S.F. Opera gets $40-million gift

The San Francisco Opera has hit another fundraising home run, announcing a record donation of $40 million from its chairman, stock fund manager John A. Gunn, and his wife, Cynthia Fry Gunn. That tops the $35 million that longtime supporter Jeannik Mequet Littlefield gave two years ago.

Both big donations have followed the arrival of General Director David Gockley, who came from the Houston Grand Opera at the start of 2006 to succeed Pamela Rosenberg.

All but $5 million of the Gunns’ money is earmarked for commissioning new works and special initiatives, including new-media projects and beaming performances into movie houses. The rest goes for an endowment to help cover the general director’s salary.

The opera company’s announcement said that the $40 million is “to its knowledge” the largest gift from individuals ever received by an American opera company.