Risë Stevens

Risë Stevens performing at the University of Michigan, 1952-1953

Risë Stevens ( /ˈriːsə/; born June 11, 1913, New York City) is a retired American operatic mezzo-soprano.

Professional life

Stevens studied at New York's Juilliard School for three years. She went to Vienna, where she was trained by Marie Gutheil-Schoder and Herbert Graf. She made her début as Mignon in Prague in 1936 and stayed there until 1938, also appearing in guest appearances at the Vienna State Opera. Her Octavian in Der Rosenkavalier was one of her finest and most accomplished roles.^{[citation needed]}

She was engaged at the Teatro Colón in 1938 (again as Octavian) and was invited to the Glyndebourne Festival in 1939 where she was heard as Dorabella and Cherubino. In 1938 she made her début at the Metropolitan Opera as Mignon. Three days later, she sang Octavian opposite Lotte Lehmann. The film industry in Hollywood produced several films for her, including The Chocolate Soldier (1941) with Nelson Eddy and Going My Way (1944) with Bing Crosby, the latter film crediting Stevens as a contralto.

For over two decades (until 1961) Stevens was the Met's leading mezzo-soprano and the only mezzo to command the top billing (and commensurate fees) normally awarded only to star sopranos and tenors. Her most successful roles there included Cherubino, Octavian, Dalila, Laura, Hänsel and Marina. She was especially celebrated for her Carmen, which she both performed and recorded several times. She also appeared in Paris, London, at La Scala and at Glyndebourne. Her last performance was as Carmen, at the Met in 1961.^{[citation needed]}

In 1962, she recorded the voice of Glinda for Journey Back to Oz, but the production ran out of money and was halted for more than four years. It was only after the Filmation studio had made profits on their numerous television series that they were able to finish the project (which was copyrighted 1971, released in 1972 in the United Kingdom and in 1974 in the United States). After her retirement from the opera stage, Stevens served as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera National Company until 1966 and later coached the new generation of singers at the Met.^{[citation needed]}

Stevens made occasional television appearances too, including a guest-starring role on NBC's The Martha Raye Show.

On October 22, 1977, Stevens was awarded the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Glee Club Award of Merit. Established in 1964, this award sought "to bring a declaration of appreciation to an individual each year that has made a significant contribution to the world of music and helped to create a climate in which our talents may find valid expression".

Film

Stevens was a part of a number of Hollywood productions, her most memorable being in the Oscar winning film "Going My Way" alongside costars Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald.

• 1974 - Journey Back to Oz as Glinda, the Good Witch (voice)
• 1958 - Little Women (TV movie) as Margaret March
• 1958 - Hansel and Gretel (TV movie) as Mother
• 1956 - Producers' Showcase (TV series) as Carmen in Carmen excerpt
• 1955 - The Chocolate Soldier (TV movie) as Nadina
• 1952 - Carmen (TV movie) as Carmen
• 1949 - Der Rosenkavalier (TV movie) as Octavian
• 1944 - Going My Way as Genevieve Linden
• 1941 - The Chocolate Soldier as Maria Lanyi, Karl's Wife

Family

Stevens was married to actor Walter Surovy (1910–2001). Their son is actor Nicolas Surovy (b. 1944).

Sources

• Erna Berger, Risë Stevens: American mezzo-soprano
• Kyle Crichton, Subway to the Met: Risë Stevens' Own Story (New York: Doubleday, 1959)

External links

• Risë Stevens at the Internet Movie Database
• Going My Way (1944) at the Internet Movie Database