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WT Opera Gala to Honor Dr. Robert Hansen
Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu
CANYON, Texas — Reservations are due Jan. 20 to attend a West Texas A&M University opera gala honoring the retiring Dr. Robert Hansen.
The “Out of This World” gala, featuring performances by WT Opera students and faculty, will begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 27 in Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on the WT campus in Canyon.
Tickets are $100 for individuals, $500 for four tickets, and $1,000 and $2,500 for tables of eight.
“Dr. Bob has had a tremendous impact on our program over the years,” said Sarah Beckham-Turner, assistant professor of voice and WT Opera director. “We look forward to honoring him for his years of service to our students, faculty and the WT School of Music.”
Hansen, WT’s Regents Professor of Music, began his WT career in 1987 as director of the opera program and a voice professor, then was named coordinator of vocal music. He was named interim head of the Department of Art, Theatre and Dance for three years beginning in 2010 and was named director of the School of Music when it officially was formed in 2012, serving simultaneously in both positions for one year.
He announced in June that he would step down as the School of Music director and will retire from the faculty at the end of the 2023-24 academic year.
The gala also will include dinner and an open bar.
For reservations, call 806-651-2840, email opera@wtamu.edu.
Fostering an appreciation of the arts is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.
That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $150 million.
About West Texas A&M University
WT is located in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of about 10,000 and offers 59 undergraduate degree programs and more than 40 graduate degrees, including two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.
—WT—