Foundation to New York, dedicating herself to preserving his legacy.
During her remarkable tenure as president, Nora introduced an annual recital series featuring George London Award winners, with the inaugural performance headlined by Renée Fleming.
In 2006, the recitals found a prestigious new home at the Morgan Library’s Gilder Lehrman Hall. Further expanding the Foundation's reach, Nora launched the George London Foundation Pre-College Scholarships in 2010, supporting talented high school students pursuing serious music study. Nora London led the Foundation with passion and dedication for over 30 years until her passing in 2022, leaving behind a profound legacy.
who was nora london?
Nora London was born in Berlin and raised in Paris, into a cultured family with Russian roots. As Jews, her family fled Nazi persecution in 1940, escaping to the U.S. via Portugal. In 1942, at just 18, she got “a fantastic job at the Office of War Information as a translator. It was the beginning of the Voice of America. This was very exciting for a young girl like I was. We had to work at night in order for the translations to get to Europe in the morning.”
In a 2017 interview with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, at age 93, Nora reflected on those early years in America. She recalled how difficult it was, but how her multilingual skills allowed her to help others navigate the process of becoming American citizens.
“It was a difficult time,” she says.
“Because I spoke so many languages, I used to help people to fill out their applications to become American citizens. I myself did it. It took me five years after we came to become a U.S. citizen."
When George London passed away in 1985, leading the foundation became Nora’s life’s work. In an interview with Opera News, she explained,
“I wanted to help the young singers. That’s what George wanted. He was very much aware how difficult life is for them, how difficult it is to get anywhere,...And I inherited this from him. I think it was a gift he left for me, and that is what I am supposed to be doing.”
For decades, Nora’s presence at the foundation’s annual competitions was met with warm applause from the singers, reflecting their deep appreciation for her tireless dedication. As the matriarch of this musical family, she nurtured the careers of countless opera singers. In 2017, Nora hired executive director John Hauser to assist with the foundation’s operations, and one of her final projects was establishing a scholarship program for Juilliard’s pre-college students. She explained, “It’s amazing what these kids do. Some of them will continue in music; some may become businessmen, but they’ll still love music—and they are the audience of the future.”
After her passing in 2022, Nora’s legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren, who now serve on the foundation’s executive board, continuing her commitment to supporting young opera talent.
