Házy, Erzsébet (1929-1982)

Házy, Erzsébet

OPERA SINGER, ACTOR (HUNGARY)

BORN 1 Oct 1929, Pozsony (now: Bratislava) - DIED 24 Nov 1982, Budapest
CAUSE OF DEATH ovarian cancer
GRAVE LOCATION Budapest: Farkasrét cemetery (25-7-47)

Ersébet Házy was born in Bratislava but her parents were Hungarian and she grew up in Hungary. Her friends called her Böbe. She studied singing at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music under Géza László. After working for the Hungarian Radio Choir she debuted in 1951 as Oscar in Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" at the State Opera in Budapest. She performed there for many years and she often appeared at the Volksoper in Vienna as well. In 1963 she won the Franz Liszt Prize and in 1970 the Kossuth Prize.

In 1965 she played in the German operetta movie "Der Zigeunernbaron" and in 1973 in "Gräfin Mariza". She also appeared in several Hungarina movies, but she was best known for her performances of the title role of Puccini's "Manon Lescaut". One of her four husbands was the opera singer Róbert Ilosfalvy (1927-2009) with whom she performed on the stage. Another was the actor Iván Darvas (1925-2007). Her last husband was opera singer Csaba Ötvös (b.1943). She was only 53 years old when she died of ovarian cancer in Budapest in 1982.

Images

The grave of Erzsebeth Házy at the Farkasrét cemetery in Budapest.
Picture by androom (21 Aug 2006)