IN MEMORIAM
WILLA E. STEWART-SETSECK
Willa Stewart-Setseck, former professor
of voice at The University of Texas at Austin, died in Austin on
May 19, 2002. She had been
plagued with ill health and numerous surgical procedures, including
crushed vertebrae and replacement of both knees. During the last
six or seven years of her life she was also almost completely
blind. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated in her honor
at Saint
Peter the Apostle Catholic Church in Austin and was attended
by colleagues, friends, and students from far and near. Conrad
Immel, baritone, came from California to read a beautiful eulogy,
written by Paulina Stark, in remembrance of their former teacher
and her profound influence on them and others. He also sang a beautiful
vocal solo as tribute to his mentor and friend.
Willa Mae Stewart was born in Lockwood Missouri, on March 8,
1917. Her early musical training included lessons on the piano,
the violin,
and the tuba. She received a bachelor’s degree in music in
1938 from Southwest Missouri State Teacher’s College in
Springfield, Missouri. She was also a graduate of the Curtis
Institute of Music
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1942. She studied on scholarship
at Curtis under Horatio Farrar, Elizabeth Schumann, and William
Thorner, who also taught the great Rosa Ponselle. She later worked
with Milan
Petrovitch and Paul Althouse. During her studies at Curtis, she
was a friend of composer Samuel Barber and was the first to sing
many
of the songs he composed during that time. On January 26, 1941,
before graduation, she married Michael Setseck, whom she had
met in New
York. They lived together on Staten Island and during this period
she also sang at Radio City Music Hall. They were happily married
for 54 years. Michael Setseck died in 1995.
At the age of 25 she began her career with the old San Carlo
Opera Company, touring through North America and singing such
roles as
Aida, Santuzza, Nedda, Leonora (Il Trovatore) Marguerite, Pamina,
Maddalena (Andrea Chenier), and Michaela. She also appeared with
the New York City Center Opera, San Francisco Opera, Chicago
Lyric, and other companies in the United States. Aida was one
of her most
important roles and during her career she sang over 300 performances
of it. In 1947 she had the good fortune to launch her European
career. The opportunity arose when she was engaged to replace
Ljuba Welitsch
at the Vienna Staatsoper. Between 1947 and 1952 she sang at Covent
Garden, Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony, La Scala,
Vienna Staatsoper, and the Baths in Caracalla in Rome. Her major
roles
besides Aida included Marguerite, Santuzza, Tosca, Pamina, Leonora
in Il
Trovatore, Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier, Maddelena in Andrea
Chenier,
and she sang a few performances of various Valkyries in Wagner’s
Die Walküre. She sang with many distinguished singers including
George London, Richard Tucker, Jan Pierce, and Jess Walters.
Miss Stewart also appeared in concert performances at Carnegie
Hall,
with the Detroit and Philadelphia Orchestras, and with the CBS
and NBC
Symphonies.
In 1952, at the age of 35, she was contracted to make her debut
at the Metropolitan Opera and at La Scala in the coming season.
Unfortunately,
just at this time her mother died and Miss Stewart suffered a
heart attack which forced an early retirement from her operatic
career.
She moved to Denton, Texas, in 1955 and accepted a teaching position
at North Texas State University. There she taught a full load
of students and at the same time completed her own master’s degree.
In 1957 she joined the voice faculty of The University of Texas at
Austin. She served our University as professor of voice for 23 years,
and retired from her position in 1980. From 1958-1963 she spent her
summers teaching singers in the Santa Fe Opera’s Apprentice
Program. After her retirement, she taught one year as adjunct
professor of voice at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign,
and
for many years thereafter she also taught privately in her home.
During her teaching career she produced countless winners of
numerous important national and international competitions and
participants
in various professional opera training programs, including the
Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco’s Merola program, Santa Fe Opera’s
Apprentice program, National Association of Teachers of Singing,
and the Friday Morning Music Club in Washington, D.C. Five of her
students were Metropolitan Regional Audition winners: Norma Newton,
Carolyn Heafner, Conrad Immel, William Neill, and Kathleen Mott.
Willa Stewart was highly regarded for her wide-ranging knowledge
of the art of singing and for her complete devotion to her students.
Professor Stewart’s stellar reputation brought excellent
students to our vocal program and produced a long succession
of successful
and respected professional singers and teachers of singing. She
was famous for her dramatic personality and charismatic style.
She was
also a warm, passionate woman, and regularly inspired love and
devotion in her pupils.
In her will, Willa Stewart made provision for a generous endowment
to The University of Texas at Austin School of Music. The
Willa Stewart-Setseck Scholarship for graduate applied voice
students
was given to provide scholarships for talented young singers.
This gift
is a regular reminder to us all of Willa Stewart’s devotion
to the art of singing and to The University of Texas at Austin.
<Signed>
Larry R. Faulkner, President
The University of Texas at Austin
<Signed>
John R. Durbin, Secretary
The General Faculty
This memorial resolution was prepared by a special committee consisting
of Professors Rose A. Taylor (chair) and Lita A. Guerra. |
