As we just brought 2023 to a close, I wanted to highlight two special people — who slipped away from us last year without too much notice.
I would like to bring them to mind, that we might pay final respects for what they provided our community.
RoseAnna Vitetta
You may not have known her name, but you would have recognized her on stage.
RoseAnna Vitetta.
Make that “RoseAnna Bernadetta Vitetta” (“My father said he wanted to give me a name you could dance to …”), who died last February, a month before her 66th birthday.
Vitetta was a big gal — she had a big heart, a big personality and enormous talent. She had a smile that could light up a stage and a voice that could fill an auditorium.
You saw her in many theater productions, bringing to life all kinds of character roles or specialty parts on every local stage.
If you attended local theater, you would have recognized her face and settled back in your seat comfortably knowing that she was going to add a lot of fun or interest to the role.
Vitetta performed in all the local companies, starting with Santa Barbara Youth Theatre, Alhecama Theatre, Curtain Up Productions, Le P’etit Cabaret, California Youth Theatre, Center Stage Theater, Circle Bar B, Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, Santa Barbara City College Theatre Group … and undoubtedly more that I am forgetting.
In Youth Theatre’s production of South Pacific, Vitetta was not even old enough to drive a car, but she held down the role of Bloody Mary, with all the right exuberant characterization.
And when she sang “Bali Ha’i,” you could hear a pin drop in the auditorium; her rich, resonant, voice and commanding presence lent everything to the haunting melody.
She was a natural and gifted actress, never studied acting per se, but was completely comfortable and happy jumping into whatever role was given her, and delivering the goods.
She was an entertainer.
And Vitetta was fantastic at accents: New York Minnie Marx, mother of the brothers, Irish in Nunsense. Southern lady drawl — she’d nail every one.
She had so many varied roles from Oliver!, Funny Girl and Minnie’s Boys, to Gramercy Ghost, 42nd Street and Nunsense.
In addition, Vitetta produced and starred in musical reviews, and directed shows like Side by Side by Sondheim.
Oh, and she was also the lead in the movie, Triplewide.
Her magnificent voice found her in Santa Barbara High School’s acclaimed Madrigal Singers as well as Phyllis Zimmerman’s Canticle Choir.
Vitetta had not been in great health for a number of recent years, but whenever there was a gathering of the local theater family, she was there: upbeat, huge smile, throaty conspiratorial giggle, and excited to talk to all the gang.
An out-of-town reviewer captured Vitetta’s talent and reminds us of her contribution to our community:
“Her singing is pure delight and her acting is spontaneous and natural. She is a versatile actress and a joy to behold. It is worth the trip to Santa Barbara just to see her.”
From Marines to the Met, Eddie ‘Eduardo’ Villa
Eddie Villa was a local teenager who was raised in a family that treasured music.
He started violin early and even played drums, and enjoyed making music and singing with his brothers and sisters, father and mother, who played the piano.
Villa’s early vocal training was best described as crooning along with Enrico Caruso and Mario Lanza on the family phonograph.
He was also influenced by his father who had a huge tenor voice.
“We used to have parties,” Villa recalled. “… People would be mesmerized — nobody speaking or moving — staring at my father.
“It was incredible to see that. I got inspired by how he had these people in the palm of his hand.”
The elder Villa realized his son had a natural, beautiful voice, comfortable with a great range. His son was just in junior high school when he took him out to the Olive Mill Bistro to sing with the incomparable Gil Rosas at the grand piano.
Villa started out thinking maybe of a career as a violinist. But while playing in the orchestra for Dos Pueblos High School musicals, he fell in love with the action on stage, and decided to give singing and dancing a shot.
The next year as a sophomore he was cast as the lead in the school’s production of Paint Your Wagon, paired with a talented young freshman, Meredith Bryan.
Bryan remembered that, even in high school, the other teenagers knew Villa had something special.
“Ed had a big, generous personality to go along with his gorgeous voice,” she recalled.
“He was a ‘guy’s guy,’ a member of the football team (though Ed joked that he was never put in a game). Ed was always popular with the girls, he was a flirt but also a great friend.”
Their drama/music teacher, Amer Lincoln, recognized Villa’s unique vocal talent, and paid for his voice lessons throughout high school.
Not surprisingly, Villa was often a soloist for the DPHS A Cappella Choir concerts.
After high school, Villa was undecided exactly what to pursue in life — so he enlisted in the U.S. Marines Corps for four years. (It was always a point of pride for him to be a Marine veteran.)
Although this was the Vietnam War era, Villa was sent to Hawai‘i, where he promptly formed and directed the choir on the base.
When he returned, Villa had all the regal bearing of a Marine, but never lost his accessible and easy-going manner along with his sense of humor … and that magnificent voice.
Back in Santa Barbara, Villa poured himself into performance — from the City College Chamber Singers to 15 different shows with Youth Theatre, Curtain Up, Gazebo Theatre, Center Stage, etc. (In Youth Theatre’s Oliver!, he played Mr. Bumble with RoseAnna Vitetta playing his wife!)
He even reprised his role in Paint Your Wagon along with Bryan for Alhecama Theatre at the Lobero Theatre. They enjoyed the opportunity to revisit their roles with years of added maturity and context now under them.
In the middle of the run of the show, Villa’s father died, and his concerned co-star asked if Eddie would need to step away and take some time off from the performance.
“He told me he wouldn’t consider that,” Bryan related. “He said his dad would never have wanted him to skip a performance!
“He knew the show must go on — but, more important for Ed, he felt he would best honor his father by giving the show his best.“
Villa was a true professional in every way.
In search of other performing opportunities, he tried his hand at stand-up comedy in Santa Monica, and was even featured in a Bob’s Big Boy commercial — singing (baritone!) the Toreador Song from Carmen. He was fearless to find his way.
And he was checking out opportunities with regional companies in Los Angeles.
How well I remember the sheer adventure of going to Los Angeles in Villa’s Big Green Machine — an ancient, slightly beat-up Cadillac — with another thespian friend, Ken Smyth, to audition for the LA Music Center musical theater season.
We sang out show tunes all the way down (well, not too loud — we had to save our voices).
Not one of us made it into the shows … However, Villa later was one of 22 singers nationwide to receive Los Angeles Civic Light Opera workshop scholarships.
In the meantime, Villa pursued theater and dance classes at Santa Barbara City College, and studied voice with local teacher, Sharon Currier.
At this time Currier was directing the choir for Congregation B’nai B’rith and had Villa singing in Hebrew for High Holy Days, when he was heard by the legendary vocal mentor of both UCLA and USC, Natalie Limonick.
Limonick recognized his potential and wasted no time recruiting him to USC, wooing him with a vocal scholarship.
It was there that Villa switched lanes and went from musical theater to the high drama and vocal demands of opera. He started off with the lead in The Tales of Hoffmann at USC.
Villa was gathering attention in competitions, winning the Loren L. Zachary Competition in Los Angeles and an audition with the San Francisco Opera.
Then, in 1982, he was a winner of Metropolitan Opera auditions in New York City.
He was now in the spotlight and ready for the big time.
But first, he made an adjustment to his name. “Eddie,” and even “Ed,” was perfect for friends, but would not work for the Met.
Eduardo Villa now took the stage … and the world by storm.
Upon winning the Met auditions, Villa departed for Switzerland, where he sang with Theater Basel Opera. In 1986, he made his debut at the Opéra de Paris in Giuseppe Verdi’s famed Don Carlos in 1988.
Next up he spent four years performing at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich from 1987 to 1991, then went on to the Grand Théâtre de Genève Opera in Geneva, Oper Frankfurt, Teatro Dell’Opera Di Roma in Rome and in Deutsche Oper Berlin.
Villa sang at the Bavarian State Opera for almost 30 years. He sang Jacopo in a concert performance of Verdi’s I due Foscari presented by Opera Orchestra of New York led by Eve Queler.
Literally, Villa had gone from the Halls of Montezuma to Carnegie Hall.
Did I mention he was a member of the “Fourth Tenor” club? — filling in when needed as a replacement for one of The Three Tenors: José Carreras, Plácido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.
Despite the accolades and worldwide attention, Eduardo was still Ed on the inside, a humble spirit who never took himself too seriously.
He maintained his gregarious and great sense of humor. He was the consummate professional, yet was approachable and gracious with both his colleagues and friends.
In 2002, Villa joined the Metropolitan Opera, debuting as Don Carlos and going on to make two dozen Met appearances (thru 2008) as Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly), Don José (Carmen), Calaf (Turandot), Turiddu (Cavalleria rusticana), Rodolfo (La Bohème), Cavaradossi (Tosca), Enzo (La Gioconda), Radames (Aida) and, of course, Verdi’s Otello … (He loved Verdi.)
At one point in New York, he met up with another Santa Barbara buddy living there, fellow Dos Pueblos alum, Howard McGillin, who also studied voice with Sharon Currier.
McGillin was starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit The Phantom of the Opera at the Majestic Theatre. (He holds the record for the most performances by an actor in the title role — 2,544 performances).
As the two pals caught up on life and thoughtfully munched on their hoagie sandwiches, Eddie looked at Howard and exclaimed, “You know Howard … what are the chances?”
“… Two guys from a small town, same high school, studying with the same voice teacher — are now on the two most significant stages in the country — the Met and Broadway.”
It was a stunning realization.
In 2008, when Villa returned to Santa Barbara, I was in charge of La Fiesta Pequeña at the Santa Barbara Mission that opened Fiesta week. I asked if he would be interested in performing. Of course he would.
He sang “Granada” — his majestic tenor rang out over a crowd of some 5,000 people as he stood on the Mission stage overlooking the city and down to the sea.
Villa just wowed the mesmerized crowd. They were thrilled to have a Metropolitan Opera principal artist singing before them AND that he was one of them: a Santa Barbara boy.
Afterward we were discussing the evening performances, and I said, “You know, Eddie, you have performed on all the greatest stages in the entire world, but probably none so naturally dramatic and stunning as the Old Mission Santa Barbara as your backdrop.”
And I showed him the photo I took.
Villa was legendary for his generosity of spirit. So many fledgling singers in the opera world today still treasure the encouragement, advice and mentorship he so freely imparted to them.
He was very clear that he felt his was a God-given talent, and therefore should be shared. His faith was a guiding force in his life so it was no surprise that among the many, many benefit concerts he gave — donating his time and talent — were many churches.
Just a small number of the benefit concerts included First Presbyterian Church of Santa Barbara, Goleta Presbyterian Church, University Religious Conference, Opera Santa Barbara, First Christian Church in Phoenix and a Seventh-day Adventist Church in Tucson.
He also established the Villa Music and Arts Weeks program at Goleta Presbyterian Church.
In 2017, Villa read in the Santa Barbara News-Press that my mother had died, and immediately called to offer not only his condolences but also his talent to sing at her service. (He sang “When Irish Eyes are Smiling.”)
Later when Santa Barbara jazzman Peter Clark died, I was assisting with the memorial at the Montecito Country Club.
His widow wanted to include a Spanish song that was meaningful to the couple, and I selected Villa to perform it. (And once again, he insisted on donating his service.)
Now remember, Eduardo could easily have blown out the back window with his magnificently powerful voice … and that was without a microphone.
But this was a personal and sweet love song and my thought was that it would have so much more intensity and sound more dramatically tender for Eduardo to sing this as a quiet intimate song.
He was thrilled at the idea and related that Sharon Currier told him decades earlier that there was power and artistry in delivering a controlled, quiet song.
He relished the opportunity to present it that way.
• • •
A few years ago, Villa was diagnosed with cancer. Esophageal cancer is perhaps the worst possible malady for a singer.
By 2021, he announced on Facebook that he was seriously ill. Most of his friends understood from his honest posts that he probably would not make it through that summer.
He was in pain — just terrible pain.
Villa continually kept us informed of his condition and prognosis, yet remarkably he never complained. He just told us straightforwardly what his status was.
He had lost half his weight, and we knew of his horrific pain, yet in his photos he was always smiling. A big generous grin, happy to be with his lifelong friends.
But then — surprising us all — Villa made it through the end of the year.
Miraculously it would seem, he also made it through 2022, and he even sang for Mission Pequeña at Fiesta.
Thankfully, before Villa died at the end of 2023, friends and fellow alums from Dos Pueblos had the wonderful opportunity to honor him.
Operatic tenor Eduardo Villa was recognized by his beloved alma mater Dos Pueblo High School, and inducted into its Hall of Fame.
His dear friends Meredith Bryan, Alex McDavid, Kirk Olson, Matthew Mark Campos, Howard Jay Smith, Randy Berger, Randy Hart and David Martinez were there in person or in spirit — rallying together in enthusiasm for him.
In turn, Eddie — Eduardo — expressed his humble thankfulness at being the product of a musical community culture, from the theater family of Youth Theatre to the music programs at SBCC.
For three years, Eduardo updated his friends about his health and chemo/radiation outcomes through his Facebook page. He continued to fight the cancer like the Marine he was — through many gruesome and unpleasant treatments, and was fearless about attacking the cancer with everything in the medical arsenal.
But he also continually reminded people that he was not afraid of death.
He wrote and spoke — quite freely and unabashedly — of his faith: “I do not fear death. My faith is with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Do not feel sorry for me, I will be going to a better place for eternity.”
I know I should finish this by saying he is now up with the heavenly choir and singing with the angels.
But I think you should see and hear for yourself:
