Jan Kiepura

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Grave of Jan Kiepura at Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.
Grave of Jan Kiepura at Powązki Cemetery in Warsaw.

Jan Wiktor Kiepura (b. May 16, 1902, Sosnowiec, Poland – d. August 15, 1966, Harrison, New York) was a Polish singer (tenor) and actor. He was born of a Jewish mother and a Polish father.

In 1926 he left Poland. Before World War II, he built a well-known villa, "Patria", in Krynica-Zdrój, which cost him about US$3 million. Some Polish movies were made there. He played in twelve musicals, including O czym się nie myśli (1926)[1], Die Singende Stadt (Neapol, śpiewające miasto) (1930)[2], and Tout Pour L'amour (Zdobyć cię muszę) (1933)[3].

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[edit] Marriage

In 1936, Kiepura married the lyric soprano Marta Eggerth (b. 1912). The two often sang together in operettas, in concerts, on records, and in films until his death.

Kiepura and Eggerth (who is also partially Jewish) were forced to flee Europe due to the rise of Nazism and the onset of World War II. They emigrated to the United States.

[edit] Death

He died at the age of 64 in Harrison, New York of undisclosed causes and was buried in Powązki Cemetery, Warsaw.

[edit] References

  1. ^ (Polish) Polish film Internet database, retrieved on December 18, 2007.
  2. ^ (Polish) Polish film Internet database, and [1], both retrieved on December 18, 2007.
  3. ^ icon}} Polish film Internet database and [2], both retrieved on December 18, 2007.

[edit] External links

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