Humanities mourns loss of Anderson

Edward “Ted” Anderson, an assistant professor in the Art History Department, died last week. He was 46.

Edward Anderson

Anderson came to Rice in 2006 as a lecturer and was appointed assistant professor of humanities in 2009. He specialized in Renaissance, Baroque and enlightenment Italian literature and culture (1300-1800), with a particular emphasis on the interrelationship between poetry and music. He taught in the Humanities, Classical Studies, Music and Art History curricula.

 Anderson received a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge (St. John’s College), an M.A. in Italian language and literature from Middlebury College and an A.B. in history and French from the University of California, Berkeley. At Rice he collaborated with the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and the Accademia Filarmonica Romana. He had been a director of the Art Song and Vocal Chamber Performance Program of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

 “Ted was a wonderful, talented and accomplished person with a great passion for Italian literature and opera,” said Dean of Humanities Nick Shumway. “He was finishing work on a book and planning a research trip to Italy this summer. His passing is much lamented by both students and faculty.”