 He was also Caldwell's assistant in the opera department, 1950–52, and helped Alice Taylor create the Oakland Opera in the 1970s.Pettitt's hometown friend, Robert Rounseville, who also studied at Tanglewood, was a lifelong friend and supporter of Mrs Pettitt.He starred in the world premiere of Stravinsky's "Rake's Progress" in Europe, before Caldwell brought Stravinsky to BU to conduct the US premiere.