Marjan’s Musical Soirées

Marta’s brilliant young life in Budapest. Her musical relationship with the King of Jazz Operetta Paul Abraham . Marta sings three songs by this gifted composer and stories from Marta’s own account.

In Act 1 of this Trilogy – presenter Jane Knox, chronicles Marta’s unique childhood in Hungary and the many famous artists, composers, playwrights of stage and screen who recognized her unique talent. These included Paul Abraham (1892-1960), Bela Zerkovitz (1882-1948) Joseph Szulc (1875-1956). Marta’s talent would ultimately lead her to Vienna and beyond where she became a major star of stage, film, opera and operetta. Our special thanks to Andras Szentpeteri.

This podcast, created and hosted by Jane Knox-Kiepura, describes the close artistic relationship between Franz Lehar and Marta Eggerth in films and operettas. Franz Lehar has often been referred to as the King of Operetta famous for The Merry Widow among others. Conversely, Marta Eggerth was often known as the Queen of Operetta. Marta would make six films involving Lehar’s music with many songs composed especially for her.

Jan Kiepura singing Polish repertoire. Producers Marjan Kiepura and Jane Knox.

On May 20, 2022 pianist Marjan Kiepura and his wife Jane Knox-Kiepura, hosted a program at the Exilarte Center in Vienna at the University of Music and Performing Artswhere the exhibit was held. The Program commemorated the careers of Marjan’s parents, the renowned singers Marta Eggerth and Jan Kiepura, who both rose to international stardom in Vienna. The Exilarte Center was co-founded by Dr. Michael Haas and Professor Dr. Gerold Gruber to honor those composers and artists who were victimized by the rise of Nazism in Europe during the 1930s. This podcast is a reminiscence of that evening and of the music and narrative presented.

The Polish tenor Jan Kiepura (1902 – 1966) was one of the most famous opera singers of the last century and remembered throughout the world . Whereas he was a European movie star from some 19 films; his fame started on the opera stages of Europe and North and South America. After his debut at the Lvov Opera in 1924, he sang major tenor roles throughout the 1930s and 1940s in operas as Tosca, La Boheme, Carmen, Manon, Rigoletto and Turandot. He also created tenor roles in new contemporary operas at the time. These included Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Das Wunder der Heliane and Felice Lattuada’s opera Le Preziose Ridicole. Jan Kiepura sang at La Scala in Milano, Vienna State Opera, Paris Operas, Metropolitan Opera, Chicago Opera, Colon Opera in Buenos Aires and innumerable concerts. With his wife, the Hungarian soprano and film star Marta Eggerth (1912 – 2013), they appeared in movies together and then entered the operetta genre with successful tours of Lehar’s The Merry Widow among other operettas. Jan Kiepura crossed several genre – opera, films and operetta. His career was unique in that he was a major opera singer and at the same time a movie star.

Marta Eggerth sings live “Sárbogárd Dombovar” composer Robert Stolz, lyrics Istvan Mihaly. Piano Marjan Kiepura with special musical arrangement Wiesbaden May Festival 1990. Host Jane Knox

Marta Eggerth sings “Nur die Liebe macht uns Jung” - “Only Love Keeps Us Young” - by Franz Lehar. Marjan Kiepura is the pianist, from a concert at the Wiesbaden Opera in May 1990. Podcast and discussion is hosted by Jane Knox.

Marta Eggerth sings live from Die Geschiedene Frau–Kind, Du Kannst Tanzen. Marjan Kiepura is the pianist; from a concert at the Wiesbaden Opera in May 1990. Podcast and discussion is hosted by Jane Knox.

The famous poem by Heinrich Heine was put to song by several composers including Franz Liszt and Robert Schumann. Here, the celebrated soprano Marta Eggerth sings both songs in concert with her son Marjan Kiepura at the piano. Jane Knox hosts the podcast.

Marta Eggerth sings two Chopin songs live from a concert in Wiesbaden, Germany May 1990 at age 78. And three more songs from her CD Marta Eggerth My Life My Song at age 90. Songs include "Meine Freuden" (My Darling) , "Mein Geliebter" (Handsome Lad) a sung in German; and "Pierscien" (The Ring), "Dumka" and "Zyczenie" (The Wish) sung in Polish. Her son Marjan Kiepura is the pianist.

Reflections on the Raindrop Prelude, one of the most celebrated solo piano works, with unique insights to its origins.

Chopin's mazurka Op. 50, No. 2 in A-Flat is a later work and a delightful mazurka which deserves greater visibility. Here pianist, Marjan Kiepura, explores aspects of this mazurka.

Podcast Chopin’s Waltz in A minor Op. 34, No. 2 commentary and performance by Marjan Kiepura, pianist and Jane Knox, host.

Unique insight and perspectives to Chopin’s Polonaises and performance of the “Military” Poloniase Op. 40, No. 1 in A major. Marjan Kiepura, pianist and Jane Knox, host.

This nocturne is probably the most popular among Chopin’s 21 nocturnes. Discussed and performed by pianist, Marjan Kiepura and hosted by Jane Knox, together they offer some new historic insights to this work.

Pianist Marjan Kiepura and host Jane Knox present the backstory of the famous waltz by Frederic Chopin in A-Flat, Op. 69, No. 1 known as the L’Adieu waltz. Composed in 1835, several versions of this waltz survived after Chopin’s death in 1849. The two primary versions are the Urtext and the version issued by Julian Fontana. Mr. Kiepura performs the Fontana version published posthumously in 1855.

Chopin's unpublished works and the story of how they were saved. Presented by Marjan Kiepura and Jane Knox.

Presenters: Jane Knox, Host and Marjan Kiepura, Pianist Frederic Chopin’s mazurkas which are a dance form with special rhythms and accents, would become the most extensive of all of Frederic Chopin’s genre. Although not intended for dancing, Chopin composed 58 of these wondrous concerts pieces for the piano. Composed from the beginning of his life to the end of his life - the mazurkas would represent his most personal side. As publishers referred to them as “Souvenir de La Pologne” these gems would create the Polishness that we hear in his music.