Nancy Gustafson

Distinguished Alumnae Award Recipient, 2007

Opera Singer Artist-in-Residence, Northwestern University

The Alumnae Award recognizes a woman who has brought honor to Northwestern University through outstanding professional contributions in her field and who has attained national recognition. Established in 1976, the Alumnae Award has been presented every year to an alumna who has had a significant impact in her field of endeavor. Educators, journalists, doctors, scientists, and artists are included among The Alumnae’s roster of awardees.

Nancy’s 30- year operatic career took her around the world singing regularly in the world’s greatest opera houses – from the Lyric Opera of Chicago to Europe’s Vienna State Opera, Teatro a La Scala Milan, London’s Covent Garden, the Paris Opera Garnier and many others.  She worked frequently with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Muti, James Levin, Sir Georg Solti.  Her recordings include La Boheme, Herodiade opposite Placido Domingo and Pavoritti and Friends 2. Ms. Gustafson has been an Artist-in-Residence at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music since September 2006.  From 2011 to 2014 she was General Manager of the Castleton Festival with Maestro Lorin Maazel.  For the past 35 years, she has served as Artistic Director and Producer of Celebration – a benefit concert for Over the Rainbow, which provides affordable housing and resident services to support independent living for individuals with physical disabilities. Inspired by her own mother’s battle with Alzheimer’s, she founded the Songs by Heart Foundation in 2015.  Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of people with memory loss through the joy of music, Songs by Heart offers interactive sing-along programs in memory care communities in six different states including 50 locations in Illinois.