Opera Singer. A dramatic soprano, she is remembered for her career at the Budapest's Hungarian State Opera. Raised in the Hungarian Capital, she took to music early, studied at the Bela Bartok Secondary School and at the Music Academy of Budapest, and made her 1967 Hungarian State Opera bow as the title lead of Claudio Monteverdi's "The Coronation of Poppea". Remaining with the company for more than two decades, she made her name in the demanding 'heavyweight' repertoire, her characters including several of Verdi's ladies, among them Leonora in "Il Trovatore", the tragic Desdemona of "Otello", Elizabeth from "Don Carlos", and the title Ethiopian Princess of "Aida". Some of Maria's other roles included The Marschallin in Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", Queen Gertrude from Ferenc Erkel's "Bank Ban", the jealous title lead of Puccini's "Tosca", and La Contessa from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", the latter earning especially high praise. She was to receive multiple honors including the Franz Liszt Prize in 1974 and 1984 designation as Artist of Merit; around 2000, Maria's career was ended by illness and she died following a long period of progressive debility. Her art is preserved on a number of recordings of her performances.
Opera Singer. A dramatic soprano, she is remembered for her career at the Budapest's Hungarian State Opera. Raised in the Hungarian Capital, she took to music early, studied at the Bela Bartok Secondary School and at the Music Academy of Budapest, and made her 1967 Hungarian State Opera bow as the title lead of Claudio Monteverdi's "The Coronation of Poppea". Remaining with the company for more than two decades, she made her name in the demanding 'heavyweight' repertoire, her characters including several of Verdi's ladies, among them Leonora in "Il Trovatore", the tragic Desdemona of "Otello", Elizabeth from "Don Carlos", and the title Ethiopian Princess of "Aida". Some of Maria's other roles included The Marschallin in Richard Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier", Queen Gertrude from Ferenc Erkel's "Bank Ban", the jealous title lead of Puccini's "Tosca", and La Contessa from Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", the latter earning especially high praise. She was to receive multiple honors including the Franz Liszt Prize in 1974 and 1984 designation as Artist of Merit; around 2000, Maria's career was ended by illness and she died following a long period of progressive debility. Her art is preserved on a number of recordings of her performances.
Bio by: Bob Hufford
Advertisement
