mnsss304 Rise Stevens Papers, 1962-1975 Finding Aid Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College

Northampton, MA

Finding aid exported into EAD from InMagic DB/Textworks 7.01. Encoded by Margaret Jessup and Jennifer Smar. 2006-04-07 Finding aid written in English. Sophia Smith CollectionSmith College Rise Stevens Papers, 1962-1975 Finding Aid MS 154 2005 Encoding funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

Collection Overview Stevens, Rise, 1913- Rise Stevens Papers1962-1975 MS 154 6 boxes (3 linear ft.) English Sophia Smith Collection

Smith College Northampton, MA

Opera singer and Director, Metropolitan Opera National Company. Collection primarily documents Stevens's administrative roles in the Metropolitan Opera Company and in the National Endowment for the Arts and includes correspondence, speeches, interviews, scripts, fan mail, photographs, music notebooks, concert scores, memorabilia, and artwork. Biographical Note

Risë Stevens, undated

Risë Stevens was born in New York City 11 Jun 1913. She studied at Julliard and Mozarteum, Salzburg, working with Anna Schoen-Rane and Vera Schwartz. She had her debut in Prague and returned to the US for her first appearance at the Metropolitan Opera in 1938. She married Walter Surovy in 1939 and had one son, Nicholas. Until her retirement in 1961, "she virtually owned many of the great mezzo[-soprano] roles" in classic opera. During World War II, she traveled with the Hollywood Victory Caravan. She was a regular performer on both radio and television and recorded for both Columbia and RCA Victor. After her 1961 retirement from performing, Stevens continued her involvement in opera as director of the Met's National Company, "dedicating to taking opera to hundreds of American cities where opera was not available." She later served as president of Mannes College of Music (1975- 78) and returned to the Met as director of its National Council Auditions (1980-88). She established the Risë Stevens scholarship at Adelphi College. Risë Stevens has been honored many times over her long career including honorary degrees from Russell Sage (H.H. D.), Hobart, and Smith Colleges (Mus. D.).

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Risë Stevens Papers include correspondence, speeches, interviews, articles, legal papers and contracts, scripts, fan mail, photographs, music notebooks, concert scores, memorabilia, clippings, and artwork. The collection primarily documents Stevens's administrative roles in the Metropolitan Opera Company and in the National Endowment for the Arts. Items of particular interest include correspondence to and from opera colleagues and friends regarding Metropolitan Opera National Company trials and triumphs, such as a labor dispute in 1969; addresses and an interview with former Metropolitan Opera Broadcast announcer, Milton Cross (1966); and a script for General Manager Rudolph Bing's "gala" in 1972.

NOTE: There is no container list for this collection. Contact the Sophia Smith Collection for more information.

Information on Use Terms of Access and Use

The papers are open to research according to the regulations of the Sophia Smith Collection.

This collection has not been fully processed.

Copyright to unpublished materials may be owned by the creator, or their heirs or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to identify and satisfy the holders of all copyrights. Permission to publish reproductions or quotations beyond "fair use" must also be obtained from the Sophia Smith Collection as owners of the physical property.

Preferred Citation

Please use the following format when citing materials from this collection:

Risë Stevens Papers, Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College, Northampton, Mass.

Search Terms Metropolitan Opera (New York, N.Y.)--History--Sources National Endowment for the Arts--History--Sources Opera--United States--History--Sources Sopranos (Singers)--United States--Biography--Sources Women singers--United States--Biography--Sources Stevens, Rise, 1913- Additional Information