Collection context
Summary
- Title:
- Gitta Alpár papers
- Dates:
- 1903-1991
- Creators:
- Alpár, Gitta (1903-1991) and Jenssen, Julie
- Abstract:
- The collection contains documents, photographs, ephemera, and audio visual materials associated with the life and career of soprano Gitta Alpar.
- Extent:
- 10.667 Linear Feet (16 containers, 2 doc boxes, 2 shoeboxes, hanging art, 8 audio reels, 15 cassettes, 32 audio discs, 28 audio preservation CDs, 22 film reels, 6 DVDs, 8 cassettes, and born-digital materials)
- Language:
- English German Hungarian Spanish; Castilian Swedish Danish
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Gitta Alpar papers, PA Mss 246. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
Background
- Scope and content:
-
This collection contains the papers of Gitta Alpar. Contained within the collection are photographs, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, correspondence, records, home movies, tapes, audio recordings, and other personal belongings associated with the life and career of Gitta Alpar. The materials were collected over the course of Alpar's life and later compiled and donated by Alpar's daughter and granddaughter.
Strengths of this collection include an extensive compilation of international press following Alpar's career in Europe, South America, and the United States, as well as many personal and professional photographs. Additionally, the collection contains detailed personal and professional correspondence, fan mail, and legal records, offering insight into Gitta's life as she navigated adversity and exile following the rise of the Nazi party.
- Biographical / historical:
-
Gitta Alpar (1903-1991) was born in Hungary as Regina Klopfer. In 1917, the Jewish family changed their name to Alpar. Gitta Alpar's father was a cantor at the Dohány Street Synagogue, and all three children pursued careers in music. Gitta attended the Liszt Academy in Budapest, later appearing at the Budapest Opera as a colouratura soprano at age 23 before moving to Germany to establish her career with the Berlin Staatsoper in 1927. While in Berlin, she assumed lead soprano roles in Mozart's The Magic Flute, Rossini's The Barber of Seville, and Verdi's La Traviata. It would be in operetta, though, where Gitta would find her greatest success. German audiences and critics praised her performances in Millöker'sDer Bettelstudnet (The Beggar Student) and Die Dubarry (The DuBarry), as well as Léhar's Schön is die Welt (Beautiful World). She first starred on screen in the successful German film Gitta entdeckt ihr Herz (Gitta Discovers Her Heart), where she met her second husband, Gustav Frohlich. The pair later starred together in Die-oder keine (This or None), and were married in April 1932. In December 1932, Paul Abraham's operetta Ball im Savoy (Ball at the Savoy) premiered at the prestigious Berlin Grosses Schauspielhaus, with Gitta starring as Madeleine. The operetta was exceptionally successful, much to the concern of the increasingly anti-semitic German state. Gitta would stay in Germany for another year before returning to Hungary to escape mounting Nazi hostility.
Soon upon returning to Hungary, Gustav and Gitta's daughter Julika (Julie), was born (June 1934). Gustav and Gitta's relationship became increasingly strained and their marriage officially separating in 1935. After leaving Germany, Gitta attempted to reestablish her career, reprising her roles in productions of Die Dubarry and Ball im Savoy, as well as appearing in a few film adaptations. After a tour in Scandinavia and a stint of films and performances in England, including a performance celebrating the coronation of King George IV, Gitta secured a contract with an Argentinian radio company, an engagement meant to last eight weeks that extended to eight months. While in Argentina, she established contact with former European colleagues residing in the United States such as John Murray Anderson, Joe Pasternak, Frieder Weissman, and John Kurucz, attempting to secure work upon her arrival. Unable to return home and hoping to begin her career afresh, she set sail with her daughter for New York in June 1939.
Arriving in New York, Gitta followed up on connections with local artists, working under the management of Andrew Schulhoff. Though successfully recording an album with Columbia Records and securing some radio performances, Gitta left New York for Hollywood, pursuing a film career. She appeared in The Film of New Orleans (1941), briefly sharing the silver screen with the famed Marlene Dietrich, but was unable to further capitalize professionally on the experience. Many have speculated on the reasons for the end of Gitta's vibrant performing career. Arriving in Los Angeles, Gitta reconnected with her friend and fellow performer, Danish actor, and heir to a Danish department store fortune, Neils Wessel Bagge, marrying him in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1940. They were married for more than a decade, living in Santa Monica before divorcing in 1951. Gitta moved permanently to Palm Springs, California around 1955, where she would spend the rest of her life active in local arts administration and social circles, including the Palm Springs Friends of Philharmonic, and the Palm Springs Opera Guild. In 1987, Gitta would return to Germany for the first time since her departure in 1933 to receive the prestigious Filmband in Gold Award for her work in German cinema. Gitta died in Palm Springs in February 1991, and is buried at Westwood Village in Memorial Park cemetery.
- Acquisition information:
- Gift of Julie Jenssen and Kathy Foley, 2023.
- Arrangement:
-
This collection is arranged thematically into the following series:
- Series 1, Early life and career (1903-1939)
- Series 2, United States (1939-1955)
- Series 3, Palm Springs and Retirement (1955-1991)
- Series 4, Gustav Frohlich (1906-1988)
- Series 5, Niels Wessel Bagge (1908-1990)
- Series 6, Audio Visual
- Series 7, Born-Digital
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
About this collection guide
- Date Encoded:
- This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2025-07-24 15:56:46 -0700 .
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
The collection is open for research. Audiovisual materials must be reformatted for access. Please contact the Department of Special Research Collections in advance to request access.
- Terms of access:
-
Property rights to the collection and physical objects belong to the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at the UCSB Library. All applicable literary rights, including copyright to the collection and physical objects, are protected under Chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code and are retained by the creator and the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns.
All requests to reproduce, quote from, or otherwise reuse collection materials must be submitted in writing to the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB at library-special@ucsb.edu. Consent is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California acting through the Department of Special Research Collections at UCSB as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission from the copyright owner. Such permission must be obtained from the copyright owner, heir(s), or assigns. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue the copyright owner or their assigns for permission to publish where the UC Regents do not hold the copyright.
- Preferred citation:
-
[Identification of Item], Gitta Alpar papers, PA Mss 246. Department of Special Research Collections, UC Santa Barbara Library, University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Location of this collection:
-
UC Santa Barbara LibrarySanta Barbara, CA 93106-9010, US
- Contact:
- (805) 893-3062