Marta Eggerth facts for kids

Marta Eggerth (born April 17, 1912 – died December 26, 2013) was a famous Hungarian actress and singer. She was known for her beautiful voice and acting during "The Silver Age of Operetta". This was a time when operettas, which are like light operas with speaking parts, were very popular. Many famous composers wrote music especially for her. These included Franz Lehár, Fritz Kreisler, and Robert Stolz.

Early life and first steps

Marta Eggerth was born in Budapest. Her mother, Tilly, was a talented singer, and her father, Paul, was a bank director. Marta started singing when she was very young. Her mother helped her a lot, and Marta was called a "Wunderkind" (a child prodigy) because of her amazing talent.

When she was just 11 years old, Marta made her first stage appearance in an operetta called Mannequins. Even as a teenager, she sang very difficult songs. She toured in Denmark, Holland, and Sweden. Later, she went to Vienna, a famous city for music.

In Vienna, a composer named Emmerich Kálmán invited her to be a backup singer for a famous opera star. But when the star got sick, Marta took over the main role in the operetta Das Veilchen vom Montmartre. She was a huge success! At 17, she also performed in a famous production of Die Fledermaus.

A star is born

In the early 1930s, Marta Eggerth became a movie star. She made over 40 films in five different languages: Hungarian, English, German, French, and Italian. Some of her popular films included Where is this Lady (1932) and The Csardas Princess (1934).

She also starred in two films written just for her by the famous composer Franz Lehár. These were Es war einmal ein Walzer (1932) and Die ganze Welt dreht sich um Liebe (1935).

Meeting Jan Kiepura

While making the 1934 film Mein Herz ruft immer nach dir (My Heart is Calling You), Marta met Jan Kiepura. He was a young Polish tenor (a male singer with a high voice). They fell in love and got married in 1936. They became known as Europe's Liebespaar, which means "Love Pair". They were a sensation wherever they performed together.

In 1938, Jan Kiepura made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. He sang many important roles and performed in many concerts across the United States and Canada. While he was touring, Marta Eggerth got a contract to perform on Broadway in a musical called Higher and Higher.

She also signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in Hollywood. In the early 1940s, she made two movies with the famous actress Judy Garland. These films were For Me and My Gal (1942) and Presenting Lily Mars (1943).

Working together

Marta and Jan often performed together. In 1943, they starred on Broadway in a new version of Lehár's operetta The Merry Widow. They performed The Merry Widow over 2,000 times in five languages! After World War II, they continued to tour and make films in Europe. They brought The Merry Widow to London in 1954.

Marta also gave many concerts by herself. She sang different types of music, including opera songs and film songs. Even though she and Jan often had separate tours, they sometimes performed together in the same city. In 1956, they gave two sold-out concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London. They continued singing throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Later years and legacy

Jan Kiepura passed away in 1966. Marta stopped singing for several years after that. But her mother encouraged her to start performing again. In the 1970s, she began appearing on television and giving concerts in Europe. She even returned to the American stage in musicals like Colette and Follies.

In 1999, when she was 87 years old, Marta sang at the Vienna State Opera. She sang a mix of songs from The Merry Widow in four languages and received a standing ovation. She performed this medley again in 2000 for a special celebration in Vienna.

Marta continued to perform and make appearances into her late 90s. In 2001, she had a sold-out concert in London. She also appeared in an Austrian TV detective series, playing an aging singer. Her last performance was in 2011, when she was 99 years old.

Awards and recognition

Marta Eggerth received many important awards for her work in operetta, theater, and film. She was honored by Austria, Germany, Poland, and Hungary. Some of her final awards included the Knights Cross of the Order of the Merit of the Republic of Poland and the Knights Cross of the Order of the Merit of the Republic of Hungary, which is her home country's highest honor. She also received the Erwin Piscator Life Achievement Award for her amazing career.

In 2003, a double CD of her songs called My Life My Song was released.

Personal life

Marta Eggerth was married to the famous Polish tenor Jan Kiepura. They had two children.

Death

Marta Eggerth passed away on December 26, 2013, in Rye, New York. She was 101 years old.

Films

See also

In Spanish: Marta Eggerth para niños