I love how she looks off into the distance when she is searching her memories - I can only imagine the wheels turning in her mind, scanning the vast and glorious memories of her remarkable lifetime. That really touches me. I thought she was so classy and glamorous simultaneously.
What a great lady! I have admired her for many years and can't believe that she is gone. She is so alive here and full of energy and memories of her life and career. I love listening to her stories in this video. Thank you so much for having this video here.
When I was a freshman at Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, Rise gave a concert, and when she sang "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?" my life changed. I had never heard such a powerful and beautiful voice; she pulled us out of our seats and let us sink down on the "trembles". Lovely in her senior years. Thanks for honoring her and giving me the gift of seeing the interview. Dr Charles W Spurgeon, professor emeritus
Extraordinair artist Mrs.Stevens was!!!, she will always live in our hearts through her wonderful musical talent (specially due to records and films):Thanks The Lord for her and recordings.BRAVA!!!!
2011 was the year of the NEA Opera Honors with Rise Stevens. She was born June 11, 1913 in NYC per wikipedia. So she was in her late 90s at the time of this interview.
Yes Robert, in addition to "Going My Way", she also appeared in the film "The Chocolate Soldier" with Nelson Eddy. The two became great friends, and she encouraged him to continue his opera career. He however remained in films, radio, concerts and later in life, a new career as a nightclub singer. There is a wealth of his glorious music, all genres, here on youtube.
She reminds me of my grandmother. I love this woman and I know little about her except I know of her reputation and have her heard her recordings. A great artist. How sad that she's gone.
She's terribly modest! Her interpretation of Carmen grew and grew until later in her career, by the '50s certainly, it was the stuff of greatness,. She was a Carmen for the ages, never ever to have been equaled much less surpassed.
If i am right and i hope that i am i loved her in Going my way with Bing Crosby especially when she did Ava Marie with Bing and the boys. Areal beautiful woman and fantastic artist. R.I.P Mrs. Stevens
Rise Stevens died in March, 2013, about 2 1/2 months short of her 100th birthday. I was following my godmother, Licia Albanese, and Rise Stevens, all born in 1913, hoping they would get to their 100th birthdays. Albanese and my godmother made it. Unfortunately Stevens did not.
Wonderful, thanks so much for posting this! She is delightful and interesting, and I OWE her for being my introduction to opera. So nice to see her feeling that she had a wonderful career/life, I always hoped that for her. (But, at 23:00, I'm pretty sure it's Mannes, not "Manus.")
Lanza and Stevens never appeared in a movie together. They did some work on the same radio shows, same recordings, and possibly some concerts, although Lanza is only known to have sung in one actual opera. R.I.P. to a talented performer, fine human being, and diligent supporter of the arts.
Many singers went to Europe for the beginning of their career/end of studies and then became huge successes in America. Look at Troyanos, Stevens, Sills, all were offered contracts at NYCO and the Met, turned them down and went to Europe for 5 or more years, came back and performed round the world, including Europe and USA.
Does anybody know why the lyrics were changed in the crowd scene in her famous "Carmen"? The crowd is not singing about oranges and programs, they're singing about dancing. Nobody knows.
