Jan Kiepura, the son of a baker, was born in 1902 in the gloomy mining town of Sosnowia, now in Poland, but situated in Russia at that time. He left his native town, that - although dirty and dark - would always remain dear to his heart, for Warsaw, where he started studying law. At the same time he took singing lessons with Waclaw Brzesinsky and Tadeusz Leliwa. He soon realized that singing was his real vocation and was lucky to benefit from the support of his parents, who understood how talented he was in this field. At age 23, Jan was hired for the first time, as a replacement in the choir of the Warsaw Opera, but he sang so loud that his voice covered all the other ones, which resulted in his being fired. However, three months later, he found himself on the same stage, but in the right place this time, as the lead singer of Gounod's "Faust". This outstanding performance marked the beginning of a rapid rise: from then on, Jan Kiepura was wanted everywhere in the world. In addition,it was not long before the cinema - now talking - required his beautiful voice and his good looks. As of the early thirties he starred in a series of filmed operettas. It was on the set of "Mein Herz ruft nach dir" that he met the woman of his life, Hungarian-born Marta Eggerth, another star singer, with whom he lived until his death in 1966 and who gave him two sons. In March '38, the couple fled Austria and took refuge in the South of France. The following year, he joined the French Polish Legion and shortly after the Phoney War, he was assigned the mission to defend the cause of invaded Poland in the States. He found Marta there and after the end of the War they teamed together on Broadway where they co-starred in "The Merry Widow" and "La Polonaise". In 1953, Jan and Marta settled down in the USA for good and Jan acquired American citizenship shortly afterwards. But his career quickly declined and, at the age of 64, he died of a heart attack in his New York State home. Marta Eggerth survives him to this day.
Brother of Singer Wladyslaw Ladis-Kiepura.
When he got his first engagement at the opera in Lemberg in 1925, this was the beginning of a splendid career which only few opera singer were able to experience.
Jan Kiepura made his film debut already in 1926 with the Polish production "O czem sie nie mysli", but his real career came with the talkies of course. At this moment he was already a world-famous opera singer to whom the audience "lay to his feet".
In 1923 he performed his first concert in the Sphinx cinema in Sosnowiec. In 1924, Jan Kiepura was admitted by Emil Mlynarski to the local choir. He played the role of Gral in Moniuszkos opera Halka. He also took part in a production of Gounods Faust Faust in the Polish city of Lwow (now in the Ukraine).
Kiepuras return to Warsaw in 1934 caused a sensation in the Polish capital, and his musical shows were received with huge enthusiasm. Apart from his performances in concert halls, he also sang to a crowd gathered under the balcony of the Warsaw hotel "Bristol". He also sang while standing on his cars roof, or from a carriages window, and also spoke to the audience. However, he was not a frequent guest in Poland.
After World War II they returned to Paris and Jan Kiepura took part in his last movies, among others "Ihre wunderbare Lge". They came back to the USA in 1953 where they took up residence for good. A brief time later he got the American nationality.
Jan Kiepura lured the viewers into the cinemas with the movies "Die singende Stadt" (1930), "Das Lied einer Nacht" (1932) and "Ein Lied fr Dich".
He appeared in half Europe and had great successes. Important milestones were his engagements at the Scala in Milan in 1928/1929 and in Paris.
Jan Kiepura was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, the son of Miriam (ne Neuman), a former professional singer, and Franciszek Kiepura, a baker and grocery owner.
The singer and actor Jan Kiepura took singing lessons by Waclaw Brzezinski in Warsaw in 1922 against the will of his parents.
His mother was Jewish.
When World War II broke out, Jan Kiepura was located in Paris.
He played in many films, of which the most famous are: The Singing City, The Song of Night, Ich liebe alle Frauen, The Charm of La Boheme, Das Land des Lchelns.
He signed contracts with Convert Garden in London, Opra Comique in Paris and National Opera in Berlin.
When France capitulated he went to New York together with Martha Eggerth. There he could successfully continue his career but didnt forget his Polish countrymen. He suppported organizations like "Relief fond for Poland" with generous financial means over and over again.
During 1916-1920, he attended the Junior School in Sosnowiec where he graduated from high school. In 1921 he studied law at the University of Warsaw. He learned singing from Waclaw Brzezinski and Tadeusz Leliwa.
Jan Kiepura has also provoked the environment all his life. On one hand he was the celebrated star on the other hand he provoked with his airs and graces. But from that seat he worked hard for it was certainly difficult not to flip from time zu time. But he always had a heart for the public to which he owned his career in the end.
After a failed start as a chorus singer at the Warsaw opera he intensified his singing training.
The married couple Kiepura and Eggerth caused a sensation on Broadway and had great successes with the plays "Die lustige Witwe" and "Polonaise".
He left Europe and toured in South America, from 1931 also in the USA for the first time.
When he played at Martha Eggerths side in the movie "Mein Herz ruft nach Dir" he found his true love with her which lasted till his old age. Besides the film they also formed a dazzling dream couple in public life.
Father of Jan Tadeusz Sharbek (born 1944), singer, and Marjan Wictor (born 1950), producer and pianist.
