A nonagenarian English opera lover who maintained a correspondence with Metropolitan Opera officials through the last decade of her life left $7.5-million to the New York company upon her death in August, reports The New York Times, citing the British press.

Met officials, who learned the size of the bequest on Tuesday, said the 96-year-old Mona Webster was a devotee of the organization’s radio broadcasts. After she attended a performance in 2000, fund-raising officials kept in touch, sending her books about the Met and recordings of performances.

Ms. Webster, a bird-lover, left a like bequest to the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, a British nature charity.

In other arts news, gay and lesbian supporters of the arts are increasingly choosing to be recognized as couples in their giving, and are encouraging other same-sex partners to do so, according to The Boston Globe.

Also, New York’s New Museum of Contemporary Art has come in for criticism for turning its facilities over to a wealthy trustee to mount a showcase of his own collection, The New York Times reports. The exhibition of works owned by Cypriot industrialist Dakis Joannou will be curated by the contemporary-art star Jeff Koons, for whom Mr. Joannou is a major patron.

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