News & Reviews
New Yorker Staats-Zeitung "Culture"
Translation, German - American Newspaper (New York)
By Egon Stadelman
Marjan Kiepura had chosen the Liederkranz Hall (NY) to devote a whole afternoon to the music of his home country - the music of Frederic Chopin.
Marjan Kiepura hails from a home where music was the one and only dominant muse: His father was Jan Kiepura, the unforgettable singer and interpreter of great tenor roles; his mother is Marta Eggerth, equally unforgettable and still active as a singer, actress and film diva. Small wonder that the musical afternoon became an outstanding success and that Patria Productions has recorded the program on CD.
As a pianist, Marjan Kiepura is just as passionate as his father was an intense singer and his mother is an outstanding actress and vocal artist. When Marjan Kiepura plays a mazurka or a waltz, a nocturne or polonaise of this favorite composer and compatriot Chopin, he does so with the clear intention of making his audience feel and absorb these "Images of a Homeland". This is also the title of the CD.
As a result, we are left with a lasting impression. His greatness lies in the fact that, in spite of all introversion, the artist succeeds in magnificently sculpting the romantic element - which has been Chopin's overpowering motive. Marjan Kiepura has documented that an artist of his form is quite able to turn music into a thrilling experience. He has equally convinced us that it does not matter whether we listen to this music in a concert hall or in our own home, on a CD. Pianist Kiepura stands on the threshold where art breaks through its formal barrier and becomes reality.