# Rise Stevens



## Hazel (Oct 23, 2010)

Rise was my favourite. A beautiful, rich voice. And her mother was a lovely, down-to-earth woman. I lived across the street from her in New York City and would run into her as she walked Rise's dog in the park. Such a wonderful woman to visit with. Another gone.

From New York Times:

Risë Stevens, 99, Stalwart at the Met for Decades in Carmen Role, Is Dead 
By MARGALIT FOX 
Ms. Stevens, a mezzo-soprano, practically owned the role of Carmen during the 1940s and '50, and gained popularity through her appearances on radio, television and in movies.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/22/a...&_r=0&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130322


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

I have fallen in love with her listening to Sirius Metopera. What a gorgeous rich voice. Not a mezzo who sounds like a soprano. It helped that she was also really beautiful and believable as Carmen.


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## Hazel (Oct 23, 2010)

It was from her performances that I learned about mezzo soprano. She had the perfect voice for it.


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## Pamina (Sep 5, 2012)

She did have a lovely voice and her Carmen was wonderful (I have only heard the recording and seen film of her doing Carmen scenes on YouTube). But she knew how to portray "sexy" in a ladylike way. Her Carmen and Dalila were temptresses but never ****ty or dirty. Too many singers and actresses today don't know how to act sexy without being ****ty. They need to watch her to understand.


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## Hazel (Oct 23, 2010)

Pamina said:


> She did have a lovely voice and her Carmen was wonderful (I have only heard the recording and seen film of her doing Carmen scenes on YouTube). But she knew how to portray "sexy" in a ladylike way. Her Carmen and Dalila were temptresses but never ****ty or dirty. Too many singers and actresses today don't know how to act sexy without being ****ty. They need to watch her to understand.


I had never thought of it that way but you a re absolutely right.


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