Happy Birthday to the Great Rise Stevens

The great Rise Stevens turns 93 on June 11.
Coincidentally, a new book just came out entitled, "Rise Stevens, a
Life in Music" by John Pennino (Baskerville Publishers), and there is a
marvelous CD in the book with some very rare material. I will be paying
tribute soon to this wonderful lady in a podcast on my libsyn site. She
was the first "bigger-than-life" artist I met and to this day I can
still " feel that greasepaint " on my 16 year old hand after a Carmen.
Her music club was such fun, as we went to her apartment every
year and she always treated us so cordially and any time we met,she was
the same warm and loving human being who made us so happy. I will
always keep in my memory the vision of her walking down those stairs in
act two Rosenkavalier, looking so radiant as octavian, and I am spoiled
forever after having seen her Carmen so many times.
She has had a great life, and on this important day,I wish
her my best, and I am sure you do also.
My best
Charlie