Jan Kiepura Verdi Trovatore 1939 radio Di quella pira

1902-1966 Tenor Poland Jan Kiepura was born in Sosnowiec, Poland in 1902, and after studying with Leliwa in Warsaw, made his debut in Lwow as Faust in 1924. He then appeared in Vienna (1926), Berlin, Milan (1928), Paris, and Budapest. He also appeared in a number of musical films, and these, coupled with his recordings, established him as one of the greatest stars on the German vocal scene. Early in the Nazi regime, however, it became known that Kiepura's father was a Jewish baker in Sosnowiec, and his days in Germany were numbered. In 1938 he came to the United States, and was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera, where he appeared for three seasons, singing 18 performances of 5 roles. Kiepura married the Hungarian soprano, Marta Eggerth, in 1936, and after his period at the Met, he mainly appeared in operetta with his wife as partner, appearing for over a year on Broadway in a production of The Merry Widow, which he and his wife later took on a prolonged tour. Kiepura died in New York in 1966.