Risë Stevens ( /ˈriːsə/; born June 11, 1913, New York City) is a retired American operatic mezzo-soprano.
Born Risë Steenberg to Christian and Sarah (née Mechanic) Steenberg, known as "Sadie". Her father was of Norwegian Lutheran descent and her mother was Jewish, of Polish and Russian descent. She had a younger brother, Lewis "Bud" Steenberg. She 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.
She was engaged at the Teatro Colón in 1938 (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.
Rise Stevens "Habanera" Carmen
Rise Stevens "Mon coeur s`ouvre à ta voix" Samson et Dalila
Risë Stevens "Beware of a hawk, my baby" Natoma
NEA Opera Honors: Interview with Risë Stevens
Rise Stevens "Voi che sapete" Le nozze di Figaro
Rise Stevens "Gypsi song" from Carmen
RISE STEVENS ! "HABANERA" from CARMEN ~improved HQ AUDIO
RISE STEVENS "HABANERA" CARMEN MET 1957
Rise Stevens "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix"
Rise Stevens "Seguidille" Carmen
Risë Stevens - "Che farò senza Euridice?" (in STEREO!)
NEA Opera Honors: Paul Gruber on Risë Stevens
NEA Opera Honors: Susan Graham on Risë Stevens
RISE STEVENS 100 años
Rise Stevens "Habanera" Carmen
Rise Stevens "Mon coeur s`ouvre à ta voix" Samson et Dalila
Risë Stevens "Beware of a hawk, my baby" Natoma
NEA Opera Honors: Interview with Risë Stevens
Rise Stevens "Voi che sapete" Le nozze di Figaro
Rise Stevens "Gypsi song" from Carmen
RISE STEVENS ! "HABANERA" from CARMEN ~improved HQ AUDIO
RISE STEVENS "HABANERA" CARMEN MET 1957
Rise Stevens "Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix"
Rise Stevens "Seguidille" Carmen
Risë Stevens - "Che farò senza Euridice?" (in STEREO!)
NEA Opera Honors: Paul Gruber on Risë Stevens
NEA Opera Honors: Susan Graham on Risë Stevens
RISE STEVENS 100 años
Rise Stevens as Carmen "Cards Scene"
Rise Stevens "Primtens qui commence" Samson et Dalila
RISE STEVENS : IN MEMORIAM (1913-2013)
Risë Stevens - Samson et Dalila.
(Best)Rise Stevens Mario del Monaco-Mon coeur s'ouvre à ta voix-Samson et Dalia-ACT 2
Risë Stevens: Seguidilla (Carmen)
My Hero Rise Stevens Mezzo
Risë Stevens In Opera & Song
Rise Stevens - Going My Way
Risë Stevens & David Dubal
RISE STEVENS "CHE FARÒ SENZA EURIDICE?"
RISE STEVENS SINGS-IF I COULD TELL YOU- 1950 RADIO SHOW
Rise Stevens "Amour! viens aider ma faiblesse" Samson et Dalila
Rise Stevens "Air de Lia" L'enfant prodigue
Bizet Carmen Final duet Rise Stevens and Richard Tucker
Mario del Monaco & Rise Stevens "En ces lieux malgré moi" Samson et Dalila
RICHARD TUCKER & RISE STEVENS "Ma chi vien?" La Gioconda 1946
Rise Stevens Mario del Monaco-Mais!...Non! Que dis-je, hélas!-SAMSON et DALILA-ACT 2
Rise Stevens "Habanera" Carmen 1955
Risë Stevens: "Songs My Mother Taught Me" - Part II of II