Wladyslaw Ladis-Kiepura

Biography

Wladyslaw Kiepura was born in Sosnowiec, Poland, on March 30th 1904. Younger brother of opera singer Jan Kiepura and with his own tenor merits, he also followed a musical career although initially he wanted to be an actor. Jan introduced him to teacher Tadeusz Leliwa and Wladyslaw started his own operatic career, although he also studied Philosophy. In 1932 he made his debut singing the lead role in Gounod's Faust with Ada Sari at the Kraków Opera. That same year he sang at Sosnowiec's church to help raising funds for restoration and cathedral building. He started a successful string of performances in Poland, Germany, Hungary, Riga and Italy, where he sang at the San Carlo theatre. He premiered Halka in Hamburg in 1935 and would also play in the 1937 film of the same name. On January 29, 1939 he made his debut at La Scala, where he sang Rodolfo in La Bohème. He also toured both South and North America. Like his famed brother he sang in several languages, and many parts were common between them: the Duque of Mantua, Caravadossi, Don José, Calaf... They even recorded together. And they both emigrated to the USA because of their Jewish ancestry and the Nazi rules against related artists. During the war years they raised funds for the Allies and Polish resistance. Wladyslaw went there in 1939, and a year later he married and established, returning every now and then to his beloved Poland, and singing at the Chicago Civic Opera, the Carneggie Hall and other venues until his retirement. He finally settled in Florida and became a real estate investor. He died there in 1998 at 94 years of age.